HR Innovation Makes This Jewelry Maker Shine

Van Cleef & Arpels opened its doors at 22 Place Vendôme, Paris, in 1906. Known for the poetry and exquisite craftsmanship of its jewelry and timepieces, it has evolved from a small family-run business to a multinational enterprise with 129 stores and 1000 employees worldwide.

Recently, Van Cleef & Arpels started looking for ways to boost employee engagement and enhance team performance. They faced a delicate challenge: nurturing a dynamic, responsive workforce in an industry dominated by tradition. 

Director of Talent, Céline Gallet, was confident that digitization was the way forward. In 2017, the company turned to Zest for an innovative HR solution to build stronger teams. Since then, they have seen unexpected benefits.

Alongside Surveys, Van Cleef & Arpels’ go-to modules are Projects and Ideas, which they use to achieve quick, effective communication, collaboration and alignment across the organization. Employees can request feedback on recent initiatives or share new ideas with coworkers in an open, informal context.

Teamwork at the heart of jewellery craftsmanship at Van Cleef & Arpels.

From head office to the shop floor – Zest is for every team

Today, more than 450 Van Cleef & Arpels employees use Zest in the company’s French and Swiss offices. With multiple ongoing projects in fields from marketing to fine metalwork, it’s essential that employees share the company’s mission and values at every level. They use modules like Feedback to check that employees have a clear sense of their goals at any given moment.

Each year, Van Cleef & Arpels recruits around 60 new employees in its French locations alone. The company recently opened new locations in Germany, Canada, Japan and Korea while remaining strong in its traditional European market.

Building a flexible, responsive organization can be a challenge in any industry. For a maison de joaillerie over a century old, it has been the key to their continuing success. “We chose Zest because it was the most flexible solution on the market, with the most features. It allowed us to bring our HR practices in line with our vision.”

Céline Gallet adds, “I recommend it. Without hesitation.”