Can you help Gap Inc.’s E&B (Equity & Belonging) Team improve the culture of communication and collaboration?
Approach
The project was structured in two phases:
Phase 1: Problem Framing & Solution Exploration
An 8 week sprint to arrive at idea directions to strengthen the communication, collaboration and culture of appreciation at GAP APAC.
- We started by developing a deep understanding of existing challenges through speed learning sessions with internal experts and a review of past studies, surveys, and team conversations conducted across GAP Inc. APAC.
- Based on these inputs, we defined sharp opportunity areas within the three focus domains.
- We conducted an Ideation sprint with internal stakeholders and clustered the ideas that addressed the needs of the employees in the three domains: communication, collaboration and culture of appreciation.
- This process led to 52 idea directions, out of which 6 were prioritised in collaboration with the core team for further prototyping.
Phase 2: Prototyping & Implementation Planning
An 8-week sprint to bring the top ideas to life.
- The 6 shortlisted ideas were developed into detailed blueprints, with implementation plans mapped out for each.
- Of these, 3 interventions were selected for rollout by the GAP APAC team.
Key Strategic Lever
We realised that the real barrier to collaboration at GAP APAC wasn’t a lack of willingness or opportunity, but it was fear.
Employees, especially new joiners or those working remotely, stayed silent not out of disinterest, but because the risk of being judged or excluded felt greater than the reward of being heard. Speaking up in high-stakes meetings often meant going against the norm, and that came with fear of conflict, of being wrong, or of facing consequences.
Collaborative spaces had become high-stakes and performative, rather than open and inclusive.
The breakthrough was to shift focus from big meetings and processes to creating low-stakes, everyday moments where individuals could confidently share their perspectives and feel genuinely heard, respected, and valued. That shift, from risk to safety, is what needed to change.
Output
Three interventions were selected for rollout by the GAP APAC team. Since the 2024 pilot, teams using these rituals have reported a visible shift in meeting dynamics, with a noticeable increase in voluntary contributions from junior employees and greater participation from typically quieter team members.
A few simple ideas that were borne out of our Behaviour Design Codex
Meeting Prep Guideline - A guideline/template to come prepared in the meeting with inputs and questions to ensure all thoughts are shared confidently.
Feelings Check-in - A simple activity to get to know how other team members feel at the moment to facilitate bonding and create a conducive environment for discussions.
60-Second Round Robin - A round-robin exercise where everyone is given 60 seconds to share their opinion.
