Essity

Nicola Parrini

At Essity, Nicola Parrini wears more than one hat, as the vice president for HR group learning and leadership, as well as HR GBIS (Global Branding Innovation Sustainability) business unit. In the last 23 years, he has internationally worked in HR for various companies. That said, half of his career has involved the automotive business, with the other half as fast-moving consumer goods. Today, He plays a crucial role in taking care of the Essity’s product portfolio and manages multiple departments such as global branding, research, development and more.

In this interview with Manage HR Magazine, Nicola Parrini highlights the many trends of learning and leadership models deployed at Essity. Carefully selecting the best approach in the implementation of corporate skills, he navigates the reason and ways to blend technology with traditional modes of learning.

Given your dual roles within the company, can you elaborate on your day-to-day responsibilities at Essity? How do you manage the tasks and priorities associated with both positions?

My daily work is dynamic, presenting different challenges and opportunities each day. Usually, my responsibilities involve managing our leadership model, which encompasses developing impactful programs for our Leadership Academy, ranging from fundamental leadership training to advanced learning tools and leadership assessments. We aim to continuously enhance our leaders' capabilities and ensure long-term growth. To support this aim, we manage everything from processes to tools and learning initiatives.

The learning initiative involves overseeing our global network of universities and academies across various functions, including marketing, sales, manufacturing, digital, and artificial intelligence. We ensure the smooth operation of these educational entities and address upskilling needs. We also pay close attention to compliance, ensuring that all learning activities adhere to necessary regulations and standards. The third sub-area involves learning technology and design, where we provide expertise to design the best learning experiences using a range of technologies, from traditional methods to advanced artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

People development involves strategies to help our employees progress within the company through various roles, gigs, and projects. This includes implementing social learning activities, coaching, mentoring programs, counseling, and other development initiatives.

Finally, performance management is where we establish and uphold our performance management philosophy. This includes running the annual performance process, assessing and judging performance, setting goals, and determining rewards. We aim to foster a high-performance culture that aligns with our business objectives and supports our employees' continuous growth and development.

You mentioned the day-to-day challenges within your organization. Can you provide insights into the HR industry's general challenges and share your perspective on these issues? 

One of the alarming things about this sector is the speed of change and capability improvement, with learning models losing relevancy within six to nine months. The relevance of knowledge diminishes much faster than it used to; what was relevant six to nine months ago may no longer be pertinent today. This rapid shift means we must ensure our knowledge assets remain consistently up-to-date. Consequently, our people need to learn more quickly and effectively than ever.

The challenge extends beyond acquiring relevant knowledge. It also fosters an environment where individuals can develop learning agility and self-awareness. Our programs increasingly focus on balancing traditional leadership skills, which engage the left brain—logical and analytical thinking—and emotional intelligence, which employs the right brain. This shift aims to help individuals remain pertinent in a fast-paced, complex, ambiguous business environment. By balancing the development of self-awareness and the ability to tackle business challenges, we aim to support our people in navigating these complexities effectively. 

“The task of selecting the most suitable learning models keeps our curiosity levels high. Matching knowledge assets at the right speed with relevant employees can get puzzling because they need to learn more and quicker than before”

In terms of leadership, the challenge extends beyond acquiring applicable knowledge. It also fosters an environment where individuals can develop learning agility and self-awareness. Our programs increasingly focus on a balance between traditional leadership skills, which engage the left brain—logical and analytical thinking—and emotional intelligence, which engages the right brain. This shift aims to help individuals remain relevant in a fast-paced, complex, ambiguous business environment. By balancing the development of self-awareness and the ability to tackle business challenges, we aim to support our people in navigating these complexities effectively.

According to you, is there any particular technology in the HR industry that will be transformative in the coming years?

Yes, absolutely. We are already working with many new technologies, and I see a bright future for several of them. The first is skill-based technology, which will be a game changer. This technology is evolving rapidly and will significantly enhance our understanding and granularity of employees' skills. Skill clouds and artificial intelligence primarily drive these advancements.

Artificial intelligence will play a major role in HR beyond its current applications in recruitment, where it already has a substantial impact. The second transformative technology is virtual reality. Although still in the early stages of development and implementation, virtual reality has the potential to greatly aid in preparing employees by providing a safe environment for training before they face real-world scenarios. 

Can you share a particular project or initiative you are currently involved in at your organization and discuss its positive impact?

The first example is a comprehensive program we launched nine to twelve months ago for our top management called Voyager. This program integrates learning methodologies based on neuroscience and psychological evidence to enhance leadership performance. It focuses on both the rational and emotional components of the brain. The program is highly scientific and incorporates a variety of learning methodologies, including right-brain exercises, social learning, and peer learning. This multi-faceted approach has positively impacted our top leaders, enhancing their business and personal performance.

The second example is a technology-based initiative called the Unleash program. This social and experiential learning program is designed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and is completely self-driven by the employees. Unlike traditional programs, there is no physical facilitator; a digital facilitator created with AI guides participants through the five fundamental leadership models. The program blends physical and social interaction with digital facilitation, combining traditional learning expertise with modern technology. The Unleash program has been highly effective, allowing us to reach thousands of employees simultaneously and scale efficiently.

Both programs have significantly impacted our organization, improving both business outcomes and employee development.

Before we conclude today's conversation, what advice would you give to budding professionals in the HR industry? What key insights would you like to share with them?

My advice to budding professionals is to remain truly relevant to the business by not just following what is trendy, especially regarding technology. It is crucial to be mindful of the right course of action. Often, this means prioritizing a human-centric approach over a technology-centric one.

Stay close to the needs of the business and the people. Truly understand the real needs and problems that need solving. Based on this understanding, the best functional learning and HR practices can be used to address these specific needs. High levels of customization and a deep connection with both business and people’s needs are essential for success in this field.