As is the case for many organizations worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a new normal for our employees, customers, and local communities. No stranger to adapting to new and unprecedented circumstances, we’ve implemented several measures to ensure that our business functions continue uninterrupted, our productivity remains unaffected, and our employees feel connected. We remain steadfast in our duty to power premium journalism, even while we work from home.
Since switching to mandatory remote working for all global employees on March 16, we’ve regularly communicated with Indexers about how they can succeed in their new work-from-home settings and any unique needs they may have. As some employees require equipment beyond their laptops, our diligent Workplace Facilities and IT teams have organized and provided supplies, such as second monitors, that have helped ensure a seamless transition.
We’ve also doubled down on our commitment to transparency with both our employees and our customers. For our employees, we’re now holding weekly Global Town Halls, as opposed to the previous bi-weekly cadence, in an effort to more regularly address any questions or concerns that Indexers have as we navigate these new challenges together.
For our customers and partners, we’ve launched IX Marketplace Pulse, a weekly update penned by our EVP of global marketplace development, Will Doherty. Each week, Will breaks down exchange data and insights from media buyers while providing an analysis of the market so that our customers can stay informed during a time when the programmatic marketplace is changing more quickly than ever.
We’ve also witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of our productivity and communication tools. In the last week of March, the daily average number of messages sent on Slack were up approximately 43% compared to the first week of March. In fact, Indexers sent 52,689 messages on March 24—the highest of the month! Indexers also proactively started a Slack channel solely dedicated to sharing work-from-home tips with each other, such as making use of collaborative software to virtually whiteboard with teammates and linking to resources for entertaining and educating children for those with little ones at home.
The number of minutes spent in BlueJeans calls, our video conferencing service, also increased by more than double in the second half of March compared to the first, reaching almost 300,000 minutes one day. While these stats are to be expected, we’re happy to know that Indexers are making full use of the communication tools available during these unusual times.
Distance can’t eliminate the sense of community we share at Index Exchange. While we aren’t physically in the office, Indexers have graciously invited each other into their homes to partake in virtual lunches and get-togethers. That also means that we’re afforded the opportunity to learn more about each other, our families, and our interests and hobbies. Any Indexer will agree that this virtual connection is vital—especially when we entertain the occasional visit from a pet or child in our backgrounds.
While the pandemic has undoubtedly had a massive impact on daily life globally, we are grateful that our teams can work from home and have been able to adapt so swiftly to the situation before us. With our combined knowledge, creativity, and compassion, we’re confident that Index Exchange will continue to thrive despite these challenges.
