Digital Transformation for a Retail Giant

Path to Purpose - Revolutionizing Employee Engagement and Career Development

Overview

A global leader in the luxury cosmetics and skincare industry, known for its dedication to innovation and quality, embarked on a groundbreaking digital initiative called "Path to Purpose." This project aimed to significantly boost employee engagement and career development by providing a dynamic, personalized learning experience.

Challenge

In the highly competitive retail sector, maintaining high levels of employee engagement and motivation is critical. The company identified a common issue: employees often struggled to find career paths that matched their skills and interests, leading to disengagement and slower career progression. The challenge was to create a solution that would not only captivate employees but also empower them to take control of their career development.

Solution

To fully understand the client's needs and the challenges faced by their employees, key members of the project team visited the client on-site in New York City. During this visit, the team spent time in multiple brand stores to observe and engage with employees directly. This hands-on approach provided invaluable insights into the daily challenges faced by the workforce and how they envisioned a solution like "Path to Purpose" coming to life.

The project’s creative was spearheaded by Doug Belding, a seasoned Creative Director & Strategist. The initiative centered around creating an interactive mobile learning experience that resonated with the modern workforce.

Inspired by popular swipe-based apps, "Path to Purpose" allowed employees to explore various job roles within the company through an engaging and intuitive quiz. By swiping through different roles, employees could discover positions that aligned with their strengths and interests. The integration of AI technology further personalized the experience, curating job roles and descriptions based on each employee's responses, making career exploration both engaging and deeply informative.

In addition to developing the tool, the team conducted a design thinking workshop on-site, which involved key stakeholders from the client’s internal marketing and design teams. This workshop not only helped refine the tool’s features but also equipped the client’s teams with advanced training on design tools, enhancing their ability to contribute to the ongoing success of the initiative.

Results

The "Path to Purpose" initiative was a tremendous success, delivering outstanding results:

• 450% Increase in Course Completions: Within the first 30 days of launch, the company experienced a 450% increase in course completions, demonstrating the tool's effectiveness in driving employee participation in career development activities.

• 85% Increase in Employee Engagement: Over the first three months, overall employee engagement metrics surged by 85%, as employees became more actively involved in exploring and planning their career paths within the company.

• 70% Reduction in Time to Identify Career Paths: The tool significantly reduced the time it took for employees to identify suitable career paths by 70%, streamlining the process and aligning it more closely with their aspirations.

Overcoming Challenges

A significant challenge during the project was ensuring that the "Path to Purpose" tool would resonate with a diverse, global workforce. To address this, Doug Belding led a team comprising Art Directors, UX & Graphic Designers, Writers, Engineers, and Developers from the USA, Canada, Costa Rica, and Ukraine. The team’s diversity enabled them to incorporate a broad range of perspectives, ensuring the tool was universally appealing and effective.

Conclusion

The "Path to Purpose" initiative not only met but exceeded its goals, setting a new standard for employee engagement and career development in the industry. By combining innovative technology with a deep understanding of the client’s challenges, the project empowered the workforce and fostered a culture of growth and development. This case study exemplifies how a well-executed digital solution, informed by direct client interaction and collaborative workshops, can overcome significant challenges and deliver measurable, impactful results.