Revitalizing Morale in Shopify’s Most Technical Support Team

Length of Project: 2 years, 2021-2023

The Problem:

TMS was home to some of Shopify’s most highly skilled technical support specialists. They were the go-to experts for troubleshooting complex issues, but by the time I joined the leadership team, morale was at an all-time low. Specialists felt burnt out, unheard, and unrecognized. Many perceived leadership as distant, indifferent, and unfair in how they handled recognition, performance, and workload distribution. This led to disengagement, frustration, and ultimately, a team that was difficult to lead.

On the flip side, leadership was struggling as well. There was a clear cohesion problem—the team wasn’t working together as seamlessly as they could. Performance management was also a challenge, with inconsistent engagement and a growing disconnect between expectations and execution.

At its core, the problem wasn’t just about burnout or fairness—it was a fundamental loss of passion. Leadership wanted the specialists to love what they did again. My job was to fix all of that and make TMS a team people were excited to be a part of again.

The Solution: TMS Social

To tackle these issues, I designed and launched TMS Social—a structured initiative focused on boosting morale, rebuilding trust, and fostering a sense of community. The approach had three key elements:

1. Recognition & Visibility

• Created structured opportunities for peer-to-peer recognition and leadership acknowledgment.

• Established specialist spotlights to showcase individual contributions.

• Implemented a fun, low-pressure feedback loop where specialists could openly discuss wins and challenges with leadership.

2. Community & Connection

• Introduced Komospace, a virtual office that allowed specialists to work together, casually interact, and collaborate in real-time, recreating the camaraderie of an in-person team.

• Hosted cross-time zone meetups to bridge gaps between team members who rarely had the chance to interact.

• Launched team-wide social events, including the TMS Spooktacular, where team members could participate in themed activities, contests, and casual discussions outside of work.

3. Passion & Engagement

• Encouraged specialists to take ownership of their expertise, creating internal learning opportunities and mentorship.

• Worked with leadership to redefine what success and impact looked like for the team, ensuring specialists saw their work as valuable beyond just handling tickets.

• Facilitated opportunities for specialists to work on passion projects within TMS, such as internal documentation improvements and mentoring new hires.

The Impact:

The effects of TMS Social were tangible and measurable:

✅ 7% increase in engagement scores ✅ Improved perception of fairness and recognition within leadership ✅ Higher participation in team initiatives and discussions ✅ Stronger relationships and team cohesion ✅ Increased excitement and passion for technical work

By addressing both the perceived and real issues within the team, we created a cultural shift that made specialists feel valued, heard, and genuinely excited about their work again. Leadership saw stronger team cohesion, smoother performance management, and a team that was eager to excel rather than just endure.

TMS Social wasn’t just about boosting morale—it was about rebuilding trust and reigniting passion in Shopify’s most technical support team. And it worked.