As Culture Summit 2024 approaches, we were thrilled to sit down with Giana Rodriguez, Sr. Manager of Workplace & Employee Experience at GoFundMe. Giana brings deep expertise in creating engaging employee experiences that build vibrant workplace cultures. We caught up with her and delved into her approach to managing employee experience in hybrid environments.
Q1: Can you share what ignited your passion for HR and how it has evolved?
“I have always had a passion for employee relationships and people strategy. I began developing people programs early in my career in the education and volunteerism space and have always taken an interest in ensuring strong cultures within the organization.”
Q2: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received regarding workplace culture?
“The work is about empowering others to succeed, which reflects your success. Once I realized that it was ok that my passion didn’t reside in one field, product, or mission, but was about helping the people doing the work, I felt liberated to follow that passion.”
Q3: What motivated you to focus on ’employee experience design in a hybrid workplace’ for your session at this year’s summit?
“Working environments look different from company to company and it can be difficult to find the ‘perfect’ Employee Experience happiness solution. My session is about anchoring Employee Experience work in a foundation that allows for flexibility and creativity while still tracking data and providing space for reflection and forward thinking. It challenges the idea that there is a ‘perfect’ solution, but rather a framework that focuses on meeting people where they are at and addressing their humanity first.”
Q4: Why should attendees not miss your session at Culture Summit?
“The Workplace & Employee Experience model I will be highlighting can be used for any type of company, employee/volunteer demographic, and with any budget. The session is centered around building programs that are human-centered, easy to communicate value to employees and leadership, scalable, and flexible.”
Q5: What aspects of the upcoming Culture Summit are you most looking forward to?
“Connecting and chatting with all of the amazing people who are dedicated to such important work. I always learn new things when I meet people doing the same work and feel a part of something greater.”
Giana Rodriguez’s insights into employee experience design are invaluable for anyone navigating the complexities of hybrid workplaces. Her session at Culture Summit 2024 will equip you with the strategies needed to foster a supportive and adaptive work environment. Learn more about her session ‘A people-first approach to employee experience design in a hybrid workplace.’
In an era when the workplace concept is being redefined, Teryle Aguilar, SVP of People at Shippo, is leading innovation with Shippo’s remote-first model. With a background that spans DoorDash to NBCUniversal, Aguilar brings a wealth of experience in HR and people team leadership.
Ahead of her session at Culture Summit 2024, we dive into her journey, the evolution of her passion for HR, and the groundbreaking “Shippo’s Everywhere” strategy that is setting new standards for remote work.
What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain?
“My passion was ignited under an inspiring HR leader during a summer job. Although my initial path was in biochemistry, I discovered my true calling in HR, leading to a career dedicated to enhancing workplace cultures across various industries.”
Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received?
“One key lesson is that you cannot simply copy and paste cultural practices from one company to another and expect success. It’s crucial to tailor strategies to fit your unique organizational context.”
Delving into the session you’ll present at this year’s Culture Summit can you tell us what motivated you to choose this particular topic?
“Remote work remains an unsolved puzzle for many. At Shippo, we’ve experimented extensively with our ‘Shippo’s Everywhere’ model, finding unique ways to engage our team and enhance our culture. This session will share our journey and insights from these experiments.”
If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?
“This session will unveil unique remote work strategies developed at Shippo, addressing leadership challenges and showcasing our innovative programs and data-driven insights for the future of ‘Shippo’s Everywhere.'”
In an era where visibility for LGBTQIA+ individuals is at an all-time high, yet legislative challenges continue to surge, Haley Everheart and Megan James step forward to lead a crucial conversation at the Culture Summit 2024.
Culture Summit caught up with them both to learn more:
Could you introduce yourselves and share more about your roles within the Culture space?
Megan: “Specializing in employee benefits for over 15 years, I focus on empathetically supporting employees and strategizing benefits as a crucial part of business culture.”
Haley: “With over 15 years in digital storytelling and community building, I now lead marketing at FOLX Health, enhancing LGBTQIA+ care through diverse audience engagement.”
What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain?
Megan: “Benefits were my entry point, evolving from a ‘warm and fuzzy’ addition to a strategic business component that retains talent by supporting various life phases.”
Haley: “My passion stems from early interests in novels and cultural production, further deepened by my communications and ethnography studies and allyship for marginalized communities.”
Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received?
Megan: “Decisions made in the best interest of employees are always the ones you’ll stand by without regret.”
What motivated you to choose this particular topic for the Culture Summit?
Megan: “With over 450 anti-LGBTQ+ bills tracked by the ACLU, there’s a pressing need for action beyond employee resource groups to support employees genuinely.”
Haley: “Facing an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, it’s crucial to discuss creating inclusive organizations amidst increasing visibility and societal backlash.”
If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?
Megan: “Awareness is the spark that initiates change.”
Haley: “Your LGBTQIA+ employees need you more than you realize.”
Conclusion
Now is the time to gain vital insights for creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all employees.
If people are the most important resources in a company, why aren’t companies prioritizing how they treat their people?
The cultures at traditional workplaces are still rooted in fear–the managers act like hovering dictators and the employees don’t feel safe or motivated to do their best work.
But that doesn’t make business (or human) sense. If human capital is a company’s greatest asset, shouldn’t we create a culture that helps our people bring their best selves and do their best work?
This is the core idea behind Claude Silver’s philosophy: Heart Centered Leadership. Claude is the first-ever Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia where her job is to infuse empathy throughout the whole organization and impact every employee.
She joined when they had 400 employees and helped them scale their culture to now 2000 people. Heart Centered Leadership is all about bringing heart and humanity into the workplace and creating brave spaces for people to thrive.
Here are three biggest takeaways on how you can bring Heart Centered Leadership into your organizations.
#1 – Create a Psychologically Safe Space For Feedback
Feedback is a gift.
When we withhold giving feedback to someone, we hold back the opportunity for them to develop. People need feedback to help them grow.
To create a strong feedback culture, you need to be able to give it, encourage it, and solicit it. All this can’t be possible unless people feel psychologically safe.
Claude recommends five rules to make feedback more impactful amongst your team.
Be kind: Everyone makes mistakes. It is what makes us human. When you give feedback, empathize with how the other person might feel and lead the conversation with kindness.
Be clear and specific: Don’t say “Your slide deck was bad.” That person doesn’t know what was wrong with the slide deck. Instead, get ultra-specific about the issue.
Be sincere: You want the other person to feel like you’re on their side and you’re deeply invested in their growth. You want them to feel like you’re riding shotgun in their car on their adventure.
Be current: Give feedback within the day or the week. Don’t save it for three months later or in their annual review. You want to create a frequent feedback loop where it doesn’t even feel like feedback. It’s just another conversation.
Make it actionable: End with a tactical way to approach the next steps on resolving the issue.
Here’s an example of putting these rules together.
“Hey Bob, that deck that you just showed all those clients had a lot of spelling mistakes in it. I know mistakes can happen from time to time (I misspell things often too). Let’s sit down and walk through the deck together so I can show you what I see.
Afterward, we can chat about potential solutions that’ll prevent this for the future. I use a tool called Grammarly that I can share with you. Or we can proofread the next slide deck together before it goes out to a client.”
Bob will be much more receptive to a message like this than if Claude had said, “Your slide deck sucked. Do better next time or else I’ll take you off this assignment.”
#2 – Build Your Emotional Optimism
85% of the thoughts in our head are negative. And these same thoughts come up repeatedly as we go about our days.
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not smart enough.”
“I’m not fit enough.”
When we have these thoughts, we start to look for evidence to confirm that we’re not actually good enough. When we believe your teammates aren’t smart enough to do their work well, we lose trust in them.
We treat them differently, and they notice.
But what would life feel like if we had more than 15% of positive thoughts in our heads? How would our team feel if we believed in their potential to do amazing work? The world would be absolutely different.
Claude prides on having an immense amount of emotional optimism. This is the ability to take obstructive thoughts and reframe them so you can see the silver lining.
To zoom out from your negative thoughts and see the bigger picture. Then transform those thoughts into a more positive and optimistic view.
“The way you see people is the way you treat them and the way you treat them is what they become.”
Despite your team’s imperfections, choose to see the unlimited potential in your people. On a more philosophical level, human kindness is always the way. We are wired to belong. We are better when we work together and commit to finding truth together.
When we talk together in new and different ways, we get better results, and everything moves forward.
Lastly, it’s one thing to just be optimistic. But optimism with action creates results. And all things grow when immersed in love.
#3 – Give Attention and Be Generous
Attention is the purest form of generosity.
Attention unlocks serotonin that gives you this feeling of calm and happiness. It’s an amazing feeling when managers walk through their direct report’s slide deck, give great feedback, and offer ways to help unblock their biggest challenges.
The direct report feels seen, understood, and recognized for their efforts. They feel like you care.
Generosity is when you freely give your time, energy, or resources to someone.
Generosity unlocks oxytocin that promotes feelings of love, bonding, and well-being. It’s called the love hormone or the hugging drug because it’s that powerful. Author Simon Sinek has a great quote,
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”
When you give someone attention and generosity, they see that you’re emotionally invested in them, and this makes it more likely that they’ll be motivated to be invested in whatever you’re doing.
To Sum it Up
If people are the most important resources in a company, companies must prioritize treating their employees well. Heart Centered Leadership is an amazing philosophy to accomplish this goal.
It’s all about leading with the heart. To connect as humans and be incredibly empathetic to the people that we’re serving. Heart Centered Leadership works best when there’s a culture of physiologically safety, emotional optimism, and generosity.
In today’s dynamic work culture, adaptability and innovation are essential. Leslie Laws, with nearly 15 years in HR and organizational development, leads Thumbtack’s shift to a virtual-first model.
Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your role within the Culture space?
“I’m a People leader who has been experimenting in this space within high-growth companies for almost 15 years. I’m now a VP, HR at Thumbtack, leading a team of HRBPs, DEI, and Org Dev leaders accountable for fostering a high-performing, inclusive, and engaged organization.”
What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain, and how has it evolved throughout your career?
“My passion was ignited by the significant impact that good people management can have on someone’s work life. Influenced by thought leaders and innovative companies, my belief in the link between engaged employees, innovation, and business success has only grown stronger over the years.”
Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received in your journey?
“The best advice was to fully consider and understand opposing viewpoints when making decisions. This approach not only enhances decision-making but also enriches our professional journey, especially when shaping company culture.”
We would like to delve into the session you’ll be presenting at this year’s Culture Summit. What motivated you to choose this particular topic?
“The unprecedented changes in the work environment over the past few years and the need to adapt and thrive inspired me to choose this topic. It’s crucial to remain agile and open to learning to keep pace with the evolving world.”
If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?
“Thumbtack’s transition to a virtual-first organization is a unique journey with valuable lessons for anyone interested in successfully navigating such a shift. Our experiences can help increase the collective odds of success in this new work environment.”
Finally, what aspects of the Culture Summit in San Diego 2024 are you personally looking forward to the most?
“I’m eagerly anticipating the opportunity to learn from my peers in the space, which is always an incredibly enriching experience.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from Leslie’s experiences and Insights!
We spend an enormous amount of time at work. Like 90,000 hours worth.
If people are going to work this much in their lifetime, it’s natural to be selective in choosing who they work for. This gave companies an idea: what if we offered people more than just a place to work? What if we covered their meals, took care of their dry cleaning, and even washed their cars for them?
They assumed amazing perks = happy employees = good quality work.
But is this actually true? Can we just give employees beer on tap and trust that’ll motivate them to do their best work?
But is this actually true? Dr. Emily Anhalt had to find the answer. She’s a clinical psychologist, and co-founder of COA, a startup that provides employee mental health benefit services.
Dr. Anhalt did a research study on what makes up an emotionally fit culture. Her findings identified seven key traits.
Healthy Leadership
Agency and Trust
Culture of Play
Community and Belonging
Proactive Mindset
Stability and Integrity
Communication and Transparency
We’ll break down what each one means and share tactical advice on how you each trait to create an emotionally fit culture in your workplace.
Trait #1: Healthy Leadership
Leaders need to be emotionally healthy themselves to have the abilities to lead an emotionally fit culture.
As the leader, you’re building the ethos of the company. Your emotional baggage and past traumas will seep into the relationships with your team and the business decisions you make without you even realizing it.
Even if you create healthy policies, change won’t happen if the employees don’t see you live out those values.
How do you build better leadership health?
The best thing you can do is find a great therapist or work with an executive coach.
As leaders, we often feel like we’re supposed to do everything on our own. But the truth is, everyone needs support. A therapist can help you understand your patterns, emotions, and relationships. A coach can help you think through difficult leadership decisions.
Dr. Anhalt can’t think of an investment with a higher return than this.
Trait #2: Agency and Trust
Our main job as leaders is to figure out our team needs to do their job well and then set them up for success.
Because guess what? People have different needs.
Some people need noise and others need time alone.
Some team members thrive in an office and others do their best work at home.
Some employees are really good at sharing ideas on the spot. Others may need time to process their ideas before presenting them.
Helping your team know these things about themselves, and fostering a culture where they can get their needs met, is how you get people to perform at their best (and also be the happiest). But this requires a space where people are comfortable to be honest and vulnerable.
How do you build more agency and trust within your team?
When Dr. Anhalt onboards a new team member, she invites them to complete an emotional fitness survey. This short questionnaire uncovers how each person works best so their managers (and teammates) can best support them.
Some questions include:
Do you like to be praised in public or private?
Do you prefer feedback that’s direct and blunt? Or more gentle and kind?
How do you like to be cared for or cheered up during a tough time?
Do you prefer to be supported closely? Or would you prefer more space and freedom?
What else do you want us to know about you?
If someone prefers to be supported closely when they work, Dr. Anhalt will match them with a manager who likes to mentor others closely. If someone prefers a little bit of space before checking in during a tough time, Dr. Anhalt would leave them alone for a few days and circle back later with some flowers.
By knowing how our team members like to be supported, we match their love language, making them feel seen and understood. At Dr. Anhalt’s company Coa, everyone on the team has filled this out, including the founders. Anyone can access anyone’s answers, and they’re editable over time because it’s natural for people’s needs to change (which is a great thing).
Trait #3: Culture of Play
Play is the ability to foster a safe space of connection and creativity. Playing in the workplace is hugely undervalued because play isn’t just about games. Dr. Anhalt likes to think of the improv definition of play, which is that when someone approaches you with an idea, you don’t just say “yes.” You respond with “Yes, and…” following your own ideas.
Together, the two of you get somewhere that neither of you could have gotten alone.
But the thing about play is that it can be tough to do. When we play, our guards come down, and that can be scary for people who work really hard to keep their guards up. The good news is that it gets easier over time, especially if leadership shows this is something that’s important in their culture.
How do you build play?
One simple idea is to start your meetings with a quick icebreaker game. This connects people, gets them on the same level, and prepares your team to work more collaboratively.
If you’re interested in a list of icebreaker games, email [email protected]. Dr. Anhalt has curated a bunch of games that are easy and fun to play at work. A lot of them can be done remotely too.
Trait #4: Community and Belonging
People will go to extraordinary lengths to protect a community they feel a part of. That’s the feeling you want for your team.
You want people who feel like they truly belong. A team with high levels of psychological safety has the ideal environment to foster deep and meaningful connections.
How do we build community and belonging?
There are many ways to do this like team offsites or just being kind to each other. But Emily believes one of the most important things we can do is make sure that the community feels safe to people who come from many different perspectives.
This could be through language, making sure your job descriptions aren’t gendered. It could be through imagery, making sure your website represents a diverse group of photos. If you could be through your events, making sure there are vegetarian options at your company outing.
Doing this on our own is tough because you’ll have plenty of blind spots designing changes from one perspective. It’s important to bring in diverse minds to ensure you hear from different points of view.
Trait #5: Proactive Mindset
Preventing issues is simpler than fixing them. Opting for a healthy lifestyle now, with regular gym sessions and nutritious meals, is wiser than dealing with health problems in your 70s.
Similarly, taking a proactive stance at work to prevent issues is crucial. Instead of waiting for problems to arise and then scrambling to resolve them, it’s better to address potential challenges before they become fires you need to put out.
What does a proactive mindset look like in practice?
One thing that Dr. Anhalt recommends is to add policies that prevent burnout. Because burning out is something that’s much easier to prevent than it is to fix.
If you wait until people are already past their limit, it’s too late. They’re exhausted, unable to perform at their best, and might even leave your company in search of an organization that can better support their needs.
Instead, we want to make sure a person never gets to that place of burnout. Here are some simple ways to do this:
Offer a no questions asked mental health day policy
Discourage email and Slack on nights and weekends
Allow work-from-home days
Encourage people to actually take vacation
Add “self-care time” into your calendar
Trait #6: Stability and Integrity
When you’re building a company, things are bound to change. The product will change, the team will change, or the entire direction of your startup could change 10 times during your tenure.
That’s expected, but at the same time, stability is important for our mental health. We need consistency in some areas of our life to weather the unexpected storms that are bound to happen.
For example, having a stable core in your team that people can count on can help you endure hard times. Or perhaps your product changes direction but your team’s core values don’t change the type of people you’re bringing on.
How do we create stability in your company?
One powerful way is to create traditions and rituals. Traditions and rituals are actually at the heart of every ongoing culture, and work should be no different.
They strengthen bonds, create reliability, and increase joy. You don’t have to overthink this one. You can try a bunch of traditions and rituals and just see what sticks. People will lean into the ones that they like and they’ll kind of lean away from the ones that don’t go as well.
At Coa, they put a “mission” every Monday like “tell us about a time you overcame a tough challenge in your life and what got you through it.” The team posts their answers on Slack throughout the week and on Friday, everyone votes on which answer impacted them the most.
This practice has helped their team learn so much about each other. Plus this activity lives and breathes their values around transparency and vulnerability.
Another tradition Emily has seen is called Above and Beyond day. Once a month, someone gives a shout out to a colleague who has been extra kind, set a good example, or accomplished an important milestone. That colleague gets a special prize. Then the person who won gets to shout out the next person for the following month. It’s a way to recognize each other and reward hard work.
A simple one anyone can do is celebrate anniversary markers. For every year someone has been at the company, they earn some kind of marker to indicate how long you’ve been around. Maybe it’s a patch on your company jacket or a wooden block that you keep on your desks.
Emily recommends having someone be the “owner” of these rituals to ignite the initial spark and continue the momentum.
Trait #7: Communication and Transparency
Effective communication is everything for team success. Good communication prevents misunderstandings, solves conflict, and ensures we’re all working cohesively toward the same goal.
A common misconception is that people can’t handle honest and transparent communication. But the reality is, people want the truth, even if it’s tough to hear.
How do you communicate better in your company?
It’s important to create a structure of ongoing feedback. It’s common for companies to wait until someone does something wrong before giving them feedback. But having a structure for feedback gives people transparency into how they’re doing at all times.
This could look like a quarterly conversation (recommended) or an annual review (less frequent, but still good).
Another event that Emily does is Feelings Friday, a space where her team talks about things that have gone really well. Wins, times where they’ve felt supported, and shoutouts for one another.
It’s also an opportunity to share moments where they felt unsupported and share things that didn’t go well. Or sometimes they share personal news like, “I had a tough week because I’m going through some personal stuff. Sorry if I’ve been a bit distant lately.”
These meetings are a chance to catch small problems and prevent them from getting bigger. It also serves a way to genuinely hear what’s going on in each other’s lives.
To sum it all up
We invest a significant portion of our lives in the workplace. While enticing perks may contribute to employee happiness, what matters most is fostering a thriving and emotionally fit culture.
Dr. Anhalt’s research further identifies seven key traits that make up an emotionally fit culture.
Healthy Leadership
Agency and Trust
Culture of Play
Community and Belonging
Proactive Mindset
Stability and Integrity
Communication and Transparency
By embracing these traits, you can proactively cultivate an environment that radiates psychological safety, which promotes better trust, collaboration, and the well-being of your teams.
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to interview Michelle Cirocco, Chief Impact Officer at Televerde and Keynote Speaker at Culture Summit 2023. She shared the importance of fostering a culture of second chances and her own transformative journey.
Her unique perspective not only encourages businesses to rethink their hiring practices but also reinforces society’s need to change its perception of individuals with criminal backgrounds.
Her words serve as an inspiration for others to become advocates for change within their organizations, promoting the transformative power of second chances.
Learn more in our interview below.
What initially sparked your interest in fostering a culture of second chances within the workplace?
My personal journey sparked my interest in fostering a culture of second chances within the workplace. I served a 7-year sentence at the Arizona women’s prison when I got my first exposure to Corporate America through Televerde. This opportunity for a second chance was not just a lifeline but a complete transformation. It saved my life and opened my eyes to the untapped potential within the incarcerated community. However, the stigma associated with this community was a barrier that kept many of us in the shadows. I saw talented, capable, and qualified women who had built significant knowledge and experience while working for Televerde during their incarceration being sidelined in the hiring process after their release. They were cast aside because of a past mistake, and their applications were discarded when they checked the box indicating a felony conviction. This was a heartbreaking reality that I was desperate to change. I wanted to challenge this narrative and bring to light the capabilities and potential of these individuals who, like me, were seeking a chance to prove themselves. I wanted to show that a person’s past does not define their future and that the stigma of incarceration should not be a life sentence in itself.
Despite the awareness of the benefits, why do you think companies still exclude qualified talent from their hiring practices?
Despite the clear benefits, many companies still exclude qualified talent from their hiring practices due to a combination of risk management and unconscious bias. The stereotypes associated with individuals with criminal backgrounds often overshadow their potential. These conscious or unconscious biases paint a picture of dishonesty, unreliability, and potential harm to the company’s reputation. This is a narrative we need to challenge and change. The reality is that people with criminal backgrounds are just as capable, hardworking, loyal, trustworthy, and dedicated as anyone else. They deserve the opportunity to prove themselves and contribute to society. By excluding them, we are not only denying them a chance at redemption, but we are also limiting the diversity and potential within our companies.
From your experience, what are the business benefits of investing in “second chance” employees? How does it positively impact companies?
Investing in second-chance employees brings significant business benefits. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Getting Talent Back to Work initiative and research released by SHRM, the SHRM Foundation, and the Charles Koch Institute, hiring individuals with criminal backgrounds can increase loyalty, lower turnover rates, and create a larger talent pool. These individuals often display high commitment and dedication, grateful for the opportunity to prove themselves. Furthermore, consumers increasingly demand total inclusion, making it not only a moral imperative to invest in this community but a business one. These individuals are not just employees but a testament to the power of redemption and the potential for transformation. They bring unique skills and resilience that can contribute to a company’s innovation and adaptability.
Why must HR and culture professionals actively work towards building a culture that allows second-chance employees to thrive?
It is crucial for HR and culture professionals to actively work towards building a culture that allows second-chance employees to thrive. This is not just about doing the right thing morally; it’s about smart business. True inclusion means not excluding anyone, including individuals with criminal backgrounds. By fostering a culture of second chances, we are not only giving these individuals an opportunity to rebuild their lives but also enriching our companies with a workforce that embodies resilience, determination, and diverse life experiences. We are challenging the status quo and pushing the boundaries of true inclusion. It’s about recognizing the potential in every individual and creating an environment where they can thrive and contribute to the company’s success.
Could you highlight what makes your session at Culture Summit 2023, “How a Culture of Second Chances,” a not-to-be-missed session for Culture champions?
Our session at CultureSummit 2023 How a Culture of Second Chances Will Help Businesses Thrive in the Future of Work is a must-attend for culture champions because it challenges the status quo and pushes the boundaries of true inclusion. It’s an enlightening exploration of the untapped potential within the incarcerated community and a call to action for companies to embrace a culture of second chances. This session will not only change the way you view hiring practices, but it will also inspire you to become an advocate for change within your organization. You will leave with a renewed perspective on the power of redemption and the potential for transformation. It’s not just about giving someone a second chance; it’s about changing lives and enriching our companies.
In the modern workplace, Mohr notes, remote-first environments have become increasingly prevalent, posing challenges for building authentic connections among team members. There are financial implications, too, with disconnected and lonely employees costing US companies $400 bn annually. Further info.
Mohr emphasizes the significance of relationships as the foundation for all accomplishments, and he firmly believes that not only the work itself but also the people we work with significantly impact our professional and personal lives.
Indeed, combating loneliness is now a societal issue in the US. He highlights how the US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has identified addressing the isolation and loneliness epidemic as a key 2023 priority for his department. Learn more
Mohr’s company, Anthym is combating loneliness through action. For example, they are hosting FriendFest on August 1st, 2023, the United Nations International Day of Friendship, to unite people and combat isolation.
Cultivating Real Connections in a Virtual World
So how do we drive real connection when working apart? Mohr suggests implementing a routine that enables team members to get to know each other on a personal and human level. This practice fosters trust, connection, belonging, safety, and inclusion within the team. You can learn more about his approach to building connected teams in his 2023 podcast ‘The Secret Sauce for Building Connected Teams’.
Learn more about Building Team Connections at Culture Summit 2023
If you want a fresh perspective on cultivating meaningful relationships within virtual teams and gain actionable insights to enhance your workplace, attend Brian Mohr’s session at this year’s Culture Summit!
Upon reading The Washington Post’s recent article on the growing public health crisis of loneliness in the U.S., we, as the founders of Make Believe Works, experienced a mix of emotions. We were heartened to realize that our business could make a meaningful impact in addressing this issue, yet saddened by our own firsthand knowledge of the pain and isolation that loneliness can inflict. As many of us culture enthusiasts well know, isolation and loneliness aren’t just limited to our personal lives, it also significantly impacts workplace morale and productivity, and contributes to quiet quitting and low retention rates.
At Make Believe Works, our expertise lies in crafting immersive and interactive experiences that foster creativity, collaboration, and connection. We firmly believe that by bringing people together in enjoyable and engaging ways, we can help alleviate the feelings of loneliness and isolation that plague so many individuals, while simultaneously cultivating the empathy and trust that teams need in order to thrive together.
One of the key ways in which our business combats loneliness is by providing a safe and supportive environment for individuals to connect. We understand that social anxiety and the fear of rejection often act as significant barriers to forming new relationships at work, particularly for those who already feel disconnected from others. That’s why we place a strong emphasis on creating events and experiences that are talent-agnostic, non-competitive, and welcoming, encouraging participants to let their guard down and engage with others naturally and comfortably.
Another powerful approach we employ to combat loneliness is by fostering creativity and playfulness. We believe that play is an integral aspect of human connection, and by harnessing our imaginations and embracing a sense of wonder, we can shatter barriers and create fresh opportunities for genuine connection. Whether it’s shaping our fondest memories out of clay or crafting symbolic gifts for colleagues with pom poms and feathers, our events are designed to encourage participants to shed their inhibitions and tap into their inner child.
Through enjoyable and low-pressure creative prompts, we empower individuals to connect with themselves and others on a deeper level, enabling them to share their unique perspectives and experiences. Our work with a diverse range of companies, non-profits, and schools has allowed us to facilitate playful yet meaningful activities that promote self-expression and community building both in-person and remotely. Witnessing firsthand the transformative power of these experiences has only fueled our enthusiasm to continue making a positive impact.
We are particularly thrilled to offer participants of the Culture Summit a chance to immerse themselves in our work through a half-day workshop in September. Central to this workshop are a series of imaginative activities that are both playful and impactful, aiming to help individuals connect internally with their own creative spirit, establish connections with new people, and foster a connected culture in the workplace. During the workshop, we will also deconstruct our approach to deepening trust, building connections, and accelerating collaboration, allowing participants to apply the insights gained to other real-life situations. By the end, attendees will depart feeling reenergized, rejuvenated, and connected.
Make Believe Works is firmly committed to addressing the hidden crisis of loneliness at work. Through the provision of safe and supportive environments for connection, and the transformative power of play and creative expression, we can help individuals feel more connected, supported, and valued. We take immense pride in the work accomplished thus far by our team and eagerly look forward to collaborating with Culture Summit as we collectively explore new and innovative approaches to tackle this pressing social issue.
The global pandemic has spurred profound shifts in the workplace, compelling 58% of employees to reevaluate their work-life balance [View Bain Report]. As HR and Culture professionals, it’s become imperative to understand, adapt, and lead this change, or risk losing valuable talent.
Work-life balance is no longer about segregating professional and personal time. It’s about integration, understanding the fluidity between these two spheres, and allowing for a more human approach to work – a transition from work-life balance to life-work integration. Learn more about work-life integration in this article from timetackle.com
Why This Matters
The pandemic’s influence on work and personal life has altered the employer-employee relationship Employees now seek companies that acknowledge their human needs and adapt their strategies accordingly. As HR and Culture professionals, we have the responsibility to foster a culture that supports these needs. It’s time to reimagine our strategies and create a more human-centric approach to talent management. Learn more about new attitudes of employees post-pandemic in this ehstoday.com article.
Guiding the Change
Flipping the switch to life-work balance demands a new framework. It calls for dynamic leadership, clear boundary setting, flexible work models, and a genuine appreciation for time off. This transformation underpins the creation of a more empathetic workplace that not only retains but also attracts top talent. People are moving towards work-life integration to gain more harmony in their life.
Learn from the Experts at Culture Summit 2023
To successfully navigate this new landscape, join us at the Culture Summit 2023, where industry experts will guide the conversation into new approaches to work life balance.
Claude Silver, with her extensive experience and unique role at VaynerMedia, as Chief Heart Officer, brings a wealth of knowledge on creating a human-centric workplace. Marta Riggins, an authority on Employer Brand & Employee Engagement, offers invaluable insights into how to engage and retain talent in this new normal.
Together, they will discuss the switch from work-life balance to life-work balance, sharing actionable insights and strategies to implement in your organizations.
This is a rare opportunity to learn from the industry’s best and redefine your approach to work-life balance. Join us at Culture Summit 2023 and be a part of this transformative conversation.
