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