LinkedIn Stories: Completing the picture

What does your working day look like? What’s your productivity hack for working from home? How are you getting ready for the new normal?.. and how are you doing, really?

These questions have become essential today as professionals embrace (or try to embrace) the rapid changes taking over the world, and subsequently transforming their workplace. Now, more than ever, professionals are looking for the conversations that allow them to make sense out of the developments shaping up their world. 

The professional journey goes way beyond the usual eight-hour workday. We celebrate achievements and projects, we start relevant conversations about news and the latest events, and we even share secrets on how to balance professional and personal life and relax at the end of each business day. 

Starting today, all aspects of the world of work can be shared on LinkedIn with a new format. I’m pleased to announce that the UAE will be the first country in the Middle East to test LinkedIn Stories. 

Between preparing for a meeting, pitching to investors, rehearsing a performance, or building your headspace, lessons are drawn and connections are established. With LinkedIn Stories, UAE members will be able to share the parts of their work life that they don’t usually have the opportunity to share, in both English and Arabic.

They will have the option to connect with their network of connections and followers in an informal and less intimidating way. Influencers will be able to share more about their businesses; experts can share their opinions and best practices, and LinkedIn Top Voices will have a new format to connect with their audiences. 

Stories will also play another important role at those particular times. Health professionals, supermarket cashiers, delivery workers and other front line professionals will be able to share details of their routines and insights to help their peers and give members a glimpse into their daily lives. Professionals from all backgrounds will share their journey of going back to work, along with tips for adapting to ‘the new normal workspace’. LinkedIn Stories will provide access to the backstage, where professionals share the realities around the jobs that are helping the world in those critical times.

With more than 2 million posts, videos and articles going through LinkedIn’s feed every day, generating tens of millions of shares and likes, this new feature reinforces our commitment to conversations. Stories will foster productive interactions and engagements among our 4-million strong community in the UAE. It is through conversation that people will be able to identify economic opportunities, come together in solidarity, and help each other. LinkedIn Stories is a way to give and get help from our professional communities. And this is more important today than ever.

Quality Information

LinkedIn Stories will also strengthen the sharing of news and reliable information once it will be used by trusted sources.

LinkedIn News will also use the new tool. Members will have another door to the Gulf Daily Rundown to get updates about what happens in the world of work, economy and business. The page will also publish posts updates throughout the day with career tips, through a journalistic production which involves a Gulf team working together with 75 other editors around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

In times like these, we are giving a special focus to news around the impact of Covid-19 on people's lives, how companies are responding to the challenges of the pandemic, on new public policies put in place to fight the virus and save the economy, and also on best practices for people and companies to adjust to this new reality.

That's why I want to address my journalists’ colleagues and content creators who are facing the challenges of remote work and new business-operating norms to be able to bring forward trustworthy information. Technology must be an ally. Technology can bring us together in a moment when we are physically apart. I invite you to use LinkedIn Stories to shed light on the developments that are taking place around many work-related topics: productivity, entrepreneurship, career, leadership, economy, health, etc..  

LinkedIn Stories will allow all content creators to highlight parts of a piece in either video or text, showcase backstage of an interview, share different elements of a coverage, or reveal a new trend that will impact businesses. Quality content is essential for LinkedIn members, to work better and stay well informed. 

Share your key moments and experiences. Our reports about remote working, social distancing, crisis management, business continuity, learnings and online collaboration can help a lot of people to navigate peacefully in this challenging moment. 

Conversations are vital now. We will continue in Stories, at the top of your feed.. Join the conversation!