People
In a time of rapid progression, an increasing number of enterprises will concentrate on people as the foundation of their expansion. For instance, the CEO of Zappos stresses the importance of employee happiness as the cornerstone of the company’s development. (Pandey, 2023) This markedly demonstrates that the human pillar is playing a decisive role for the company. The pillar, People, emphasises a business’s impact on society and its dedication to individuals. These are the individuals who perform the company’s tasks, as well as those who are affected by the company, including the firms’ employees and shareholders, consumers, as well as its affected communities and people at every stage of the supply chain. (N/A, 2021)
When it comes to the People pillar, the focus is always on Gen Z. Gen Z, also known as Generation Z, is used to describe the generation born in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Following in the footsteps of the Millennials, Gen Z was heavily influenced by the Great Recession of 2007-09 and the COVID-19 pandemic.(McKinsey & Company, 2023) Gen Z is therefore the first generation of true digital natives, living in a fully digital age and all having grown up in an era of ubiquitous streaming content. In addition to Gen Z being the first “digital natives” of the people, they’re also not only pragmatic, ethical-concerning and, well, savvy consumers, politically progressive, but also facing mental health challenges. Fashion labels ought to present personalisation options, exhibit transparent information regarding the brand’s contextual background, and enhance brand sustainability to appeal to Gen Z consumers.
More importantly, Gen Z’s normative concern is diversity. According to Oxford English Dictionary, diversity refers to “the practice or quality of including individuals from a diverse range of social and ethnic backgrounds, as well as different genders and sexual orientations”. Sexual orientation diversity is currently a widely discussed aspect of diversity, and numerous fashion brands are striving to promote inclusivity in sexual orientation. Expanding the range of unisex clothing options and offering diverse sizes appears to be an effective approach for promoting inclusivity towards all sexual orientations. As an example, H&M has introduced a gender-neutral apparel line in collaboration with the popular brand Eytys to promote diversity and inclusivity regarding sexual orientation. (Young, 2019)
In an era of fast-paced automation and rising joblessness, essential human skills are imperative for fashion brands. In light of technological advancements and the proliferation of automated systems, the fashion sector must possess proficiency in technological skills, automation programming abilities, and complex problem-solving skills. In this respect, it is crucial for companies to recruit staff with aptitudes in data processing, proficiency in ICT, and interdisciplinary and general knowledge of technology, to satisfy their demands for automated programming and other technical issue resolutions. Moreover, in order to tackle intricate problems, employees must have the ability to adjust to change, collaborate with others, make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and cultivate their mindset towards lifelong learning. (BRICS, 2016) However, in certain countries, low education levels have resulted in an inability to meet the demand for highly skilled individuals.
References list
(No date) Whitepaper skill development for industry 4. Available at: https://globalskillsummit.com/whitepaper-summary.pdf (Accessed: 14 October 2023).
McKinsey & Company, M.& C. (2023) What is gen Z?, McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z (Accessed: 14 October 2023).
N/A, N. (2021) People, planet, profit: Looking at the Triple Bottom Line, GCU. Available at: https://www.gcu.edu/blog/business-management/people-planet-profit-looking-triple-bottom-line (Accessed: 14 October 2023).
Pandey, Dr.V. (2023) The Zappos Model: How Delivering Happiness Transforms Business and Leadership, LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zappos-model-how-delivering-happiness-transforms-business-pandey (Accessed: 14 October 2023).
Young, S. (2019) H&M has launched a Gender Neutral Clothing Collection, The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/hm-eytys-gender-neutral-unisex-collection-release-lookbook-fashion-a8741996.html (Accessed: 14 October 2023).