When I saw the news, I was deeply saddened. I currently work for Simpplr as Regional VP for EMEA, a company I joined with much excitement in September 2023, from my previous employer — Meta. Technically, Workplace and Simpplr are competitors as both are platforms that facilitate internal communication and foster employee engagement through the power of technology. So it may seem strange that I was sad to read the Workplace announcement.
My time at Meta and why Workplace mattered
I spent some of the happiest years of my career (2019 to 2023) selling Workplace from Facebook (later Meta). I truly believe that it is one of the finest communication platforms on the market.
The simple reality is that Workplace was not a key priority for Meta, and I saw this for myself while I was there.
Meta is a huge company, delivering value to millions of users and businesses, but its priorities are Ads, VR, Business Messaging and AI — not a communications platform.
One of the reasons my time at Workplace was so fulfilling was because I loved selling to comms professionals. I’ve sold business applications, cyber security, cloud computing and many other types of software in my career — but I LOVE helping companies realise value from a platform that helps connect them with their workforce. And Workplace was the first software I ever sold that enabled me to do that
That’s why I joined Simpplr — because it does what Workplace promised to do.
The first time I saw Simpplr, I knew this was a product that was realising the vision of connecting companies. An organisation that isn’t capitalising on the buzzwords of EX and AI now, but has been committed to innovating with artificial intelligence to enhance the employee experience since its inception. AI has been purpose-built into Simpplr from the ground up, and that’s why I left Meta and joined Simpplr.
Reflecting on Workplace’s impact and looking ahead
Someone recently asked me if I thought so highly of Workplace, what could it have done better? Before I left Meta, a former colleague told me that once I was gone I would miss scrolling through Workplace. And he was right, I did miss it. I had the same withdrawal symptoms that people get if they are locked out of their Instagram or Facebook accounts for a day. But after a while, I realised that I had spent so much time scrolling through Workplace that it had become a business social tool, one that gave me funny memes, not one that helped me do my job effectively.
I miss Workplace, and I know a lot of companies will miss Workplace too, but it is going away, and it is not coming back. Yet this is an opportunity to up-level employee experience at your organisation by selecting the best Workplace alternative.
Choosing the right comms platform for your business is a big decision. My best advice is to choose wisely. Select a platform partner that will be there in 10 years, will help your employees to be more effective, and will add real value to your company.
I chose Simpplr, and if this resonated with you at all, let’s chat. I’ll show you what convinced me this was the right choice for me after Workplace.