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