Stephanie Mehta: Welcome, Anjali. I’m so glad you’re here us today.
Anjali Sud: Thank you, it is great be here.
SM: At Vimeo, you lead a workforce of 1,300 people worldwide — you creatives, you have finance people, you have technologists. So I’m going to start with really easy question: what was it like to manage this diverse workforce a global pandemic, a racial reckoning and a very return to office?
AS: Oh, it was a breeze, Stephanie. No, it was really challenging. You know, think the only constant has been change. And as a leader, obviously — you have a workforce that’s looking for certainty, they’re looking to control what’s happening around them. And I think we all found, as leaders, no matter what company you were … responsible for, was that couldn’t offer certainty, and you couldn’t always control the environment and the things around you. so, you know, for me, it was really about agility. How do we stay as a team? How do we communicate in real time keep people informed as we try and move through things? And then, also just how do lead with more humanity? You know, for Vimeo, one of the things I’ve learned over the last few years is we each experience the world so differently. We have who are remote. We have an incredible team in … employees who are on the front lines, who are at war. On the other hand, you have people in different parts of the who are experiencing mental-health challenges or burnout, and so I think it really just — the hardest part was not being able give everyone certainty, not being able to just apply one-size-fits-all rule for everyone. But I ultimately think it us, as a company, to build more trust, because be agile and flexible, and to lead with humanity, you to trust each other. And so, I’m sort of optimistic actually we’re emerging from this time with a culture is more flexible and nimble, and also, hopefully, has more trust.
SM: Can you give an example of that you put into place, perhaps during the pandemic, enhance communications or build trust or create a greater sense of community even to communicate that there is no certainty, that a muscle that you think you’ll continue to use in the far into the future?
AS: There’s a couple of things that we did. One — we are a video platform, so I obviously have to talk about video, I mean this sincerely — one of the hardest parts, when you’re all of disparate, is you lose context and you lose nuance when you communicate. And we did make concerted effort to move away from email and chat, text-based communication, as much possible, and actually try, particularly for our leadership team, we were communicating, to do it with your face, and your and your body and your emotions. And we did through live streaming a lot of communications, recording a lot videos. We sent asynchronous video messages. So I send … record my screen and just send a note out people. Every new hire does a video to welcome and introduce themselves. lot of our meetings we’ve actually replaced with just quick presentations. And actually, what that really did was allow the humanity the context to come through and I think that helped a lot to, kind of, stay close. So that was one, I think, really important thing.
Another thing is, I think, just creating mechanisms to make it easier talk about when things aren’t working, because a critical part of being agile is recognizing we have area that isn’t working. And so one of the things that do at Vimeo is we try — I do in all of my town halls, we do it in a lot meetings — is always talk about what’s working, what are top three things, and what isn’t working — yet. And we’ve kind created, I think, a framework that sort of takes the stigma away from about what’s not working. And when you make that and comfortable for people, I feel like it’s allowed us to be more open, an organization, about what do we need to change, do we need to pivot. And both of those, more video-first in our communication and being more transparent normalizing what’s not working, I think has been really helpful, and certainly something we’re carrying forward.
SM: love that advice about being video-first. So many of our members of our workforce in a video world. They’re used to video as a of communication. Which brings me to my next question. You’ve talked about how the organization has changed. How you see the workforce changing? What is different with the young millennials, even, now, the first wave of Gen Z coming into the workplace?
AS: I it’s incredibly different. And, you know, one of the things that we think about at Vimeo lot is a lot of the mechanisms and communication modes we still use today, they’re really antiquated. They were for a totally different environment and a totally different generation. But I see a of differences. One of them, I think, is the line between personal life and work life is definitely blending. … you think about your personal life — look at TikTok. This generation is used to consuming content, learning, engaging, a very specific way. And if they then have to come to work and to be trained on job, read a 300-page manual? Like, it’s not going to happen, right? Or if you miss meeting, and you have to watch the Zoom recording of a three-hour meeting — that’s just not going happen. And so I think that there is definitely sort of this — know, we talk about the “consumerization of enterprise.” Those are fancy words for saying the way … we communicate and in our personal lives is going to translate to work. And so definitely think that’s an area of opportunity.
The other thing I see from sort of the generation, the generation coming into the workforce, is sort of, of course mission-driven, I think there’s a desire to really understand the “why” behind things. And one of our mantras is we never talk about the “what” without “why.” And I think there’s a desire to — the idea that, well, there’s hierarchy, or “My boss told me that this is we’re going to do” or — that, I think, is increasingly away, and people, they don’t just want to do something because someone with formal authority them to do it. They want to do it they understand why it matters, why it ties to mission. And I think that that forces leaders to really bring more of the “why” into how we and motivate people.
So those are two of the things see, and then, you know, the third I think is flexibility. I think — and this is true of of us, but particularly the younger generation — I think they’re for flexibility and they want options and choices. And it’s not always easy feasible to provide ultimate flexibility, but this is where try and orient it more to agility. How can we have approaches principles and be committed to things, but also know to question, and when to actually pivot?
SM: Yeah. Anjali, can you a few examples of ways that you at Vimeo have tried to really proactive when it comes to addressing or understanding what your next generation of employees going to want, either in terms of purpose or in terms of benefits or in terms flexibility? Are there programs or processes you’ve put in place that speak to this big sea change we’re seeing in terms of values the workforce?
AS: Firstly, of course, it’s all about listening, right? And I think, like many organizations, way we’ve tried to listen and understand our workforce is very similar: it’s Q As and engagement surveys, and things like that. And some of things that we’ve done, we have a people and NPS, net promoter score, the same way we have for our users, for internal teams. But I would say one of the things that we’ve really tried to is appreciate that when we get inputs from our employees, 1,300 employees … you can’t look at averages. You can’t look at it all in totality and try and pull out an “Oh, this is how everybody’s feeling.” Because what you actually — when you really dig into it and listen and do focus groups and talk to people — you’ll find is actually there’s very different experiences and desires among employees. And so, I think for us, what we’ve really tried to do is have a bunch of different listening and then resist the urge to conveniently pull, like, “Oh, this is everyone’s feeling, let’s just do this thing as the action.” it’s hard, and we’re still kind of figuring it out, but will tell you, some of the things that we’ve heard from employees have changed our to hybrid work or travel or even things like our approach to compensation our approach to DE and I. So I think it’s more like I said, that agile listening, constantly really understanding what’s happening, but treating everything as, like, an average or the same. And for us, it’s been stark because we have offices and teams in so many countries and the differences, they’re substantial. They’re really substantial, about way we solve different things. And we used to have a very, sort of, “One Vimeo” global approach the name of consistency and fairness, and what we found is we have be more localized. We really do. We have to design mechanisms to support our in a very different way, because their experiences and the world around them is different.
So I think that’s definitely been one, and I will tell you, it involved a lot of — as an executive team and team — it’s involved a lot of trying things, it working, and changing them. And a great example is Q and A. I feel like every leader I know has a on whether they do open Q and A or anonymous Q A, or real-time Q and A. We’ve changed our approach there times, and I know we will again, because we’re figuring out the right way to listen and have a with a very diverse workforce.
SM: I want to stay on to the workplace for just another moment, because another thing hear from CEOs of my generation and older is a about making sure that we are not just providing our youngest employees the flexibility and the purpose that they need, but also the training and wisdom that comes, oftentimes, from being in close proximity to mentor or to somebody who’s done the job for many years. What is your philosophy and take on making that knowledge transfer is happening?
AS: I think it’s a major challenge that I don’t that everyone will sort of have a solution for. I think about that all the time. have a very distributed workforce at Vimeo. We have people in over eight countries. executive team is entirely distributed. So I’ve really realized the benefits of being able to have a distributed and being able to attract talent and just be more inclusive. On flip side, there’s definitely, I think, a lack of same kinds of learning opportunities and mentorship, particularly for youngest folks that are entering the workforce. So I it’s a challenge. One of the approaches that we’ve been taking, and what’s sort nice, is we’re modeling it at the top. So if my executive team is distributed, that means I have to learn how provide real-time feedback, mentorship and development for a whole set new executives who have just joined. We have sort changed up the executive team almost entirely in the last months. So I’ve had to deal with the same challenges. And we’ve to literally — we call it our operating system — we’ve to design an operating system, as an executive team, for we’re going to work together in that environment. How do we share real-time feedback? How do we the right communication loops? And so I think, from perspective, it’s more we have to be able to do it ourselves and model it and then, I it’s a more proven mechanism for young people. I say, like many companies … I do believe that in-person collaboration is really important for learning. do have — we bring people into an office. you’re remote, we ask folks to come in and spend time in a with their team, do social activities, all of those things. I don’t think they go away, nor do I think they should. But, you know, candidly, it’s an area that I don’t think we’ve figured out perfectly and I think it’s really critical that as leaders, do that, so that this next generation is able to get the same growth opportunities that we had.
SM: Well, and it’s interesting — the tools that you at the very beginning of our conversation, around video, can be really there. I’ve heard of a number of organizations that have really encouraged their young people to present, as way of having to go out and find the they need. And then, because we have video tools available to us now, you know, have an opportunity to share their ideas with a large group people, but first, kind of going through the fact-finding and the research, and then their ideas. In an earlier comment, you talked a little bit about mental illness and different things that people are bringing to work, whether is, you know, exhaustion, burnout. During the Black Lives protests, we had a lot of people coming to office feeling trauma, and feeling really personal issues bubble the surface. I’m wondering if you can share a little bit how you deal with this increasing personal — you know, people bring their whole selves to the office, which we encourage, sometimes, they things, parts of themselves that are challenging.
AS: Yeah … I’ve thought the responsibility of a leader is to empower people do their best work and the responsibility of a company to empower our people to do their best work. And so, course, we have a real role to play in supporting like mental-health issues or burnout. And, you know, the way I think, like many companies, the way initially probably sought to do that was more, you know, you’re seeing a and you’re reacting by trying to provide mental-health resources or support or time off. And, I think — empathy, just empathy. I think that’s really important. And I always say, to so of our managers … just care. If we just care, a lot things get easier. You don’t have to design a hundred mechanisms if you just have the people in place who care. At the same time, I say what we’re realizing now, in sort of this next phase, that that’s a reactive approach and actually the root cause — that we can control at Vimeo — root cause of a lot of stress and burnout is sometimes either don’t have enough … focus, we’re asking people to do many things or they don’t feel like they’re supported in doing those things. And that, think, is actually where we should be spending more — is how do we actually set the right prioritization focus. There’s some issue there, right? There’s a root there that’s a “Oh, I feel like I’m stressed because there’s too going on. I don’t feel equipped to solve it.” Then, we should get the “What is the detail there, and do we need do things differently?” And, you know, one of our themes at Vimeo this year “Do less, better.”
SM: As the economy starts to, maybe, move sideways, you think that there are going to be stakeholders who say, you know, “Out with all this touchy-feely, the workplace-as-a-family stuff. Where are my results?”
AS: Absolutely. I think the pendulum has already pretty clearly. I mean, I work in SAS, software a service, so we already went from “growth at all cost” to “profitability,” you know, pendulum swing. My on this — and it hasn’t changed — I think the best leaders and cultures results and treat people well. And I actually think, if you treat well, with kindness and empathy, you will get better results. so, you know, for me, I think what I observed over the few years is — that part, I think, hasn’t and shouldn’t change. There were, I think, a lot times when companies, we did things because maybe it was lip service or felt pressured. And that’s not going to be sustainable. But that’s what — ultimately, that’s not what people need, in case. So, you know, I sort of see it — the way you channel how you are caring towards your employees and you are empathetic, always should be in service of helping people do their work, which will deliver results, which will be good for the bottom line. you have to believe that. You have to be to that and if you use that consistently in your decision-making, it should be a trade-off. These are not mutually exclusive things.
SM: Anjali, how have you been taking care of yourself this period of tremendous turmoil and change, but also growth? You you just had a baby. There’s a lot on shoulders. How, as a leader, do you practice some self-care or how you make sure that you’re getting the balance you to be the most effective leader you can be?
AS: think — recently, the phrase I use a lot to myself is “two things can true, both can be true.” I say this a lot. And for me, think of it as, like, “This job is hard, and it’s harder.” We went public at the height of the pandemic and year, market volatility has been tremendous. You know, we’re obviously going through a with post-pandemic, we have a team in Ukraine going through a war — these things that have happened. And so, it’s a hard job, it’s an incredibly privileged job. It’s a gift, right? And so, I for me, it’s sort of acknowledging both of those things helped me a lot. The way I’ve tried to kind lead, has been — it’s always been this way, which is, for me, it’s have to have passion. I have to have passion. have to believe so deeply that what Vimeo is doing is important and for the world. And if I have passion, I have energy then I will — I can kind of move through anything. I have to joy in my team. I feel like, especially in hard times, I look back at my career actually, some of my most fulfilling times in work when — in the hardest business situations. But it’s because it brought group of people together all on one team, and so think that’s been, you know, a really big part of it. And then, yeah, like, you have to a little selfish sometimes, and take care of yourself. And I am fortunate. I think I have a great support network me and I do … My husband and I a deal, where on Sundays, I disappear for a of hours. I just disappear and I walk around the city and I to my music and do whatever I need to do, that’s really important.
SM: So you talked about how hybrid work going to look very different in the future than how we it today. It’s basically in office a couple of days, work home a couple of other days. Tell us a little bit more what you could potentially see that evolving into.
AS: I the idea of an office as a time and completely goes away. And I think it’s really going be people are going to want to work from anywhere, anywhere in the world. Even the concept of you’re located is going to change. And then the idea of “I’m going to work on this time zone” or “I’m going to attend this meeting that’s on this date” — I think that’s going to away. And I think what you’re going to find is more and work, particularly from knowledge workers, is going to be done anywhere, anytime. Communication and collaboration will happen and we will be using tools and technology — whether it’s video, whether it’s AI — to enable that at scale among many people, anywhere in the world. And then think leadership, leaders are going to look different. Because I think it’s going to — if you think about the skill set to be a CEO 30 years ago versus what that will require now — I think in future … the skill set is going to be like, “How do you communicate with diverse, global audiences employees across time zones in a way that is effective, that context and alignment at scale? How do you organize programs, it’s compensation, whether it’s, you know, training?” All of is going to look very different. But I think the ultimate thing you’ll see is just … there these constraints that we’ve lived with, whether it was time or place or budget, in some cases. And think those constraints are going to go away. And the promise is that if we are and smart and we use technology in the right way, that we’ll come away a much more evolved and efficient workforce.
SM: Well, I you just showed us some of the passion that you’ve talked as being the thing that gives you energy to lead organization of 1,300 people worldwide. Anjali, thank you so much for being here today.
AS: you. This was great.