microsoft rewards
director
2020
Microsoft’s annual rewards cycle is challenging and complex, like any company’s performance review period. People’s livelihoods and careers are on the line, and it’s challenging for managers to prioritize the right things when it comes to talent and their teams.
I worked with Microsoft’s “Performance & Development” organization to create a series of video-driven training experiences that would support managers in making decisions, sharing results, and supporting their direct reports.
Microsoft wanted to change the way their annual talent discussions would be conducted, from the top down. That meant creating an experience that would align all of their managers across the globe to leverage the same language, decision-making process, and other context to ensure that rewards decisions and talent outcomes would be fair, consistent and transparent.
creating a video-driven training experience to help managers with rewards discussions
OVERVIEW
Our on-set day to shoot our videos at Microsoft’s Studio D was March 21, 2020. Unfortunately, that trip and the entire production were canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, we had to get creative. Fortunately, my wife was visiting me from out of town (our trip to Hawaii was canceled) and she had some acting experience (and a cute face!). I had a bunch of professional camera gear from making sketch comedy, so I pitched my clients on filming our video in San Diego, just the two of us. They said yes.
Some of the coolest experiences included:
Directing my wife to deliver an amazing performance that now positions her as the face of talent and rewards at Microsoft;
Working with our client to innovate a solution during the most challenging time in our professional experience;
Script-writing, producing, and directing this video.
WHAT I DID
LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGN
CONTENT DIRECTION & PRODUCTION