How to Reimagine Your Employees as Social Entrepreneurs

BY Angelica Frey | October 11, 2021

Even before the pandemic hit, an employee in one of Microsoft's game-development studios started seeing the impact of mental-health stresses in her industry. Since the onset of Covid-19, her insights became more and more valuable. “She started a program, it’s called Project Spirit, and it launched within a single game studio–it is all about reducing or removing the stigma around mental health conditions,” said Katy Jo Wright, director of Gaming for Everyone at Xbox. “It revolves around providing education and awareness. It’s been cool to watch how it has taken off within one game studio, and now it's been expanded to all of the Xbox teams across the board.”

Wright was one of four speakers in a recent panel conversation titled “Reimagining Employees as Social Entrepreneurs: How to Cultivate a Purpose-driven, Inclusive Workforce,” part of the Fast Company Innovation Festival, an annual event that focused this year on The Rebuilders, “those innovative companies, leaders, strategies, and trends helping reimagine, reinvent and rebuild business, society, culture, and community.”

Moderator Afdhel Aziz, co-founder of Conspiracy of Love, a social-impact marketing agency, kicked off the discussion with a series of statistics about the current state of worker sentiment. In era of employee restlessness dubbed the Great Resignation, Aziz said, one in four workers are considering quitting their jobs after the pandemic, nearly two thirds of employees say Covid-19 has caused them to reflect on their purpose in life, and 50% of workers say that they're now more likely than they were a year ago to voice their objections to management and engage in workplace protests. That sentiment, said Aziz, includes “new expectations on company leadership to not only espouse but live the values demanded of them by their organizations–or risk the consequences.” Among the panel’s insights:

Businesses Have to Drive the Solution

Workers increasingly want their paycheck to come with a sense of purpose. Wendy Woods, vice chair of social impact at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), believes that the drive to fulfill that expectation has to come from businesses. “With business being an engine of the economy, they not only have a responsibility, but also an opportunity,” she said. “Motivated employees are twice as productive,” Woods continued. “We start with inspired employees, who understand they're contributing to something greater in society. It’s real, fundamental purposes that motivate employees and ultimately end up driving performance.”

Getting there requires a holistic solution, comprising all branches of a company. Outdoor-goods cooperative REI, for example, maintains a quadruple bottom line in terms of its stakeholders: employees, members, the business, and society. “Our decision to close our stores on Black Friday started with a very simple question: What is Black Friday like for our employees?” said Ben Steele, Rei’s EVP and chief customer officer. “As a cooperative, we're a community of 21 million members, 15,000 employees, and we want to create amazing experiences, amazing impacts for all of them. So we're always asking ourselves, how do we bring that community together to have an impact greater than the sum of its parts?” A recent example is Cooperative Action Network, a grassroots-advocacy toolkit gives everyone in REI’s community an easy way to take a stand on policies and legislation that impact the outdoors.

Culture Is the First Product a Company Makes 

This means employees can be the first evangelists. Play is a fundamental human need, and the Xbox division of Microsoft abides by the inclusive creed “Gaming for Everyone.” In fact, while each of us has a different definition of fun, about 3 billion people play video games. “We need to be intentional in creating different types of fun,” said Wright. “When we think about gaming for everyone, it really is going to take every single employee. It takes each employee thinking how they're going to create an inclusive experience.”

In fact, Xbox’s adaptive controller for people with limited mobility, launched in September 2018, was first conceived at a company-wide hackathon three years earlier in a collaboration with military veterans who were coming back from service with injuries and were unable to play video games with conventional controllers. “It was a group of employees who stuck with it throughout. It really opened up the way people think about gaming, from physical or occupational therapy to just play,” said Wright.

This is the definition of intrapreneurs, who are employees in a company that are behaving in an entrepreneurial way to do some good. “We believe the solutions are out there,” said Carolina García Jarayam, executive director of the Elevate Prize Foundation, which supports purpose-driven innovators. “It's about giving people the impetus and confidence to tackle these issues. Solutions are in their own company.”

There’s Another Side of the Coin

It's not all a bed of roses for employees preaching the gospel of their organization. “The truth is that most companies are not like the ones in this [panel],” said García Jarayam. When a company’s behavior contradicts its stated values, or those of employees, the workers may be inclined to cancel their leaders and publicly oppose their leadership. In the case of the video game company Activision Blizzard, hundreds of employees walked out in July to protest workplace sexism and discrimination in July 2021.

To BCG’s Woods, avoiding this kind of situation is a relatively straightforward matter. “If you listen to your teams, and your employees, you’ll understand what they find challenging and what their aspirations are. You won't end up in situations where they need to walk out,” she said, adding that, other than listening, there's also a component of respecting and appreciating. “So when we see some of these extremes of, you know, thousands of employees walking out, thousands of them protesting, it’s because they don't have a voice otherwise.”

REI’s Steele shared this point of view, he said, “but I also think that it’s about communicating clearly, to make sure that you’re clear about what you’re trying to achieve, that your actions back up your words, and that folks feel that they’re a part of that shared journey together,” he said. “If it’s together, we’re trying to achieve things, and they’re not always going to be easy, and we’re not always going to agree on exactly how we do it, but we trust each other.” Not only does this dynamic foster a positive environment, but also brings disproportionately positive results. “A big part of it is going to be a relinquishing of power,” said García Jarayam. “It's a real understanding of what power means. I find it to be an amazing opportunity.”

Angelica Frey is a writer and a translator based in Milan and Brooklyn.

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The voices crying out for corporate responsibility in the community are louder and more plentiful than ever in 2020, and companies big and small are starting to respond. But what is the best approach for corporations, and who decides how much is enough? In a panel discussion at a recent From Day One conference in Seattle, a panel of local experts sought to answer that question. “I think we all know that focusing on values as well as making money is not only good for the bottom line, it’s good for the employees and for the community, your home,” said panel moderator Herb Weisbaum, a KOMO Radio reporter and NBCnews.com contributor, setting the stage for the conversation. Rebekah Bastian, VP of community and culture for Zillow Group, said the sense of community starts at home, within the walls of the company. “[We’re] focused on creating a workplace where all of our employees have equitable opportunities to grow and thrive in their careers, and a sense of belonging where they feel like they can bring their best selves to work, and they’re really seen and heard and valued for the unique perspectives that they bring,” she explained. From there, Bastion said that Zillow then has the goal of merging the internal culture with the product side, so that employees can see how their work is having a positive impact on the community around them. Focusing on motivation, Mark Horoszowski used a story to illustrate why he co-founded MovingWorlds, a company whose stated mission is to “build leaders and doers behind grassroots, world-changing ideas.” He mentioned the phenomenon of window washers dressing up like superheroes that office workers (and kids in children’s hospitals) sometimes see on the outside of their windows, and how much joy they bring–and often introspection. “Everybody in your company’s looking outside, then the Spider-Man goes [by], then everyone is wondering ‘What am I doing here? I’m doing hard, smart-person work, but what’s the effect of that? The window washer just brought joy into my life, but what am I doing?’” Reporter Herb Weisbaum of Seattle’s KOMO radio, at right, led the panel discussion. This, Horoszowski said, is why MovingWorlds was created: to help find ways for employees to know that the work they’re doing has an impact and a purpose, that “they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.” The MovingWorlds platform helps companies connect their employees with meaningful projects around the world that utilize their skills in impactful ways. Cassandra Mitchell, VP and corporate-responsibility officer for KeyBank, brought another angle to the discussion, since banks are bound not only by an internal sense of responsibility but also government rules and regulations for financial institution. Her role chiefly entails finding and connecting with nonprofits in the local community to take on worthwhile projects. Naturally, her responsibility includes focusing on ways to help increase financial literacy, but also to take on some of the most pressing challenges facing the Seattle area, including the need for more affordable housing. “We want to make sure we’re serving the underbanked and underserved,” she explained. Beyond that, Mitchell said that she tries “to find partners who are innovative, different, but really an expert in their field.” Kim Vu, global head of diversity, equity and inclusion for Remitly, described her relatively young company as “a digital platform that provides financial solutions that allows people to send money to their families across the globe.” Remitly’s social responsibility is inherent in its mission, she said, because it serves a unique, beneficial purpose in the world. “Social impact and thinking about that mission-driven purpose of our work, it’s built into what we do in equity and financial systems, it’s built into what we do on a daily basis,” Vu explained. Horoszowski said he is impressed that much larger companies, including financial giants like BlackRock and Goldman Sachs that are taking a high-profile stand on issues like climate change. “These are companies that are saying, ‘Let’s not do some harm and cover it up with some good.’ These are companies that are saying let’s use our assets to create some good and minimize harm in the process.” Weisbaum asked the panelists, “Is it enough to just enable workers or do [companies] need to put their money where their mouth is?” Mitchell stressed that those are two sides of the same coin, that employees should be able to feel comfortable in their workplace to speak out and enact change, but companies should also support those ideas financially. “It’s a combination of walking the talk, having a board of directors that is holding everyone accountable, and if it doesn’t happen, you’ll see it,” she said. Bastian agreed, but noted that the reverse of Weisbaum’s question should also be considered: “Is it OK, or enough, for a company to be writing a check, even a big check, or many big checks, if the employees aren’t engaged in doing the work?” She said that having a company write those checks can potentially let employees feel like they’re “off the hook” in terms of social responsibility and don’t have to do the work themselves to make things happen. Horoszowski looked to the future and suggested that big things can happen if companies accept that change is coming to the global economy and its relationship to the workplace. What does that mean, in concrete terms? “I don’t have an elegant answer, and I’m biased here, but employees within companies do.” If companies can find ways to let their employees be creative and do meaningful work, solutions to some of these large-scale problems may come naturally. 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Cultural Transformation and Meaningful Work: Nurturing a Purpose-Driven Workplace

It’s no secret that happy employees are more productive. 12% more productive than their less-happy colleagues, according to a study cited in Fast Company. They also tend to be more loyal over time. But how do leaders create and foster a work culture that breeds happiness and purpose?“The intent to leave or stay in a job is only one of the things that people are questioning as part of the larger human story we are living,” said Caitlin Duffy, a research director in Gartner’s HR practice. “You could call it the ‘Great Reflection.’ It’s critical to deliver value and purpose.”In a From Day One conference in Los Angeles, industry leaders gathered to discuss how to create a space for happy workers, in a conversation moderated by LA Times reporter Faith Pinho.Maintaining Purpose Amid Internal StrifeNicole Husband, VP of people and culture at Warner Bros. Discovery, has had some experience with internal strife. To manage their work culture, especially during difficult times, they follow five guiding principles: act as one team, create what’s next, empower storytelling, champion inclusion, and dream it, own it. They’re focused on “putting these principles in front of people to the point where they can’t stand it anymore."Additionally, the organization has done a lot of work around acknowledging challenges and change, and providing education on how to lead through it. “Part of that is drawing employees back to why we are actually here,” Husband said.Amy Baker, vice president and people officer of corporate functions at Activision Blizzard, says in her six prior years at Netflix, they saw unprecedented change. In a short time, the company went from around 10 people to 800.“You have some people saying, ‘I feel like we’re growing so fast.’ It’s your work as a leader to be helping these people acclimate to the change that they’re going through by coming into this company,” Baker said. Activision Blizzard just weathered a huge work culture shift over the past year after Microsoft acquired the gaming company. Baker says you have to be super clear about what’s happening next. “You have to operate in that spectrum. I call it like the HR skeleton key, you have to be able to open any door with people,” Baker added.The panelists discussed the topic “Cultural Transformation and Meaningful Work: Nurturing a Purpose-Driven Workplace” at From Day One's recent LA conference. Both Baker and Husband alluded to the fact that they work with extremely dedicated and passionate people. With that passion in mind, Pinho pointed to the individual purpose people bring to the job, a purpose that might not always align with the company’s.“Organizations can be very self-absorbed and selfish. It’s all about their purpose, not about your purpose. But the more you engage in the conversation about what’s important to you, you will find that alignment. The more that organization is going to pour into you, the more that relationship is built,” said Jerrold Coakley, the SVP and chief human resources officer at Stater Bros. Markets.Coakley says it’s about sharing a joint story between the employee and employer that builds a relationship and uncovers what the two can accomplish together. “Normally the misalignment happens when we’re so concentrated on performance. And that’s not what people really care about. We have all these systems in place, and all these consultants make so much money off of us, because they tell us it’s all about performance. No, it’s really about development. People want to know that their leader is helping them get to their personal greatness. So as a leader, if you concentrate on development more than performance, you get the gift of their performance back.”For Octavius Black, co-founder and CEO of MindGym, the purpose value is something attainable by every worker, no matter where they are.“In my experience, everyone wants to feel that they’ve done something that matters. So the question is, how can you help people find the thing they care about come to life at work. And it’s up to our leaders, our managers, and us as HR professionals, to ignite that passion that people have for something and bring it to the workplace,” Black said.Sometimes too much purpose is a bad thing that can lead to burnout. “How can you ensure a healthy work life balance while still driving that mission forward?” Pinho asked.“This whole idea of a healthy work life balance, I just don’t think it exists yet. You are seeking, seeking, seeking–constantly trying to get there,” Husband said. Yet despite her skepticism, she says there are leadership strategies that can mitigate burnout, other than putting the onus on the employee to figure it out on their own. For leaders, they can make sure they are properly staffed, one. And two, leveraging resources to support staff during reorganization, is key.According to Black, company initiatives that try to change the outside behavior of employees, through meditation, yoga, a corporate gym membership, counseling, really only help the workers who intend to engage in those behaviors anyway. He says in studies they’ve done there was no change between the people who’ve been through the programs versus those who had not.A Larger Sense of Purpose for the Community“The trend lines now, with early career professionals and the young people coming in now, the data I’ve seen, both anecdotal and otherwise, shows they want to know that you’re doing something good for the world,” said Matt Stone, senior solutions consultant at Attuned.To do this, Stone says companies have to be clear on what their culture is and how that can translate to the wider community. “It could be days off to volunteer, or it could be if your company does a particular service, getting creative about where they could help.”Coakley parses the difference between words, actions, and where your values are. “Words matter. So, you have to say the words and then follow the words with your actions. Go back and look at your values. If they sound aspirational, they are not values. Rewrite them. Your values are the minimum expectations that you’ll tolerate within your organization,” Coakley said.“So when you come to work with us, you can expect this. That’s going to push your organization forward, investing in those communities and letting your people see it.”Matthew Koheler is a freelance journalist and licensed real estate agent based in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in Greater Greater Washington, The Washington Post, The Southwester, and Walking Cinema, among others.

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Making Work Meaningful in an Uncertain World

Earlier this year, the company formerly known as Waste Management got a major rebranding: it’s now known as WM. “It wanted to be known for more than picking up trash. We’re in the center of the circular logistics of sustainability,” Shweta Kurvey-Mishra, WM’s VP of organizational and talent development, said during a From Day One webinar titled, “Making Work Meaningful in an Uncertain World,” moderated by Fast Company senior editor Lydia Dishman. Companies wanting to be known for more than their services and products are in line with the fact that, in the last few years–and especially since the pandemic disrupted our routines, habits, and workflow–people have been expressing the desire to delve deeper in their purpose and their employer’s. Fifty-six percent of the 3,500 respondents of a Gartner survey maintained the pandemic made them want to contribute more to society and, on the other hand, a Harris Poll found out that 86% of business-to-business leaders claim purpose is indeed important, but half of them say they lack the capacity to center their company’s values around it. Yet shifting beyond business results is what makes employees shift from an “I have to go to work” mindset to “I get to go to work,” the panelists asserted. Among the highlights of the conversation: Towards a ‘People First’ Approach  “What gives me fulfillment is to help people, scaffold them and help them through their journey and sort of matchmaking them to the ideal opportunities in our company,” said Heather Wollerman, who at the time of the webinar was the VP of HR and global talent management at the industrial-technology company Enpro Industries. (She is now a VP of talent management at McGraw Hill.) This year, for instance, Enpro started piloting a Purpose Workshop for employees at all levels. The core question is asking people what they’d want to accomplish in a lifetime, and then applying whatever answer they give to the work environment. This matchmaking mindset also permeates Weill Cornell Medicine, where Eric Saidel, a senior director of HR, finds purpose in helping “each individual member to some aspect of our mission,” he said. “The key is connecting people to that mission.” On that note, last year WM launched an Employee Value Proposition Campaign, which revolves around six Cs, which include culture, colleagues, and contribution (among others). “We created Lunch and Learn, with active lunches where people would talk about what C they were being impacted by,” Kurvey-Mishra said. The webinar’s speakers, top row from left: Shweta Kurvey-Mishra of WM and moderator Lydia Dishman of Fast Company. Bottom row: Eric Saidel of Weill Cornell Medicine, Heather Wollerman of Enpro Industries, and Katharine Anderson of Light & Wonder (Image by From Day One) These efforts, however, can transcend physical proximity. At Light & Wonder, which provides gambling products and services, a recent launch was a Global Diversity Calendar. For example, when one joins a meeting with employees connecting from different countries and cultures, one might not know what holidays are being celebrated outside one’s own country, and it also lists a number of events and historical areas of significance related to a particular place. “It was to ensure employees would see the world as global in scope,” said Katharine Anderson, Light & Wonder’s director of HR service center operations. Making Peace With Work Being a Work in Progress  Sure, those initiatives are not a one-stop success formula. “There is more work to do,” said Kurvey-Mishra. “How can we reach the desk-free population in a meaningful way?” In fact, while WM workers do have on-board mobile units in their trucks, they’re prohibited from actively using their cell phone while on shift for safety concerns. Another issue is about balancing people with profits. “I don’t think we've quite figured that out yet,” said Wollman. “It’s something we’ve been talking about but we don't have the magic solution.” A good start, for them, is moving away from traditional performance-review management, which is substituted by periodical engagement questions on a particular topic. A typical topic would be “psychological safety.” In this case, the health-care industry has been a bit ahead of the pack. “We always had the structure of direct feedback,” said Saidel. “If you have a positive encounter with a patient, there’s this opportunity to feel connected to the work that we do.” A way to make the intended points come across more poignantly, however, is through sharing information about the company’s successes in breakthroughs in research and medicine. Meeting Generation Z’s Standards Gen Z, which will make up to 27% of the workforce by 2025, is quite preoccupied with finding a workplace that honors humanitarian, environmental, and social-justice causes, “So, every interview that we hear, we’re creating metrics about what is important for our candidates, and we’re using that to inform our advertising. The storytelling has to be internal too. Anecdotally visible, but also through data and metrics,” said Kurvey-Mishra. “They stay because they understand the mission that we’re on.” That, of course, means looking beyond their product offering in a significant way. The same applies to the health care industry. “We use a lot of water,” said Saidel, singling out the research departments. “Not only is it important to the environment and to the world, but also to the candidates we want to attract. We’re getting those questions. What are we doing to make the world a better place beyond saving lives, treating diseases and advancing research?” Anderson outlined that, upon hiring her company’s first head of corporate social responsibility (CSR), a strategy soon followed. “What we have is four pillars: environmental sustainability; corporate giving; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and responsible gaming, because for us as an industry that’s an important area,” she said. “In all of those areas, there are continuous initiatives and efforts, and we drive efforts that encourage their involvement.” It can start with small steps: one way to reduce waste is, for example, curb the use of single-use cups, said Anderson. “Rather than keeping a lot of disposable cups, we went ahead and issued hot-cold mugs in the organization at the Las Vegas office.” Angelica Frey is a writer and a translator based in Milan and Boston.

Angelica Frey December 29, 2022