Finding it hard to engage with what employees really want? Discover how Lululemon is driving true employee engagement
It’s an alarming reality today that approximately 79% of employees report a sense of disengagement or active disconnect from their work. Realising this, Brandlive is spearheading the initiative to provide inventive solutions to reengage employees working with companies like lululemon to drive real team engagement.
Feature with HYER NEWSROOM
Most recently, Brandlive has focused on the inner workplace opportunities, to “bring the magic of television to work”. Today, it offers streaming solutions for B2B and internal communications, designed to make all-hands meetings, webinars, and onboarding processes more dynamic and engaging.
Their portfolio ranges from hosting Hollywood-style live events for illustrious brands like Nike and Lululemon to aiding organisations like Poshmark and Nintendo in executing top-tier all-hands meetings. Brandlive is pushing towards being the go-to platform for bolstering workforce engagement.
A recent study by Gallup further buttresses the critical need for arresting digital solutions to counter the global disengagement trend within the workforce, a figure that disturbingly sits at 79%. This issue is particularly striking in the current climate, where employees are not tethered to traditional office spaces. They could be operating from the comfort of their homes, stationed in the office, or positioned in the field.
Brandlive, originally launched in 2010 as a hosting service for in-person events and product launches, underwent a transformative shift during the pandemic. The company took a pivot from its initial model to embrace the digital space.
Today, they have been instrumental in hosting thousands of webinars and a variety of other events for its partners that include industry behemoths such as GoPro, Intuit, Sony, and Square.
Lately, the Brandlive team has turned its attention towards revolutionising the way internal workplace interactions take place, specifically focusing on recreating the allure of television for work-related communications.
An interesting piece of data shared by Michael J. Wolf, co-founder and chief executive of management consulting firm Activate , sheds light on the average video consumption – over five hours daily. This trend is expected to escalate, particularly considering that Millennials and Gen Z, who typically prefer video content over text, now form over half of the global workforce. In alignment with this preference for video content, Brandlive believes that integrating this format can amplify engagement, both for office-goers and those working remotely.
Developing tools like "Hubs" that streamline the organisation of video content, making it accessible to employees at any time, thereby catering to a workforce that operates asynchronously. This presents a valuable opportunity for company leaders to forge meaningful connections with their teams, regardless of geographical barriers or time zones.
The Brandlive's solution is tailor-made to employees' inclinations towards video communications and a hybrid work schedule. This preference for a hybrid work structure is substantiated by a 2021 study conducted by Harvard Business School, which discovered that a staggering 81% of professionals either did not want to return to the office or desired a hybrid arrangement.
In a conversation with Chris Miller, the Chief People Officer of Brandlive, delved deeper into how the company offers organisations a way to revitalise employee engagement in the TikTok era, dominated by dynamic virtual live events and video content.
Brandlive's original technology platform was designed to manage in-person events and product launches. However, when the company's CEO, Sam Kolbert-Hyle, noticed businesses like Lululemon and Nike leveraging the platform for internal meetings like all-hands, it sparked an epiphany. All-hands meetings were generally perceived as lacklustre and failed to stimulate the necessary engagement, making it challenging to involve a full audience in virtual cross-company meetings.
The proposition that stemmed from this insight was to transform these meetings from a monotonous, flat experience into an engaging, immersive video encounter
that can mirror the excitement and appeal of television content.
The mission transcends merely providing a software-as-a-service platform. It encircles the creation and delivery of content that sparks curiosity and engagement. The concept of a "Netflix for work" is not too far-fetched with Brandlive's innovative approach.
Employees can savour meeting content that parallels their favourite streaming platforms and can consume it at their leisure.
This metamorphosis from a simplistic and monotonous approach to a dynamic and engaging one is the key to reimagining meetings. With a geographically diverse workforce or an organisation of say, 1,200 employees, it's increasingly unfeasible to host an all-hands meeting that everyone can attend. By creating content that is exhilarating and appealing, employees are encouraged to revisit and consume it post-meeting.
From a people and culture perspective, this shift necessitates a reassessment of how information is disseminated in order to attract, retain, and develop our workforce effectively. For instance, during onboarding, it is more effective to break down a lengthy employee handbook into a series of short, engaging videos on key topics such as travel policies or expense submission procedures.
Instead of poring over a bulky document, employees can watch a concise, three-minute video covering all they need to know about a specific topic. Brandlive serves as a centralised hub for accessing these resources and other systems, thereby enhancing the user experience.
Brandlive equips its partners with tools that democratise content creation. Recognising that not all clients can afford an in-house creative team or have access to high-end equipment and studios, Brandlive aims to lower the barriers to entry. The company's Greenroom product enables users to design templates, create lower thirds, and insert transitions using intuitive tools, eliminating the need for expert assistance.
The approach has been a significant catalyst in transforming Lululemon's internal communications, boosting employee engagement. Recognising the need for a digital solution that could reach its dispersed and diverse workforce in an engaging and impactful way. They found their answer in Brandlive.
Lululemon understood that the traditional corporate communication style was not resonating with their younger, tech-savvy employees who favoured engaging video content over lengthy emails and documents. Brandlive, with its "bring the magic of television to work" ethos, provided the perfect platform for Lululemon to revamp its communication strategy.
Brandlive helped Lululemon in creating an internal video content hub that echoed the appeal of popular streaming platforms. This not only made the communication more engaging but also allowed for asynchronous consumption of content, catering to the different schedules of employees across various time zones.
Lululemon effectively used Brandlive's tools to transform standard all-hands meetings and onboarding processes into dynamic, engaging events that could rival the quality of TV broadcasts. Employee town-halls no longer felt like a monotonous obligation but an exciting event where employees actively participated and interacted.
The ‘Hubs’ feature enabled Lululemon to organise and categorise these videos for easy and anytime access, thereby promoting self-paced learning and independent exploration. This fostered a greater sense of autonomy and engagement among the employees, empowering them to take control of their professional development within the company.
Moreover, Brandlive’s user-friendly tools and features such as the Greenroom product, allowed Lululemon to create high-quality video content without the need for a professional creative team. This lowered barriers and opened up opportunities for different teams within Lululemon to contribute their unique content, fostering a sense of inclusivity and ownership.
By leveraging Brandlive, Lululemon has managed to capture the attention of its employees, keep them engaged, and ensure that they feel connected to the company's goals and visions. The impressive surge in employee engagement and participation is a testament to the successful integration of Brandlive's technology within Lululemon’s internal communication strategy.
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