Background

During my employment with Discovery Inc., I served as a Diversity & Inclusion Leader for employee resource groups. In my role, I led a team that launched campaigns and programs to engage Discovery's global network of employees with cultural diversity. 

Situation

As a brand that champions diversity, Discovery celebrates holidays from different cultures, including Lunar New Year. But having Chinese buffets and dragon dances every year became tired methods of celebrating the holiday. Discovery wanted an authentic way to display the values behind Lunar New Year.

Learnings 

We interviewed employees who celebrate Lunar New Year and discovered a few key takeaways: 

1. An important tradition of Lunar New Year is to gather with extended family.

2. More than half of Discovery’s Asian American employees have a family member who lives in Asia.

3. It takes two vacation days on flights alone to visit Asia, but the average employee receives 10 vacation days per year.

Bottom line: This lack of time to meet with extended family keeps most employees from celebrating Lunar New Year. 

Opportunity 

We can’t fight time, but we can break down the barriers of distance. Reconnect employees with loved ones they can’t physically be with on Lunar New Year.