What's Happening?
Tapestry, Inc., a global house of brands including Coach and Kate Spade New York, is actively seeking a Director of Digital Employee Experience for its New York City headquarters. This strategic role focuses on enhancing the digital workplace for the company's
global corporate offices. The Director will be responsible for defining the vision, setting the strategy, and maintaining a prioritized roadmap for the digital employee experience. This involves close collaboration with Workplace Technology and platform owners to ensure improvements are tangible and impactful. The position requires a leader who can act as the voice of the employee within the technology organization, grounding decisions in real-world employee needs rather than solely relying on data. The role emphasizes understanding the nuances of a diverse global workforce and influencing stakeholders without direct authority to implement effective digital solutions.
Why It's Important?
This initiative by Tapestry, Inc. highlights a growing trend among large corporations to prioritize and strategically manage the digital employee experience. In an increasingly digital work environment, the effectiveness and satisfaction of employees are directly tied to the tools and platforms they use daily. By investing in a dedicated Director for this area, Tapestry aims to optimize productivity, foster a positive work culture, and retain talent. A well-designed digital employee experience can lead to increased efficiency, better communication, and higher employee engagement, which are critical for a global company with approximately 19,000 employees across multiple countries. This move also reflects the recognition that technology, culture, and communication are intertwined, and a holistic approach is necessary to support a modern workforce. The focus on understanding employee needs and translating them into technological improvements can set a benchmark for other companies in the retail and fashion industry.
What's Next?
The newly appointed Director of Digital Employee Experience will be tasked with developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy for Tapestry's digital workplace. This will involve staying connected with employees through feedback loops, store visits, and observational research to understand regional and market-level nuances. The Director will also be responsible for identifying and piloting modern workplace technologies, including AI-powered tools, intelligent search, and mobile-first solutions, to lead proof-of-concept initiatives. Furthermore, the role will involve establishing a framework for measuring the effectiveness of the employee experience, combining platform analytics with direct employee input. Success in this role will likely lead to a more streamlined and efficient digital environment for Tapestry's global workforce, potentially influencing future investments in employee-centric technology solutions across the company's brands.
Beyond the Headlines
The creation of a dedicated Director of Digital Employee Experience role at Tapestry, Inc. signifies a deeper organizational shift towards recognizing the employee as a key 'customer' of internal technology services. This goes beyond mere IT support, aiming to create a seamless and intuitive digital journey for every employee. The emphasis on understanding employee needs through direct engagement, rather than just data, suggests a human-centered design approach to internal systems. This could lead to a more inclusive digital environment that caters to diverse working styles and geographical requirements. Ethically, it underscores a commitment to employee well-being and productivity, acknowledging that a positive digital experience contributes to overall job satisfaction and reduces friction in daily tasks. This strategic focus could also influence how other large enterprises approach their internal digital transformations, potentially elevating the importance of employee experience to a C-suite level concern.
