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 to start with a really easy question: what was it like to manage diverse workforce through a global pandemic, a racial reckoning and a very fraught return to office?
AS: Oh, was a breeze, Stephanie. No, it was really challenging. know, I think the only constant has been change. And as a leader, you obviously — you have 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 company you were … responsible for, was that you couldn’t certainty, and you couldn’t always control the environment and the things you. And so, you know, for me, it was really agility. How do we stay flexible as a team? How do we in real time and keep people informed as we try and move through things? And then, also just how we lead with 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 who are remote. We have an incredible in Ukraine … employees who are on the front lines, who are literally at war. On other hand, you have people in different parts of world who are experiencing mental-health challenges or burnout, and I think it was really just — the hardest part not being able to give everyone certainty, not being able to just a one-size-fits-all rule for everyone. But I ultimately think it forced us, as a company, to more trust, because to be agile and flexible, and to lead with humanity, have to trust each other. And so, I’m sort of optimistic that we’re emerging from this time with a culture that is flexible and nimble, and also, hopefully, has more trust.
SM: you give an example of something that you put place, perhaps during the pandemic, to enhance communications or trust or create a greater sense of community or even to communicate that there is certainty, that is a muscle that you think you’ll continue to use in organization far into the future?
AS: There’s a couple of that we did. One — and we are a platform, so I obviously have to talk about video, but I this sincerely — one of the hardest parts, when you’re all sort of disparate, is lose context and you lose nuance when you communicate. And we 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 were communicating, to do it with your face, your hands and your body and your emotions. And we that through live streaming a lot of communications, recording a lot of videos. We sent asynchronous video messages. I send … I record my screen and just send a out to people. Every new hire does a video to welcome introduce themselves. A lot of our meetings we’ve actually with just quick video presentations. And actually, what that really did was allow the humanity and the context come through and I think that helped us a lot to, of, stay close. So that was one, I think, important thing.
Another important 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 have an area that isn’t working. And so one the things that we do at Vimeo is we — I do this in all of my town halls, we do it in a lot of meetings — always talk about what’s working, what are our top things, and what isn’t working — yet. And we’ve of created, I think, a framework that sort of takes the stigma from talking about what’s not working. And when you that normalized and comfortable for people, I feel like it’s us to be more open, as an organization, about do we need to change, what do we need pivot. And both of those, being more video-first in our communication and being more transparent and what’s not working, I think has been really helpful, certainly something we’re carrying forward.
SM: I love that advice about being video-first. So many of our of our workforce live in a video world. They’re used to video as a means communication. Which brings me to my next question. You’ve talked about how the has changed. How do you see the workforce changing? What is different with young millennials, and even, now, the first wave of Gen Z into the workplace?
AS: I think it’s incredibly different. And, know, one of the things that we think about at Vimeo a lot is a lot of mechanisms and communication modes that we still use today, they’re really antiquated. They were designed for totally different environment and a totally different generation. But I see a lot differences. One of them, I think, is the line between personal life and work life is definitely blending. … If you think about your life — look at TikTok. This generation is used to content, learning, engaging, in a very specific way. And if then have to come to work and to be trained on a job, read 300-page manual? Like, it’s not going to happen, right? Or you miss the meeting, and you have to watch Zoom recording of a three-hour meeting — that’s just not to happen. And so I think that there is definitely sort of this — know, we talk about the “consumerization of enterprise.” Those are just words for saying the way … we communicate and interact in our lives is going to translate to work. And so I think that’s an area of opportunity.
The other thing see from sort of the generation, the newest generation into the workforce, is sort of, of course mission-driven, but I think there’s a to really understand the “why” behind things. And one of our communication mantras is never talk about the “what” without the “why.” And I there’s a desire to — the idea that, well, there’s hierarchy, or “My boss told me that this is what we’re going to do” or — that, think, is increasingly moving away, and people, they don’t just to do something because someone with formal authority told them to do it. want to do it 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 and motivate people.
So those are two of the things I see, then, you know, the third I think is just flexibility. I think — this is true of all of us, but particularly younger generation — I think they’re looking for flexibility they want options and choices. And it’s not always and feasible to provide ultimate flexibility, but this is where I try and orient more to agility. How can we have approaches and and be committed to things, but also know when question, and when to actually pivot?
SM: Yeah. Anjali, can you share few examples of ways that you at Vimeo have tried really be proactive when it comes to addressing or understanding what your next generation of employees are to want, either in terms of purpose or in terms of benefits or in terms of flexibility? Are programs or processes you’ve put in place that really speak this big sea change we’re seeing in terms of values the workforce?
AS: Firstly, of course, it’s all about listening, right? I think, like many organizations, the way we’ve tried to listen understand our workforce is very similar: it’s Q and As and engagement surveys, things like that. And some of the things that we’ve done, we have a people and culture NPS, promoter score, the same way we have for our users, for our internal teams. But I would say of the things that we’ve really tried to do is appreciate that when we inputs from our employees, 1,300 employees … you can’t look the averages. You can’t look at it all in totality and try and pull out obvious “Oh, this is how everybody’s feeling.” Because what you actually — when you really dig into it truly listen and do focus groups and talk to — what you’ll find is actually there’s very different experiences and desires your 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 what everyone’s feeling, let’s just do thing as the action.” And it’s hard, and we’re still kind of figuring it out, I will tell you, some of the things that we’ve heard employees have changed our approach to hybrid work or travel or even things our approach to compensation or our approach to DE and I. I think it’s more just like I said, that agile listening, constantly really what’s happening, but not treating everything as, like, an average or the same. for us, it’s been particularly stark because we have and teams in so many different countries and the differences, they’re substantial. They’re really substantial, the way we solve different things. And we used have a very, sort of, “One Vimeo” global approach in name of consistency and fairness, and what we found is we have to be more localized. really do. We have to design mechanisms to support our teams a very different way, because 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 a lot — as an executive team and leadership team — it’s involved lot of trying things, it not working, and changing them. And a great example is our and A. I feel like every leader I know has 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, and I we will again, because we’re still figuring out the way to listen and have a dialogue with a diverse workforce.
SM: I want to stay on newcomers to the workplace just another moment, because another thing I hear from CEOs my generation and older is a concern about making sure we are not just providing our youngest employees with the flexibility and the purpose that 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 many more years. What is your philosophy and take on making sure that transfer is happening?
AS: I think it’s a major challenge that I don’t know everyone will sort of have a solution for. I think about that the time. We have a very distributed workforce at Vimeo. We people in over eight countries. My executive team is entirely distributed. So I’ve really realized 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 lack the 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 taking, and what’s sort of nice, is we’re modeling it at the top. if my entire executive team is distributed, that means I have to learn how to real-time feedback, mentorship and development for a whole set of executives who have just joined. We have sort of changed up the executive team almost entirely in the twelve months. So I’ve had to deal with the same challenges. And we’ve had to — 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 we share real-time feedback? How do we create the communication loops? And so I think, from my perspective, it’s more we have to be able do it ourselves and model it and then, I think it’s a more proven mechanism for people. I will say, like many companies … I do believe that in-person is really important for learning. We do have — we bring people into office. If you’re remote, we ask folks to come in and spend in a room with 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 perfectly and I think it’s really critical that as leaders, do that, so that this next generation is able to get same growth opportunities that we all had.
SM: Well, it’s interesting — the tools that you mentioned at the very beginning 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 out and find the information they need. And then, because we have tools available 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 the research, and then sharing their ideas. In an earlier comment, you talked a little bit mental illness and the 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 the office feeling trauma, and feeling personal issues bubble to the surface. I’m wondering if you share a little bit about how you deal with this personal — you know, when people bring their whole selves to the office, which we encourage, sometimes, bring 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 is to empower our people to do their best work. And so, of course, we have a real to play in supporting things like mental-health issues or burnout. And, know, the way I think, like many companies, the way we initially sought to do that was more, you know, you’re seeing a 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. I always say, to so many of our managers … just care. If just care, a lot of things get easier. You don’t have to design a mechanisms if you just have the right people in place care. At the same time, I will say what we’re 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 cause of a lot of stress and burnout is sometimes people either don’t enough … focus, we’re asking people to do too many or 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 some 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 to solve it.” Then, we should get into “What is the detail there, and do we need to things 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 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 as a service, so we already went from “growth all cost” to “profitability,” you know, pendulum swing. My on this — and it hasn’t changed — I think the best leaders cultures deliver results and treat people well. And I actually think, if treat people well, with kindness and empathy, you will get results. And so, you know, for me, I think what I over the last 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 we felt pressured. that’s not going to be sustainable. But that’s not what — ultimately, that’s not what need, in any case. So, you know, I sort of it as — the way you channel how you are caring towards your employees and you are empathetic, always should be in service of helping people their best work, which will deliver results, which will good for the bottom line. And you have to believe that. You have be committed to that and if you use that consistently in 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? You you just had a baby. There’s a lot on your shoulders. How, as leader, do you practice some self-care or how do you make that you’re getting the balance you need to be the most leader you can be?
AS: I think — recently, phrase I use a lot to myself is “two things 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 pandemic and last year, market has been tremendous. You know, we’re obviously going through a ton with post-pandemic, we have team in Ukraine going through a war — all these things that happened. And 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 acknowledging both those things has helped me a lot. The way I’ve tried to of lead, has been — it’s always been this way, which is, me, it’s I have to have passion. I have to have passion. I have to so deeply that what Vimeo is doing is important and matters for the world. if I have passion, I have energy and then I will — I can kind move through anything. I have to find joy in my team. I feel like, especially in times, I look back at my career and actually, of my most fulfilling times in work were when — in the hardest situations. But it’s because it brought a group of people all on one team, and so I think that’s been, know, a really big part of it. And then, yeah, like, you have be a little selfish sometimes, and take care of yourself. 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 a couple 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 work is going to look very different in the future than we describe it today. It’s basically in office a of days, work from home a couple of other days. Tell us a little bit more about you could potentially see that evolving into.
AS: I think the idea an office as a time and place completely goes away. And I think it’s going to be people are going to want to work from anywhere, in the world. Even the concept of where you’re located is going to change. And the idea of like “I’m going to work on this time zone” or “I’m going to this meeting that’s scheduled on this date” — I that’s going to go away. And I think what you’re going find is more and more work, particularly from knowledge workers, is to be done anywhere, anytime. Communication and collaboration will happen asynchronously and we will using tools and technology — whether it’s video, whether it’s AI — basically enable that at scale among many people, anywhere in world. And then I think leadership, leaders are going to different. Because I think it’s going to require — if you think about skill set to be a global CEO 30 years ago versus that will require now — I think in the … the skill set is going to be like, “How do you communicate diverse, global audiences and employees across time zones in 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 look very different. I think the ultimate thing you’ll see is just … there were constraints that we’ve lived with, whether it was time or place or budget, some cases. And I think those constraints are going to go away. the promise is that if we are flexible and and we use technology in the right way, that we’ll 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 you energy to lead organization of 1,300 people worldwide. Anjali, thank you so for being here today.
AS: Thank you. This was great.