Pictured left, Meg McLaughlin (centre) enjoys a performance on Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour with colleagues. Pictured, right, Rob Breakiron and his daughter Isabelle perform during Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.
Courtesy of Megh McLaughlin, left. Isabelle Bratieron, pictured right
At professional services firm KPMG, managing director Rob Breakiron feels more popular among junior colleagues than he should for a 45-year-old. When it comes to building his reputation in the office, he has an unlikely ally: Taylor Swift.
Breakiron’s love for Swift made him a hit like many of the “Mastermind” singer’s songs. He often wears Swift merchandise or friendship bracelets from her ongoing Eras tour during team calls. Fans of the 14-time Grammy Award winner’s music won’t miss these visual cues, which help build connections and make him a trusted mentor.
“This very directly affects my ability to connect with the younger generation,” said the northern Virginia resident. “I don’t think it should be underestimated.”
Breakiron is known within his department as “Swiftie Dad.” After touring multiple times with his daughter and planning more over the summer, he has become his teammates’ go-to source for concert-related advice.
Emerging from the era of remote work, companies are trying to reset expectations around norms such as what to wear and how to communicate. In a time filled with issues ranging from politics to returning to the office, superstars Swift and Beyoncé are providing a safe platform for colleagues across generations and seniority levels to connect.
The trend first sprouted last year, when the pop icon toured across the United States. Now, new albums from both performers Top of the list Performances with Swift in recent weeks Restart This month, the two men are once again a hot topic at the water cooler or at the start of sometimes awkward virtual meetings.
Angela Hall, an associate professor in MSU’s College of Human Resources and Labor Relations, said this may be welcomed in the post-pandemic world of work, given the continued difficulties of building relationships in hybrid or fully online environments. These connections can help people feel more supported and happy in their roles, she said, which is a benefit for both employees and executives during a period of employee apathy.
“Anything that allows people to form a connection, a bond, an affinity is really important — whether it’s Beyoncé or Taylor, whether it’s their love of baking or their pets,” Hall said. “If people can connect on that level, it just makes things better.”
Hall noted that a recent Society for Human Resource Management survey showed that 45 percent of workers surveyed believed “Emotional exhaustion” More than half feel “burned out” at the end of the workday. These statistics make American labor sentiment even worse after several years of “quiet exits” and “great resignations.”
Studies have found that employees who experience burnout are nearly three times more likely to be actively looking for a new job. But there’s an important caveat: People who feel a strong sense of belonging to their company are 2.5 times less likely to experience burnout in the first place.
Interest in “unification”
Self-described “Swiftie” Andrew Boyagi agreed with Hall. Other managers may view discussing personal interests during work as a waste of time. but atlas Executives believe these moments are critical in building relationships that will be beneficial later on.
“When you’re on the front lines, it really helps to know someone,” said Boyage, who manages a team of more than 20 people from his home in Australia and around the world.
He’s seen updates on Swift’s music and personal life discussed by employees of all generations on team messaging forums. That’s common ground, he said, for a group whose cultures haven’t always been entirely harmonious.
Taylor Swift (left) performs on stage during her Eras tour at Paycor Arena on June 30, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Performing on stage during the Renaissance Tour at the Ruyff Arena.
Getty Images
For example, a younger team member told a senior colleague that a thumbs-up emoji might be considered passive-aggressive. Boyaj said the high five emoji has become a popular emoji and subtext safety – alternatives.
“Some of us were shocked when ‘thumbs up’ was one of the only emojis available,” he said.
The Swift/Beyoncé buzz has reached the top brass of major corporations, with business tycoons from Amazonof Jeff Bezos Bridgewater Associates’ Ray Dalio attends artist concert. Yuan CEO Mark Zuckerberg Posted photos of him wearing jewelry on his face and friendship bracelets on his wrists, which have become signature accessories on Swift’s tour.
It also gained influence among senior executives such as Susan St. Ledger, Cloud’s president of global field operations. bridge company. St. Ledger, 59, mentioned Swift during a sales kickoff speech and took the stage to the song “Fearless.” Employees then gave her friendship bracelets, one of which was engraved with beads that read “Fearless Leader.”
“The reality is that titles distance you from other people, whether you like it or not,” St. Ledger said. Still, she said, Swift’s music has been a “universal language” that has helped her connect with everyone from her fans’ fathers to women who see themselves in the singer.
Susan St. Ledger, President of Global Field Operations, HashiCorp.
Courtesy: HashiCorp
Some companies capitalize on the cultural phenomenon created by tourism. Megh McLaughlin was one of three employees sent by software company Air to Florida on an incentive trip that included a night on Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour. When the three female attendees returned, McLaughlin created a regular virtual meeting for them to connect with each other, titled after the song “Run the World (Girls).”
Others bring that excitement to the workplace. Armani Albertsons organizes event to see cinematic version of Swift’s era tour, which kicks off in disney+ March, at fintech firm’s Austin office Sensible.
Albertson was somewhat nervous about opening the event to the entire building, unsure what non-Swift people would think. While attendees from different departments gathered for a pre-movie Q&A and made friendship bracelets, other colleagues respectfully watched the festivities through glass doors.
“I thought we were going to be made fun of,” Albertson said, adding that the gathering was met with widespread support and was a “unifying” experience.
“A real dose of personality”
As wars break out overseas and the U.S. presidential election becomes divisive, Swift and Beyoncé provide a non-controversial talking point, MSU Auditorium said. She added that superstardom could also be a distraction for workers dealing with economic challenges such as high inflation and rising costs of homeownership.
Because these performers have been famous for more than a decade, several generations can be interested in them simultaneously. Meanwhile, non-fans at least have had time to become familiar with these singers through younger family members or pop culture.
For many employees CNBC spoke with, artists offer them a way to express more of themselves at work.
Sharif Karmally, Atlan’s director of product marketing, said that when one co-founder said Swift was someone she admired, his ears perked up. It was during one of the data startup’s “Jefferson Dinners,” where everyone at the table had a meaningful conversation rather than small talk.
This sparked an idea for a creative way to announce Atlan’s latest funding round: music video Featuring Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department. Karmally wrote the lyrics, and team members, from founders to new hires, weighed in.
A still from “A New Era – The Tormented Data Sector,” Atlan’s video announcing a new round of funding for the data startup.
Courtesy: Atlan
When Beyoncé stopped in Atlanta, a colleague who was writing tour-related copy for an advertising agency client revealed what he knew about the “Halo” singer to Rhea Smith. Smith joined a co-workers group chat created to discuss the 32-time Grammy winner and shared her appreciation for Beyoncé as a conversation starter with new hires.
“I was just able to bring some insider lingo into the post,” Smith said.
Smith said Beyoncé’s fan base, known as the Beyhive, has yet to find an equivalent to the Swiftie friendship bracelets, but colleagues have discussed purchasing them after the Texas-born performer recently turned to country music. Cowboy hat and boots.
Last year, Matt Lindner took time off from his media marketing job to travel from Chicago to Minneapolis for a Swift concert. Knowing her popularity, Lindner referenced her song (which some fans called an Easter egg) when writing an outing email to inform people of his plans.
“You drew a blank in me,” the 41-year-old wrote. “If it’s an emergency, don’t just get rid of it,” he later added. “The last thing I want to see is any bad blood between us.”
When Lindner returned to working remotely, conversations with colleagues or external clients included discussions about whether others were watching the show and what their favorite songs were. Consider the breaking of a virtual ice cube.
“My job is to create a good atmosphere,” he said of his marketing position. And “genuine personality — even something as simple and banal as an out-of-office message — helps reinforce the idea that, yes, there’s a person behind the screen.”
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