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Epoch hosted an engaging and insightful Lunch & Learn in Santa Clara, bringing together employee experience leaders to share strategies, challenges, and successes in fostering workplace culture.
Our special guest, Sonia Rose, Director of Employee Engagement at Pure Storage, shared her wealth of experience in cultivating meaningful workplace connections. From her time at Workday and Meta to her current role at Pure Storage, Sonia walked us through the evolution of employee engagement, emphasizing the importance of community, culture, and adaptability in today’s hybrid work landscape.
One of the most compelling takeaways from Sonia’s session was the idea of “earning the commute.” As companies shift back to in-office work, leaders must create moments of joy, connection, and value for employees to make their time in the office meaningful. Sonia highlighted initiatives such as Employee Appreciation Day, where Pure Storage provided delightful in-office experiences, while also engaging remote employees through an interactive virtual activity.
A key theme that resonated throughout the discussion was the art of securing leadership buy-in for employee programs. Sonia shared her approach of leveraging internal influencers, chiefs of staff, and department heads to advocate for employee engagement initiatives. By finding key allies, she ensures that her message is conveyed even when she is not in the room.
Another standout moment was how the Employee Experience & Communications team works collectively on innovative approaches to internal communications. From a creatively branded employee survey called the Pulse of Pure (PoP for short) with pop-themed incentives to an AI-generated music video featuring executives, the team has found unique ways to engage employees and capture meaningful feedback. These initiatives have reinforced a culture where employees feel heard, valued, and excited to participate.
Sonia shared how Pure Storage is transitioning back to a full-time in-person presence and the strategies used to maintain engagement. She emphasized the importance of 'earning the commute' by providing meaningful in-office experiences, such as surprise appreciation events and curated interactions that foster collaboration and connection.
While Pure Storage is moving to a full-time in-person presence, Sonia acknowledged that some employees remain remote. To ensure inclusivity, they’ve implemented creative virtual engagement initiatives, like interactive contests and periodic swag giveaways, to make remote employees feel valued and connected.
As the conversation wrapped up, we were reminded of the evolving nature of employee experience. Sonia’s upcoming focus at Pure Storage includes embedding their Employee Value Proposition (EVP) into every touchpoint of the employee journey, from hiring to onboarding and beyond. A key insight? Keeping a pulse on employee sentiment not just through annual surveys but through continuous feedback loops.
A huge thank you to Sonia, Pure Storage, and our event partners, Aramark and LifeWorks, for making this event a success. As we continue to build a community of employee experience leaders, we look forward to more opportunities to learn, collaborate, and innovate together.
Stay tuned for future roundtables, virtual sessions, and our upcoming Epoch Connect conference, where we’ll further push the boundaries of employee engagement and workplace culture!
Looking to level up your employee engagement strategy? Epoch makes it easy to plan, promote, and analyze the impact of your internal events. Ready to create meaningful experiences? Let’s talk.
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