Inside Salesforce’s focus on connection
The new Trailblazer Ranch is crucial.
Why You Should Care
Offices and physical workplaces are not dead.
Check out Salesforce's new retreat approach!
Find out why sustainability is so key to Salesforce.
The pandemic has transformed the world of work forever. Flexible, remote work has gone from being the exception to the rule; it is now the norm for the majority of knowledge workers across the world.
While working from home has brought many positives for workers and employers alike, it is not a silver bullet. Many employees are feeling disconnected from their teams and colleagues, particularly those that have started new jobs during the pandemic.
In recognition of this, Salesforce has come up with an innovative solution to bring its employees (and especially new joiners) together in a safe way.
“Finding ways to connect is the number one thing Salesforce employees asked for in our last employee survey. We need to bring back the spontaneity and joy that comes from being together in person, now”, wrote president and CPO Brent Hyder in a blog post.
Its creative solution is the Trailblazer Ranch, “an exciting new gathering place where employees can forge trusted relationships with their colleagues, learn from one another, get inspired, grow in their career, get trained on the company, and give back to the community in a fun and safe environment”.
Credit: Salesforce.
The ranch aims to dial-up Salesforce’s focus on employee wellbeing and engagement, as well as be used to onboard and train staff.
Key is building company culture by “disconnecting from technology” and being surrounded by nature, which is proven to be amazing for wellbeing.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Salesforce has made it clear that new joiners will be the first to try out the new ranch; survey data will be used to determine who most needs to connect with their teams and Salesforce’s culture,
For now, the ranch will be located on a 75-acre site in Scotts Valley, California, which is owned by nonprofit 1440 Multiversity – however, long term the company will buy and build its own ranch.
In making this move, Salesforce is showing that offices and human connection at work are not dead, but they need to be rethought around collaboration. Hyder wrote: “Our physical spaces serve a different purpose today than they did two years ago.”
This is in line with co-CEO Marc Benioff’s teaser back in 2021 that “our offices today absolutely are about collaboration. This will have a specific purpose”.
Will other tech companies follow suit? Google and Amazon have already embraced eco-friendly and green offices, but Salesforce’s retreat-style approach goes one step further.
Credit: Salesforce.
Salesforce and sustainability
Salesforce’s move to focus on connection and wellbeing comes after the company also upgraded its commitments to sustainability.
Not only has the company tied senior executive pay to environmental, social, and governance success – including workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion – but Salesforce has made sustainability its fifth core value. It joins trust, customer success, innovation and equality.
Salesforce chief impact officer Suzanne DiBianca commented: “When we add value we operationalize it in every area of the business. In this climate emergency, we need every organization to get to net-zero as fast as possible.
“Now that Salesforce has reached net zero emissions, we want to use our technology and best practices to help organizations reach their climate goals, too.”
Mandatory climate change is on the horizon. Now is the time to join Salesforce and get ahead of the game.
