Marta Riggins

I am THRILLED to share a project I’ve been working on. Who has been laid off and lost their confidence? Felt demotivated? Isolated? Lost? 🤚 Well, Betsy McCann and I want to help. We’re People execs who have been laid off and GET IT. We’ve realized that we came into this insane job market with a bit of an edge, because we’ve been on both sides of the table. We know how to write a resume, prep for interviews, network, maintain confidence, and find FUN in an unfun time. Now we want to use that knowledge to not only help you through the chaos, but give you that extra pep in your step. Introducing: ✨FUNemployment ✨ No, unemployment isn't a joke, but it also doesn’t have to be a drag! Did you know you’re allowed to have FUN right now? You are. We’re creating a space to help ground you in the joy and confidence that will land you something you feel great about, and feel less isolated while doing it. There’s no way around it, this job market is BRUTAL! (it’s not you, it’s the market) We want to help keep you motivated and fresh by curating FUN experiences that will boost your confidence, give you insight into what truly matters to you, and have unstoppable shine as a future colleague. With FUNemployment, our goal is that you’ll go into your next role with that chef’s 😘 of new job energy. Interested? We’re offering 2 Halloween-themed pilot sessions with 10 spots each 👻🎃 Check out our FAQs for more info ⬇️ and join us 🥳 Not unemployed? Help the people in your network who are by sharing this post and spreading the word 📣 *If you want to learn more about my story and what led me on this exciting journey, check out my LinkedIn post from yesterday.

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5 strategies you can use to craft compelling ERG communications instead of settling for generic invites. In my recent chat with Courtney Humphrey, we uncovered a game-changing insight: the words we choose can make or break ERG engagement. Think about it: Is your event invite a door opener or a barrier? Let's break down the impact of intentional naming and phrasing: 𝟭. 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 ➥ A generic title = a missed opportunity • "Monthly ERG Meeting" doesn't inspire or inform • It fails to communicate value or spark interest ➥ A compelling title = instant curiosity and engagement • "Shattering Glass Ceilings: Women Leaders Share Their Journey" • Immediately conveys topic, value, and excitement 𝟮. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 ➥ Vague descriptions leave people confused • "Join us for a discussion on diversity" lacks specifics • Attendees won't know what to expect or how to prepare ➥ Clear, concise language drives action • "Interactive Workshop: 5 Strategies to Foster Inclusion in Your Team" • Sets clear expectations and highlights tangible takeaways 𝟯. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀 ➥ Gender-neutral terms welcome everyone • Replace "Ladies and Gentlemen" with "Esteemed Colleagues" • Use "they" instead of "he/she" in communications ➥ Cultural sensitivity shows you care • Avoid idioms that don't translate globally • Consider multiple cultural perspectives in your phrasing 𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 ➥ Remember: not everyone's an expert • Avoid jargon and acronyms that may alienate newcomers • Provide context and explanations for complex topics ➥ Use language that invites learning and growth • "No question is too basic - we're here to learn together" • Create a safe space for curiosity and dialogue 𝟱. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝘀 ➥ "Join us" is weak. "Be part of the change" is powerful • Weak: "RSVP for our next meeting" • Strong: "Add your voice to shape the future of our workplace" ➥ Emotionally resonant language drives participation • Appeal to values: "Stand up for equity in our organization" • Create urgency: "Don't miss this chance to make a difference" 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: "Friday Lunch Meet-up" vs. "Bridging Cultures: A Taste of Diversity" Which one would you be more excited to attend? The words you choose are more than just text on a screen. They're the key to unlocking engagement, fostering inclusion, and driving the success of your ERG initiatives. Are you wielding this power effectively? Every communication is an opportunity to connect, inspire and drive change. Don't let it slip through your fingers. What's the most engaging ERG event title you've come across? Share in the comments and let's learn from each other!

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Hello? Does anyone read these things? Something big is coming..but, I'll get to that in a little bit. Let me first reintroduce Grappus. Grappus is a digital agency that creates things for companies. Useful things that look and feel beautiful. But at the core of what we do is solve complex problems, fast. We are very good at it and we will absolutely continue doing it for as long as our clients allow us. But at the same time, we also have some crazy aspirations. One of them is to build our own products from scratch. And then scale them. But as we spend most of our time grinding for clients, the leap to products often seems daunting. Point is, we are a company of ideas. And since the very start, we’ve experimented with all sorts of things outside of client work. Some of them have worked out great and some have failed completely. But with each, we learnt. Here’s a quick recap: [𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃] 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 - 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐝: Our first product attempt. Real-time vibe in nearby venues. Couldn’t figure out operations. [𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃] 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕 - 𝐍𝐲𝐛𝐛𝐥: Our second big product. Home-Cooking Meal sharing app. Missed the bus. [𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃] 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 - 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲: Our third attempt. HR-Tech. Couldn’t figure out GTM. [𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒] 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 - 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬: Divided team into pods. Almost like a startup pitch event. The genesis of ‘Unberry’ came out of this event. [𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒] 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 - 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐨𝐛: Can we design and develop 6 games, in just 72 hours? Apparently, we can. And we did! [𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒] 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 - 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐗: The Mother of all Sprints. Can we do 4 months of Development in just 4 days? No joke. [𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒] 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 - 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐩<>𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧: Devs & Designers butted heads. Can designers develop and developers design? Sure. Well, sort of. [𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒] 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 - 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩-𝐃𝐞-𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐮𝐬: What’s this? Only a few know. And that's okay. It was a highly covert experiment.  [𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃] 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 - 𝐆𝐞𝐧-𝐀𝐈 𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧: We attempted a month-long Gen-AI hackathon. It kind of failed. But also made us better at AI. As we gear up for our next 72-hour intense experiment, here’s what we’re aiming to achieve: ~ 3500 hours of collective effort compressed into just 72 hours. ~ The equivalent of 6 months' work accomplished in merely 3 days. And there’s nothing better to experiment with our very own, Unberry. Where Grappus is our playground to experiment, Unberry is our stadium to exhibit. 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝟐𝐗! Three full epic days of high-intensity collaboration, creative discussions, inspiration, and execution. Three full days of code being dropped, sleep being lost, and red-bulls being popped. Three days where we drop everything else and just build collectively. No fluff, no nonsense—just our ideas, our people and lots of caffeine. We'll keep sharing more details and updates as we progress. We hope you'll root for us from the outside! #sprint2x2024 #grappus #unberry

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Optimism = workplace advocacy + loyalty. This is my takeaway from Edelman's latest report about "Trust at work". Check out the numbers 👇🏼 According to Edelman: 📌 Optimists are 35% more likely to advocate on behalf of their employer. 📌 They're also 25% more likely to stay working for their employer. 📌 Optimists are almost twice as likely to post content about their employer on #SocialMedia weekly or more. 📌 The same group are almost twice as likely to be posting content that is positive vs negative. In short, economic optimism within the workplace fuels advocacy and loyalty, but how do you build economic optimism? Edelman suggests 4 ways: CLOSE THE OPTIMISM GAP: Employees at the bottom of the hierarchy have half the economic optimism of those at the top. UPSKILL TO UNLOCK ECONOMIC OPTIMISM: Many employees feel displaced by transformations. Highlight the opportunities disruption creates. ACT, DON'T TALK: Through career pathing, impact and agency, there is a potential 24-point boost in associates’ optimism. BUILD TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS: When work helps people feel economically optimistic, they are more willing to prioritise the greater good. Fascinating report (especially pages 13 - 18) for those looking to scale their #EmployeeAdvocacy programs. In short, long-term success sits within a connected framework of communications, training and leadership. Report link in comments 👇🏼 B2B Social Media Community Group followers - we've uploaded there. #EmployeeAdvocacy #EmployeeEngagement #HR #TrustAtWork

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