Epoch, Raise, and Parkday hosted a Happy Hour for leaders and innovators in the Employee Experience space to mix and mingle in NYC. The event also featured a panel discussion where Jade Choy, Epoch's CEO and co-founder, had conversations with leaders and innovators in the employee experience and engagement space.
In case you missed it, here are some key learnings and takeaways from the panel featuring Emily Moses-Cohen, Director of People Partnerships and Employee Experience at Ontra, and Tony Vargas, Director, Global Workplace at Sprinklr
Emily is the Director of People, Business Partners, and Employee Experience at Ontra, a Legal Technology Company. Leading the charge in employee experience, she oversees a workforce spread across San Francisco, New York, and London offices. Ontra operates in 20 states and 4 countries, embracing a remote-first approach.
Tony is the Global Director of Workplace at Sprinklr, a company with a presence in 17 countries, 24 offices, and 3,400 employees. He focuses on bringing joy, embodying kindness, and serving others enthusiastically, all while managing the workplace experience for a diverse and expansive global workforce.
One of the biggest focuses for both Emily and Tony has been fostering connections in remote-first or hybrid work settings.
Emily and her team introduced Ontra’s “Gravity Gatherings”, a successful initiative designed to build in-person connections. These employee-driven events take place in areas with 10 or more employees, where each group is given a quarterly budget and has the autonomy to organize activities like concerts, rooftop bars, or minigolf. With plenty of autonomy, employees are empowered to take ownership of the events, making them feel more connected and invested in the company. This has become one of Ontra’s most successful ways to encourage engagement outside formal company events.
In contrast, Tony shared how Sprinklr has found success in smaller, team-driven gatherings. Larger company-wide events haven’t always hit the mark, but when individual teams come together, they often experience stronger bonds. Tony noted that understanding the purpose and choosing the right setting for these events is crucial—mistakes in the format or location can hinder the connection.
Emily also spoke about Ontra’s innovative approach to internal communication with their "How We Work" guide. This document codifies the company’s cultural practices, covering everything from how long meetings should be to proper Slack etiquette. It helps to establish clear norms and expectations for new hires, eliminating confusion and ensuring that all employees are aligned, regardless of their location. The handbook has been well-received, streamlining communication and enhancing the employee experience by providing clarity around internal processes.
One of the most critical aspects of driving successful EX programs is gaining leadership buy-in. Emily shared how Ontra’s leadership often refers to a per-person cost analysis to evaluate Ontra’s EX initiatives t. This data-driven approach has helped prove the business impact of EX, building trust and support from leadership. The focus on cost-benefit analysis made it easier to secure ongoing investment in EX programs, even as the company shifted to a remote-first model.
For Tony, gaining buy-in at Sprinklr requires a different approach. He emphasized the importance of documenting qualitative data—like employee feedback on event satisfaction—rather than just focusing on attendance numbers. By presenting this feedback to leadership, he’s able to demonstrate the true value of EX programs and ensure continued support.
Both Emily and Tony stressed the importance of measuring the impact of EX initiatives.
At Sprinklr, Tony focuses on qualitative measurements. He explained that while tracking attendance at events is important, it’s even more critical to understand how employees feel about their experiences. By gathering detailed feedback on their level of enjoyment, Tony ensures that Sprinklr’s events bring people together and leave a lasting positive impression. This focus on qualitative data allows him to refine future initiatives based on employee input.
A significant challenge both Emily and Tony have faced is maintaining engagement across remote and in-office employees.
Emily acknowledged that employees living near hub offices have more opportunities for in-person events, leaving a connection gap for those not near an office or hub. Virtual events, once popular, have seen declining participation, with employees increasingly preferring face-to-face interactions. She’s still working to find a solution to this challenge but recognizes the need for flexibility and creative thinking.
Tony discussed the challenges around removing underutilized perks at Sprinklr. For instance, the company cut wellness perks like massages and manicures because they didn’t significantly boost office attendance. These tough decisions require a balance between employee needs and business realities, but they also emphasize the importance of listening to employees and making adjustments based on what truly engages them.
Use Epoch to plan your employee events and programs, then track analytics on how the events went! Epoch is an employee engagement platform used by people teams at Salesforce, Reddit, and more. Epoch supports any internal event that needs email, Slack announcements and reminders, calendaring, and reporting. On top of impactful engagement and feedback analytics, Epoch provides a simple way to communicate and promote events to your workforce, helping events reach employees where they prefer to receive messages.
Increase productivity and connection among employees through company culture with Epoch. Curious to learn more? Book a demo today!
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