Digital Transformation Consulting

Henkel faced the challenge of rapidly evolving consumer relationships and increasing market competition driven by new brands and technologies, which necessitated a more agile and innovative workforce. To address this, Henkel implemented a comprehensive digital upskilling program aimed at fostering a culture of lifelong learning and enhancing internal capabilities across all business units and functions. The program began with a voluntary digital capabilities assessment involving employees from 10 job families, providing detailed insights into skill gaps and strengths. Based on these findings, tailored, job-family-specific learning programs were developed, combining best practice courses from Accenture Academy with Henkel-specific use cases within a modern learning management system (LMS).

Additionally, Henkel introduced a new digital talent experience that decoupled performance evaluation from potential assessments, focusing more effectively on individual development and aspirations. A "Recruiter Toolbox" was created within the talent management system to improve the sourcing and placement of digital roles by clearly aligning technical skills with role requirements. An upcoming AI-driven skill management library containing 52,000 skills will further enhance LMS integration, succession planning, and performance management processes. The results of this initiative include the rapid deployment of the LMS in just 18 weeks, with 215,000 course completions and 272,000 training registrations by Henkel employees. The program also streamlined recruitment, reducing application times from an average of 30 minutes to 60 seconds, which increased external candidate applications by 40%. Overall, the targeted upskilling program has empowered Henkel to accelerate innovation, improve agility, and embed sustainability through a more inclusive, future-ready workforce.