Photographer: Dania Maxwell/Bloomberg
When news broke of talent marketplace leader Gloat appointing Thrive Global founder Arianna Huffington to its Board of Directors, I was keen to ask Arianna and Gloat co-founder Ben Reuveni about the move.
Gloat, named the 2022 Top HR Product of the Year by Human Resource Executive, enables companies to tap into the untapped potential of talent throughout an organization by matching people’s skills and aspirations with the appropriate internal career opportunities.
The following is a condensed version of our conversation.
Dan Pontefract: What drew you to join Gloat’s board of directors in the first place?
Arianna Huffington: If the last few years have taught us anything — from the challenges of the pandemic to the phenomenon of quiet quitting and beyond — it’s that people are a company’s most valuable asset. When people feel supported and are empowered to build meaningful careers within their companies, it’s the ultimate win-win for individuals and businesses. With Gloat, Ben has built a team and a company that really understands this, and that’s a big part of what drew me to join Gloat’s board.
DP: Ben, can you discuss your thought process behind the decision to bring Arianna Huffington onto the board of directors at Gloat?
Ben Reuveni: It goes without saying that Arianna has an impressive history of propelling the ideas and causes that she believes in. We first met when Thrive partnered with Gloat to develop an integration with our Opportunity Hub—a single destination that integrates learning, coaching, wellbeing support, volunteering, and more into the talent marketplace. Following this we stayed in touch, and during a dinner with a group of CHROs last year, Arianna and I were discussing the challenges in the new post-pandemic workplace and how to adapt. When she told me we are in a ‘human revolution’ in the way we live and work, it became clear she shares Gloat’s belief that we’re at a turning point in the future-of-work movement and would be a stellar addition to our board.
DP: Thrive Global is renowned for supporting and empowering individuals in their careers, to drive positive change in the workplace and across their lives. How does this align with Gloat’s ambitions?
AR: Gloat’s mission really does align with Thrive’s. We’re working to end the stress and burnout epidemic and helping people realize their full potential, and Gloat specializes in doing the same thing from inside organizations. By breaking down silos and reallocating potential within organizations, they’re connecting people with projects, opportunities, mentorships, and training that speak to their purpose.
That’s something I’m passionate about at Thrive— one of my favorite things is helping people at Thrive find the right role that truly excites and engages them within the company. Gloat makes this process seamless. At a time when purpose has emerged as a key career motivator, Gloat is helping people craft more purposeful careers and gives them more control over their futures.
DP: Ben, how do you envision Arianna contributing to Gloat’s strategic vision and future growth?
BR: With Arianna joining our board, she brings a profound understanding of the human condition—especially as it relates to the large role work plays in our lives. The amazing work she has done at Thrive, improving the wellbeing and productivity of countless individuals and organizations, shows how much Gloat will benefit from her insight.
DP: Arianna, how do you envision Gloat making an impact on companies in attracting and retaining top talent, in addition to skills development?
AH: When companies actively help people craft more purposeful careers and take control of their futures, it’s no surprise that it’s going to have a positive effect on their ability to attract and retain talent. We’re living in a time when people — especially young people, but people of all ages — are increasingly making career decisions based on factors like how companies support their well-being, mental health, and larger sense of purpose, in addition to more traditional metrics of success like compensation. So, the stage is set for Gloat to have a tremendous positive impact.
DP: Ben, how do you see this appointment impacting Gloat’s reputation and profile in the industry, and attracting new talent, investment, customers, and partners to the company?
BR: There is no doubt that Arianna’s fearless leadership and innovative thinking have inspired the growth of countless individuals and organizations. Arianna’s appointment to Gloat’s board allows us to show new talent, customers, investment, and partners that people are a company’s most valuable asset. We are thrilled to have Arianna on our board, so that more people—Gloat included—can be inspired by her invaluable knowledge and wisdom.
DP: You have been involved with other boards across your career, Arianna; what is it about Gloat that is different from previous appointments?
AH: I’ve served on numerous boards, including Onex, Uber, and The B Team. And I’m always motivated by the possibility of having an impact. With Gloat, I see an opportunity to have an impact in an area I’m truly passionate about — creating technology that helps people do meaningful work and helps businesses adapt to uncertainty. These are fundamental needs and challenges, and they’re only going to become more important over time.
DP: There is an existing partnership between Thrive and Gloat. How will that complement Gloat’s future, Ben?
BR: Gloat and Thrive’s partnership started from a mutual belief that purposeful work and careers go hand in hand with individual well-being and resilience. We started integrating Thrive’s behavior change platform into Gloat’s Opportunity Hub to create a true one-stop experience for employee growth and upskilling. Not only do employees get access to jobs, projects, and mentors powered by Gloat, but they also get access to learning experiences, coaching, and well-being solutions powered by Thrive. We have an ambitious roadmap to integrate more and more of Thrive’s offerings into Gloat’s platform and many customers excited to be bringing a more complete upskilling offering to their people, so we are going to continue executing on that roadmap.
DP: Arianna, can you discuss any key initiatives or goals you plan to prioritize as a member of the Gloat board?
AH: I’m so excited to collaborate with Ben and the team, and to learn from them. One thing I’ll be prioritizing is the importance of storytelling and always capturing the human element. These are values we believe in deeply at Thrive and I can’t wait to tell the story of all the ways Gloat is making a difference.
Post Interview:
In sum, I’ve been a huge fan of Arianna for more than a decade. From the cheap seats, I can’t wait to see how she helps Gloat into the future.
Pre-order my next book publishing in October, , (You won’t want to miss digging in.)
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