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踏进台湾欧莱雅位于台北101的接待大厅，目光马上被穿着打扮时尚有型、现今所谓的“潮人”所吸引，抬头一看墙壁柜上展示着台湾欧莱雅旗下品牌的各式彩妆保养品，亮丽惹眼的办公环境，展现了欧莱雅身为时尚产业一员的多变鲜活，而欧莱雅要找的人才、要营造的工作环境氛围也是如此...
“我们很怕同构型太高，我们要不同的人、要很多种声音！”台湾欧莱雅人力资源部总经理郭秀君说道，台湾欧莱雅找人不喜欢对学科、背景设限，他们认为越是多元的团队越能激发创意的火花；他们也鼓励人才内转，增加自我工作眼界的广度，也为公司留住更多的人才。而台湾欧莱雅的人力资源部门就是一个小小的多国兵团，七人当中个个来自不同的学历背景，甚至是不同的国籍。
声音多元、声调多样不是问题，重点是相异中必须找到共识。又到了年度战略蓝图的规划时节，人力资源部门也要制订未来三年的目标和下年度的工作计划。这次，郭秀君希望来点不一样的，“说实在的，我们每天都忙着那些daily work，很难有时间静下来想战略、想未来，”“常常听到‘战略性思考’这个名词，却不明白是怎么一回事..”于是，台湾欧莱雅找上了长期在薪酬调查、退休金精算方面合作的伙伴—华信惠悦，不过这回谈的是战略、战略性思考和未来蓝图。
“我们这才知道原来大家对“vision”、“mission”的定义都不同，也才知道什么叫做‘思考更有逻辑’..”郭秀君提到一开始接触到一堆管理上的陌生名词，也令她和她的团队成员感到困惑，这些学术管理名词和方法论，如何和日常工作产生连结，甚至成为日常工作的指引？“顾问给我们很多的例子和练习，帮我们建立了一个共同讨论的平台，让大家一起找出共识。”这下，大家对战略性思考有了共同的语言，一步步地运用共同语言讨论、描绘出未来的战略蓝图。
“我们很感谢顾问愿意花很多时间来了解我们的需求和状况，顾问的头脑、条理很清楚，并且不厌其烦地说明、解释给我们听。”顾问们试图以多样的诠释，将这些生硬的管理语言揉进客户的产业特性和工作现状中，教给客户适合他们且实用的“钓鱼方法”。
出身自财务的郭秀君，也是欧莱雅内部转调的成功例子，“Finance看的是短期，HR看的是长期，投资人才不会马上看到成果，但人才却是公司非常重要的命脉。”这是郭秀君对财务和人资的不同体会；身为台湾欧莱雅的资深员工，她获得了老板的信任和支持，参加公司重要的全球业务会议，“HR就是在为公司准备未来的人才，当然要知道公司未来的方向。”“我老板也对我说，‘我也不要你只是support！’”郭秀君为自己、为HR部门争取到更高的视野，并且运用战略性的思考制订未来的蓝图、计划，替公司准备好需要的人才，让台湾欧莱雅继续鲜活跃动。
Stepping into the lobby of L'Oreal Taiwan at Taipei 101, one's attention is immediately drawn to the chic and so-called "trendy" crowd in the room. A shelf on the wall displays a variety of cosmetics products from L'Oreal Taiwan. The smart and dazzling offices showcase L'Oreal as an active and versatile player in the fashion business. But, L'Oreal's effort to create a positive brand doesn't stop at this external image. These same concepts are applied to its "Employer Brand" as well, whether it be recruiting key talent or creating a positive atmosphere at the workplace.
Creative, active, and versatile. These are also characteristics that L'Oreal hopes to find in its employees. "We are very careful about not sticking to one talent profile. We want different types of people with different opinions," says Ms. Helena Kuo, General Manager of the Human Resources Department at L'Oreal Taiwan. As an employer, L'Oreal is not keen on setting specific requirements for a candidate's required degree, major or other background characteristics. Rather, it is believed that a more diversified group of employees will foster more creativity in the workplace. It is also for this reason that employees are encouraged to transfer between departments within the company to expand their personal horizons. This approach has the added benefit of increasing retention, as employees are free to develop themselves in varied ways. The Human Resources Department at L'Oreal Taiwan is a good example of the diversity L'Oreal is looking for. There are seven people in the department, each with different degrees, majors and even different nationalities. Having so many distinct voices singing a wide variety of tunes is not a problem for L'Oreal. The key is to find a common ground among these differences.
One thing that this diverse group of people must do is to plan its annual strategy. The Human Resources Department must set targets for the next three years as well as make a business plan for the second half of this year. Instead of following the usual method Ms. Kuo decided to take a different approach this year. "Frankly, in the past we just busied ourselves with our daily work and hardly have anytime to stop and think about strategy." "We often hear the phrase 'strategic thinking', but have little idea what it actually encompasses." Therefore, L'Oreal Taiwan engaged Watson Wyatt Taiwan, a long-term partner in compensation solutions and pension administration, to discuss strategies, strategic thinking, and a making a blueprint for the future.
"We found out that each of us had his/her own definition of 'vision' or 'mission.' We also learned what it means to 'think logically.' "In addition, Ms. Kuo explained that, through the HR department's work with the business units, they often came into contact with some unfamiliar management terms, which sometimes raised questions with her and her team. Most importantly, was how these academic terms and management methodology could be applied to their daily work or at least be used as a set of guiding principles. "The consultants provided us with many cases and practice examples. This enabled us to build a common platform for discussion on which a consensus can be reached. Now, everyone speaks the same language in how we think strategically, which enables us to more effectively discuss and plan our strategic blueprint for the future."
"We are very grateful that the consultants took time to understand our needs and our current situation. They think in a very precise and organized way. And what's more, they were very patient with us and explained everything in detail." Ms. Kuo felt the consultants worked hard at taking what can sometimes feel like overly intellectual management language and melding it into an industry environment and specific work conditions that are applicable to their clients. Ms. Kuo believes that this is how consultants can instead of merely giving their clients "fish", they can teach them how to "fish for themselves."
Ms. Kuo believes that the Human Resource function is vital to helping a company learn to "fish for itself." She comes from a background in finance - another successful example of internal rotation at L'Oreal Taiwan. So, when she explains the importance of human resources, she speaks from experience. Ms. Kuo explains that the difference between finance and human resources is that "finance focuses on short-term results whereas human resources looks at the long-term returns. An investment in developing talent does not bear fruit right away, but when it does, it becomes the very lifeline of a company."
An important aspect of creating long-term returns is ensuring that they are linked to the company's strategy. Although she is in the HR department, Ms. Kuo has the trust and support of her superiors and is often appointed as a delegate to attend important internal global business meetings. "The Human Resources Department is responsible for training future employees and so of course should stay in the loop with the company's long-term direction." "My boss told me clearly that he expected more than just a support function of me," said Ms. Kuo. With this direction, she has worked to elevate the Human Resources Department and herself to a higher ground. In addition, she has utilized strategic thinking to plan a blueprint for the future, train talent to satisfy the company's demands and to ensure L'Oreal Taiwan will continue to flourish.
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