Groupe Danone Reveals Unified Communication Strategy
October 20, 2008 - In the last 20 years alone, we have seen the introduction of game-changing communication advancements like the Worldwide Web, Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook and the like. More recent introductions, like the VoIP Audio, Video HD and the iPhone, guarantee future changes in the way that business is conducted as employees move beyond e-mail in favor of online presence and social networking.
"By 2011, at least 80 percent of us will have a Second Life account or belong to a similar social networking community," revealed Groupe Danone' CIO North America E. Jeffrey Hutchinson at the 10th annual Consumer Goods Fall Conference this week in Orlando, Fla. "How are you as a company preparing for this change?"
The short answer is that consumer goods companies need to cultivate new skills and tools in the workplace to attract top talent across four generations, which communicate based on the distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivations inherent to their generational backgrounds. But how is this accomplished exactly?
The short answer is that consumer goods companies need to cultivate new skills and tools in the workplace to attract top talent across four generations, which communicate based on the distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivations inherent to their generational backgrounds. But how is this accomplished exactly?
In his opening keynote presentation this morning, Hutchinson provided attendees with a real-world case study on how Groupe Danone's North American IS/IT organization is specifically enabling business initiatives by leveraging leading unified communications and unified collaboration tools.
Under this approach, coined Dan 2.0, the company expects to have one half of its top 15,000 employees fully utilizing social networking tools by 2010. "By 2011, we expect all 15,000 top employees to be fully leveraging these technologies," said Hutchinson, adding that these improvements are expected to positively impact market share, sales and internal operational and employee efficiency.
Here are the recommendations he made to conference attendees in closing. Ask yourself:
> In regard to workplace transformation, are your internal offerings comparable to what your talent will find/use on the Internet?
> In regard to workforce transformation, how will you leverage "the power of four" generations?
> How will you leverage "collective intelligence"?
> How will you integrate process, organization/talent and technology enablement changes?
> What current investments can you leverage?
> And get started!
For a full recap of CGT's Fall Conference, featuring speakers from Black & Decker, Church & Dwight, J.M. Smucker Company, Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee Corp and more, read the October 29th edition of our weekly newsletter.
Here are the recommendations he made to conference attendees in closing. Ask yourself:
> In regard to workplace transformation, are your internal offerings comparable to what your talent will find/use on the Internet?
> In regard to workforce transformation, how will you leverage "the power of four" generations?
> How will you leverage "collective intelligence"?
> How will you integrate process, organization/talent and technology enablement changes?
> What current investments can you leverage?
> And get started!
For a full recap of CGT's Fall Conference, featuring speakers from Black & Decker, Church & Dwight, J.M. Smucker Company, Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee Corp and more, read the October 29th edition of our weekly newsletter.