Tomorrow, together: Cornerstone's journey into the Metaverse

Last year kicked off a transformative journey for how we define the employee experience at Cornerstone. With more of our workforce being remote and new teams joining through acquisitions, we reached a cultural crossroads. It was time to redefine who we were — not just for ourselves, but for our customers and the future of work.

This journey led us to craft a refreshed Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and a set of Core Values that not only reflect who we are as Cornerstars, but where we're headed. Partnering with UK-based consultancy Brand Point Zero, we developed an EVP that captures our vision for the future, with their expertise playing an instrumental role in bringing this transformation to life.

Through the process of developing and implementing this new narrative, we uncovered two profound truths early on that became the foundation of our global rollout:

1) Our people are our power

Our EVP and core values are more than just words — they are the heartbeat of Cornerstone. The spirit and dedication of every Cornerstar shape our identity and fuel our success.

2) Living our values from day one

Implementing a new EVP and Core Value system isn't just a one-time initiative — it is the constant and intentional work of crafting employee experiences that attract, engage and retain the best talent across the world.

We also developed a set of guiding principles that informed how we rolled out this new culture initiative globally.

• Rolling out a new EVP and core values is not just the role of HR. Especially in a global landscape, it is critical that regional employees, business leaders, marketing and your executive team all be involved.

• Communication and change management plans are critical to your success. There will always be detractors, so listen to your employees and communicate early and often. Innovative approaches applied consistently are key to a successful culture rollout and adoption.

With a geographically diverse team, both in-office and remote, the challenge ahead of us was to create a unifying culture-building experience that felt both global and connected. Rather than disrupt business with extensive travel and incur the cost of transporting over 4,000 Cornerstars — we leaned into our Cornerstar’s love for innovation and took the opportunity to try something new.

By harnessing Extended Reality (XR), we set out to redefine the norms of learning and engagement, creating a platform where innovation meets connection. Our solution solved for creating global connectivity without having to leave our daily workspace. It was unique, cost-effective and aligned with our forward-looking EVP, "Tomorrow. Together."

The XR platform offered numerous advantages, from fostering connections to incorporating gamification, enhancing learning through interactive sessions, and boosting engagement through experiential activities. We were also able to monitor and reward participation, amplifying the value and impact of our content.

The journey to Cornerstone Spark was nothing short of inspiring. Through focus groups, surveys, and post-event feedback, we learned that XR transcends generations and geographies, igniting enthusiasm and laughter among teams, managers, and executives who eagerly immersed themselves in this new technology.

We launched our new narrative over multiple global sessions, ranging from keynote addresses to an exhibition hall, a meditation retreat on an island, and a dance party. We also used the opportunity to roll out new programs, tease upcoming projects, and get feedback from employees.

Throughout the process, we made sure we were transparent in our approach to DEIB. Of course, it is impossible to represent the uniqueness of all our Cornerstars in a virtual environment — but we actively pushed our partner to be as inclusive as we possibly could. Being transparent with our Cornerstars about these technical restrictions helped make any conversations around this matter much more approachable and open.

• 70% of our global employee population participated

• Event attendance and retention were far above the average of other all-company events. Most who joined stayed through all sessions and spent time exploring on their own.

• We had a 261% increase in Employee Resource Group memberships

• Each employee averaged ~200 interactions in the platform, including using virtual photobooths, giving high fives, and wearing Cornerstone swag

• Months after the launch, Cornerstars are still enthusiastically championing each other by awarding badges, keeping the momentum strong

In the weeks following Cornerstone Spark, our Slack channels were buzzing with comments, screenshots and stories of virtual connection. Of course, there were some hiccups using this technology on such a large scale, but what I loved was how resilient and forgiving our Cornerstars were throughout the event.

As we move forward, the potential for our XR platform continues to expand. From casual coffee chats and scrum meetings to team photo ops and Employee Resource Group gatherings, our internal social channels have buzzed with shared experiences worldwide.

Looking ahead, we are identifying ways to use XR to onboard new hires and host group breakout sessions, team meetings and live Q&A sessions. The authentic interactions — like high fives and swag exchanges — made possible in XR have been pivotal in building solid and meaningful connections.

These experiences have opened our eyes to the broader applications of XR as a platform — not just for learning and engagement but also as a tool for enhancing well-being and workforce agility. Immersive methods offer a refreshing break from the traditional workspace, providing a focused, engaging alternative that can reduce anxiety associated with high-pressure situations or new tasks. They can be calming, helping to alleviate stress, and also inspirational and reinvigorating, creating connections that may have been lost with remote work.

Our journey with XR is just beginning, and we’re excited about its potential to transform the future of work at Cornerstone. This past year has been revolutionary, reshaping how we work and connect, learn, and grow together, regardless of our locations. Our experiences with extended reality have demonstrated how it can create memorable and impactful connections, offering innovative ways to educate and engage our team while revitalizing the sense of unity that remote work can sometimes diminish.

Here's to more learning, more laughter, and more opportunities to explore the extraordinary possibilities of XR. At Cornerstone, we will continue to break barriers and explore new frontiers, driven by our shared vision and unwavering commitment to Spark Greatness, Shatter Boundaries and Share Success.

Together, we as HR/People leaders have the opportunity to create employee experiences that inspire, uplift and transform. So, let's embrace the spirit of tomorrow together and keep building workplaces as dynamic and vibrant as the people who power them. Our future is bright, and the possibilities are limitless.