The digital revolution is at the heart of changes in most industries and is profoundly changing the relationship that businesses have with their consumers.
E-commerce offers exciting possibilities. Consumer experience is changing and pushing back the boundaries of points of sale. These changes are taking place online and via several distribution channels at the same time, transforming consumer relations and service, making digital a powerful engine for change. This means that reinforcing digital expertise is essential. We must continue to equip ourselves for the global changes that are transforming consumer behaviour, the shifting geographical assumptions, and the proliferation of data and communication channels.
The beauty industry is no exception. We’re known for being fast-paced, responding to consumer needs and developing products before people know they need them. At L’Oréal, new priorities and opportunities are emerging daily, which has forced us to revise brand media strategies and investment to make room for digital resources.
It’s hugely exciting. Things don’t stop when customers purchase a product, which is the way we all behaved before. Today, purchasing is the point where you can start a conversation with consumers.
Digital is a strong enabler of brand development and, if you do it right, can really push growth. It offers huge potential because it opens up new markets and new types of expression. It allows for a direct link between brand and consumer, which means you have feedback and can grow your relationship.
However, one of the challenges is to make sure employees are trained on the digital vision and understand the new focus and consumer lifecycle. That’s where the HR leader’s role lies. Technology makes people smarter, and there is real power in using digital as a source of different thinking.
Enhancing our people’s digital capabilities is an ongoing focus for us. We’ve set an ongoing strategy, with the aim of building digital literacy and capability across our business.
We started with ‘Digital IQ Scoring’, testing the skills of our 3,500 employees throughout the UK and Ireland. This was a great way to show people where their knowledge gaps were. It was also essential for us to understand where the greatest gaps were in the business and to develop a strategy to address them.
The next step was to roll out a Digital Academy, designed to fill the knowledge gap. The academy is a combination of bespoke specialised training modules associated with ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, as well as an online service with tips, features and trends through a digital digest that people can subscribe to.
The academy also offers best-practice sharing, either through formal training or via our Digital Board, which gathers digital colleagues together to ensure everyone benefits from others’ experiences.
This is complemented by ‘My Learning’, our online platform that can be accessed by our people from anywhere. Digital is only one element of this platform, which also offers training on language and leadership, among other disciplines.
Ensuring our younger staff maintain their digital edge is also vital. Each year, L’Oréal welcomes 40 graduates and a key part of our offering is our commitment to developing their digital skills. A number of them take part in the digital marketing qualification offered through the Google Squared programme.
As much as we have a significant role in upskilling our workforce to make sure it is digitally savvy, embracing digital is equally as important for HR professionals.
To reach the best talent, you need to be communicating with them in ways that resonate with and appeal to them. You need to show the company’s digital expertise. L’Oréal’s recruitment efforts are increasingly focused on finding people though social media, and we maintain an ongoing conversation with professionals and students via Twitter and Facebook, as well as LinkedIn.
The one constant in the digital revolution so far is change. It’s HR’s role to stay ahead of it, understanding what our people need in order to seize the many opportunities presented by the exciting digital world.