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