Bath & Body Works

Christopher Henry

With more than two decades of experience in thought leadership, consulting, facilitation, negotiation, management development, and consensus building, Christopher Henry has made a significant impact on how companies leverage and enhance the associate experience. Born into a working-class family, the Illinois, native grew up understanding the value employees provide and how easily that value can be overlooked.

In his professional career, Henry has broadened his expertise to include designing, developing, and implementing successful learning and organizational development initiatives that empower workforces to reach their full potential.Henry is committed to continuous improvement and holds certifications in Conflict Resolution, GROW Model Coaching, Facilitative Leadership, Meyers Briggs (MBTI), Advanced Implementation Methodology (AIM), LEAN Process Improvement, and Prosci Change Management. Currently, Henry serves as the Senior Vice President of Global Talent Management at Bath & Body Works.

Please share with our readers your current roles and responsibilities.

At Bath and Body Works (BBW), our HR team is tasked with helping to foster a workplace culture that fully supports job candidates and associates from their first interview to their last day before their next adventure. My particular focus areas are on the pre-hire candidate experience, and the overall experience for current associates.

I do that through the lens of talent management, performance management, and talent acquisition, among others. I also oversee organizational learning initiatives across all our verticals, including distribution centers, stores, and corporate offices. In addition, I manage talent acquisition efforts for these three verticals and also lead the change management for the enterprise, a relatively new addition to our organization.

Can you share some of the challenges you currently face?

When I first joined BBW nearly two years ago, I’d say our biggest challenge was of course leading through the aftermath of COVID. While the health and safety of our customers and associates is still a top priority, now I’d say that we are also handling challenges with securing talent. This may sound hyperbolic to some, but at BBW our talent truly is our biggest and most important asset. From the frontlines in our stores to the logistical experts in our warehouses, all the way to the strategists in our corporate offices, it’s the people who make Bath & Body Works what it is. So, when it comes to finding the right talent that can best uplift the BBW brand, it can be tough.

"I believe we need to take a holistic approach to enhance associateexperiences, nurturing a work environment where associates can contribute not only to the organization but also to their personal lives. "

Like many organizations, we face different challengesin the search for talent. Being able to connect with the right candidates, communicate the value of what we offer, and ensure these individuals were placed in the right roles was also crucial. After the pandemic, many of our roles, especially in distribution centers and stores, required a physical presence. Given the prevalence of remote work during the pandemic, it became particularly challenging to recruit individuals for these positions. The corporate function had more flexibility, as some roles were adaptable to remote work. Fast forward to the present, roughly 18 months to nearly two years later, our primary challenge shifted towards retention. People have a choice in where they work, and with lower unemployment numbers, the ball is even further in the workers’ court. That means that companies need to work even harder to support better working conditions for their teams. At Bath & Body Works, our current focus is on creating an engaging and inclusive work environment that encourages associates to stay and grow with us. We do this by investing heavily in our associates in a multitude of ways such as providing educational scholarships, training, career development planning, and providing unique health and wellness benefits such as onsite clinics and physical therapy facilities at some of our distribution centers.

Are there any additional strategies you employ to tackle these challenges?

We are focusing on programs that enhance the associate experience and foster talent retention. To be more specific, we are intensifying our efforts in associate engagement surveys and related activities. We’re also listening more to our associates by simplifying the feedback process as much as possible. We recently transitioned to a cloud-based tool, in collaboration with a vendor partner who has set a benchmark in the retail industry. This enabled us to benchmark ourselves against our competitors.

One significant initiative we're implementing is daily pay for certain frontline roles. This allows individuals to receive their earnings on their terms, without the need to wait for biweekly paychecks. This initiative will have real-world impact in the lives ofindividuals facing life circumstances like a surprise bill or resource constraints like managing transportation costs. With daily pay, they can also avoid resorting to short-term, high-interest loans to help cover both expected and unexpected costs.

We have also partnered in the education space with an innovative provider that would allow our associates to access more educational opportunities, including various degrees and certifications.  What sets this program apart is that it doesn't rely on tuition reimbursement. Instead, Bath & Body Works covers the costs upfront, making education accessible to our associates. Although this initiative is not yet live, we plan to roll it out next year. This partnership is another in the multitude of ways we are committed to making our associates' lives easier and to offering opportunities for growth when they join the Bath and Body Works team.

Is there any project initiative you have been part of lately?

In terms of technology implementation, our recent adoption of associate engagement surveys provides us with new, data-driven benchmarks and research insights. We are able to leverage that in a multitude of ways that extend beyond the traditional associate engagement survey, including post-survey messaging and follow-ups. This allows us to listen to our workforce more frequently and gain real-time feedback. The convenience of this technology is that it's entirely cloud-based, and accessible on laptops and smartphones, ensuring accessibility for all. We have also integrated 360-degree surveys into this platform for developmental purposes.

What is your piece of advice to your fellow peers?

I believe that HR and business leaders need to take a holistic approach to enhancingthe associate experience. It is our responsibility to help build a nurturing work environment where individuals can build the jobs and careers they want,and support the meaningful lives they deserve. If we keep that top of mind, people and businesses can win.