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