Milk Makeup, Shiseido CEO on Leadership and the Future of Work – WWD

In the age of COVID-19, what will the future of work look like – both physically and culturally?

Ultimately, the goal is for team members to feel connected and engaged, says Tim Coolican, chief executive officer of Milky makeup.

Coolican spoke with Gena Smith, senior vice president of human resources, global executive director and creative recruiting at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc., at WWD’s Beauty CEO Summit with Ron Gee, president, CEO and global M&A leader at Shiseido Americas and Shiseido Coporation, group.

“What we have learned over the past 18 months is that our teams can work remotely really effectively,” Coolican said. “And we are very selective and want to make sure that everyone feels very comfortable.”

NS Milky makeup The office, headquartered in New York, has been flexible since February. For employees who have returned, the company offers the option to work remotely two days a week, if needed.

“It’s completely voluntary and what we’ve seen is people have started to naturally choose to go back,” he says, especially in departments that often work collaboratively. “We see our office as a clubhouse. It’s where we come to connect and where we create together. I think your culture has to be stronger than just a physical space. ”

In Shiseido, the Japanese global giant is defining its plans to return to the regional office.

“Right now, we’re really not going back to the office in all of our locations,” Gee said. “Here in the United States, we are in a flexible prioritization environment where we make choices. [We ask,] ‘What’s right for each of our locations and for each of our populations?’

Starting next year, Shiseido employees have the option to work in the office “no more than 10” days a month, Gee said, noting that management is rethinking setting up workspaces. mine.

“The office is the destination for collaboration,” says Gee. Using technology and tools, the aim is to enhance communication. “We are still in a state of change and understanding.”

Smith also delves into how each CEO adapts their leadership style to the new reality. “As CEOs, we are trained to plan for the long term, but as a leader in this environment, I find that I have to re-evaluate what I think is right and what I do not want. for the right way forward a lot faster. Coolican said. “It is about dialogue and self-inquiry. I’ve done more in the past months than ever before. ”

“I hope I can say that I have become a better listener,” says Gee. “It taught me to challenge myself that way. And also, to be more vulnerable. I have actually shared perhaps a lot more of my life experiences than ever before in my life in the past year and a half. Because I’ve learned that by sharing, people are sharing back, and I’m learning more at that stage – not just as a leader but as a human being. ”