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Winner Story

REDtalks
by Cardinal Group

Property management company Cardinal Group was surprised to find that their Zoom meetings brought colleagues even closer together. Inspired, they launched REDtalks, a content platform that amplifies employees’ voices and provides education opportunities via employee-led discussions, which won the 2024 Award of Excellence, Employee & Internal Communications – Employee Engagement Program. Read how Cardinal Group transformed the production process into a VIP experience for every speaker and took inspiration from the hottest viral videos.

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Tell us about the brainstorm session you had when you first started the series.
In early 2021, knowing people were hungry for connection, our team was passionate about finding ways to foster meaningful interactions among team members. Traditionally, we relied on our annual leadership conference where everyone came together to build friendships and get to know each other better. But with COVID, we couldn’t hold the conference and had no idea when we could again. This coincided with a unique moment in the workplace, as virtual meetings on platforms like Zoom and Google Hangouts offered a glimpse into each other’s lives—inviting us into one another’s living rooms. Through these virtual interactions, we cultivated an authentic space where people felt more comfortable sharing about themselves and their personal experiences. That’s when we began to hear incredible stories and discover the golden nuggets of information hidden within our team members—insights we might have never known otherwise.

As part of the People and Culture team, we were fortunate to hear these stories more often, but we quickly realized we needed to create a platform where these voices could be shared. Coupled with our understanding of the power of peer-to-peer learning, RED—our initiative to Redefine Education and Development—was born!

How does the filming process work for the series? Do you film in a studio in Denver?
Once our speakers are selected, we work closely with them over a six-week process to refine their message and prepare them for the studio. We fly them into Denver and provide a wardrobe stipend to ensure they look their best! This process has evolved significantly over the years. Previously, we filmed in a small studio at our HQ, but last year, we invested in a professional studio and hired a videographer to create the highest quality videos possible. We wanted to make our speakers feel special and professional because we knew their effort deserved the best final product we could offer.

We typically shoot all talks in one full day, and then the videos are live-streamed during our REDtalks event at the end of the year.

How has the series changed since it first launched?
The series has evolved in many ways over the years. Not only has our video and production quality improved, but each year we carefully consider talk themes that are relevant and meaningful for our team members and aligned with broader organizational needs—a focus that’s grown over time.

We’ve also leveled up our halftime show, kicking off “Hot Takes” last year—a play on Hot Ones, where leaders from across the organization answer team-submitted questions while eating progressively hotter wings. This episode was a huge hit, bringing in our highest viewership, and we’re excited to bring it back this year for a second round.

As REDtalks continues to evolve, we’re exploring ways to bring some of our speakers to a live stage at our leadership conference. While still in the planning stages, we believe this would elevate the program by providing both a focused learning environment for our team members and an invaluable growth opportunity for speakers, helping them build a new skill set for delivering engaging, live talks to a large audience. We’re always asking how we can improve, so we’re confident this program will keep growing and evolving year after year.

Describe your biggest obstacle or challenge for the talk series.
One of our team’s biggest challenges is selecting speakers each year. We want each talk to connect meaningfully to our larger mission and values while also balancing the personal impact of each story with actionable insights for our viewers.

It’s always difficult to hear such amazing stories and decide which ones best balance emotional depth with practical takeaways. We ask ourselves, “Are there actionable insights viewers can apply to make a real impact in their own lives?” Determining this in the initial application stage— which stories are ready for development into strong talks and which need more time—is a challenge, especially since we want to amplify as many voices as possible.

Which aspects of REDtalks are you most proud of?
We’re most proud of our team members’ willingness to put themselves out there in such vulnerable ways. This isn’t part of their job, and they don’t get paid extra to do it. They spend hours after work tweaking their content, practicing, and gathering feedback. We’re all so busy and pulled in so many directions that it would be easy to say, “This is too much,” or “I don’t have time.” Yet, year after year, we see such a deep level of commitment because they believe, just as we do, that their story or insights will truly make a lasting impact on a fellow team member.

It’s also so rewarding to watch their journey—from the start of the application process to the final talk—and to see how their idea evolves into something elevated and impactful. For a team dedicated to our people’s development, this is exactly the kind of growth and confidence we hoped this program would inspire.

The Communicator Awards is celebrating connection across all forms of communication. How has this series brought the company closer together?
The series has been incredibly well-received across the organization. We’re grateful that our Leadership team approves the program and its budget each year, seeing the value as much as we do. During the live stream, watching the chat light up with messages from team members who resonate with the talks or experience those “aha” moments is the most rewarding part for our speakers. The talks often build organic connections, bridging speakers and team members who may have never otherwise connected. With so many team members spread across the country, hearing someone’s story can instantly make others feel they have an ally or someone to turn to with practical advice for overcoming similar challenges.

It’s also been inspiring to see a variety of roles represented each year. When we ask applicants what inspired them to apply, 9 out of 10 mentioned watching a previous talk and thinking, “I could do that.” The natural ripple effect this program creates has been one of the most exciting parts of its success.

 

Is your team producing work that elevates and empowers voices? Enter your best work before The Final Entry Deadline on January 24th, 2025.

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