In a world of technology where workforce digitization and hybrid work are colliding, can legacy HR systems keep pace?
That’s the challenge Avon, a 138-year-old health and beauty icon undertook as it made the shift from old-school direct selling to a vibrant, data-driven, omni-channel company.
A fearless digital HR makeover fueled by Zendesk; that standardized operations with five languages and 5,000 employees. The outcome? A record-breaking 98.4% employee satisfaction level.
From Beauty to Bold Impact: How Avon’s HR Makeover Reflects a Global Health Mission
“We were dealing with decades of legacy,” Karolina Michalska says. “Numerous systems, platforms, solutions—or even a complete lack of them.”
For more than a century, Avon has been greater than a beauty company; it’s been a power for empowerment, innovation, and social change.
AI Authority Trend: Zendesk Helped AVON Achieve 98 Percent Employee Satisfaction – The Lessons You Can Apply
With strong foundations in purpose-driven labor and a visionary dream for the future, Avon transformed from a direct-selling trailblazer to a vibrant, omni-channel business with 32 international markets.
But similar to many legacy businesses, it was confronted with a daunting challenge: how to bring employee support into the modern age at scale without sacrificing the human touch?
That’s when Zendesk came into the frame. With legacy systems hindering support operations and silos impacting the employee experience, Avon required something more than a technology boost; they needed a new methodology.
In collaboration with Zendesk, Avon’s People Services department headed by Karolina Michalska embarked on building an agile, smart HR support platform that would scale across five languages, de-silo operations, and empower employees globally.
Avon’s Commitment to Health and Humanity
Avon’s HR transformation is not simply an upgrade of systems, it’s an expression of a higher purpose to people, planet, and purpose.
Being part of Natura &Co, Avon’s sustainability vision termed “Commitment to Life” is a strategy that targets operational excellence alongside long-term well-being for communities and the environment.
Here’s how their digital transformation with Zendesk contributes to that mission:
People-First Philosophy
Since its inception in 1886 to the present day, Avon has believed in empowering women and underprivileged communities. That mission lives on through:
- A 98.4% staff satisfaction rate.
- Scalable, multilingual HR assistance across 32 countries.
- Inclusive technology that does not leave one employee behind.
HealthTech Takeaway: A contemporary support infrastructure is not just efficient, it’s empowering. For patient-care and human-health focused organizations, an employee-first culture is a competitive advantage and a moral imperative.
AI Authority Trend: How to Transform Employee Services with Secure, Scalable Support; AVON’s 98.4 Percent Satisfaction Secret
Environmental Wellness
In its circularity and regeneration ambitions, Avon is focused on:
- 50% recycled plastic content.
- 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging.
- 100% implementation of regenerative practices within communities.
- Modernizing internal systems digitally such as Zendesk-driven HR functions helps achieve these sustainability objectives by:
- Eliminating paper and physical admin processes.
- Reducing travel and face-to-face support reliance.
- Building a stronger, remote-capable workforce.
HealthTech Takeaway: The same thinking applied to constructing sustainable supply chains can and must be employed in constructing sustainable workforces.
Protecting Human Rights
With its “Be Human-Kind” program, Avon is dedicated to protecting human rights throughout its entire value chain. That involves providing employees with tools to speak up, connect, and develop.
By integrating Zendesk into its employee support model, Avon has established:
- A clear and consistent process for all support requirements.
- A human-centric digital experience that honors both privacy and humanity.
- A scalable HR framework that upholds human dignity at every level.
HealthTech Takeaway: Avon’s journey is a timely reminder. Digital transformation done well isn’t merely technical, it’s transformational.
It is clear that Avon’s vision for its people, the planet, and the future of work is nothing less than remarkable. A business that doesn’t just evolve, but leads with intent; and driving this change is Zendesk, a platform designed not only for customer service, but for enabling organizations to grow with intelligence, velocity, and compassion.
Together, they’ve established a new benchmark for what employee support in the modern era can be like within global health and beauty ecosystems.
Get the Inside Story
Join the conversation and hear directly from Avon’s People Services team and Zendesk experts as they reveal the strategy, the systems, and the cultural shift behind this change.
Join the Webinar | April 23
Event: Zendesk Customer Spotlight – Avon Masters the HR Makeover
10:00 AM PT | 1:00 PM ET | 45-minute digital session
Hosted by Zendesk & Avon’s HR transformation leaders
This isn’t your average HR upgrade. It’s a makeover.
Inside the Transformation: What You’ll Learn
Led by Karolina Michalska, Avon’s People Services team launched a Zendesk-powered strategy that:
- Integrated employee support across 32 markets
- Reduced operational inefficiencies using smart automation
- Elevated internal service satisfaction with human-first design
- Unified legacy platforms into a global, multilingual solution
This webinar brings the spotlight on Avon’s journey, offering practical takeaways for health tech enterprises navigating similar complexity.
Access Now – Free for HealthTech Leaders
Why This Matters for HealthTech Leaders
The same forces that are changing healthcare digitization, decentralization and integration of data are now shaping how health tech firms interact with their own staff.
From dealing with employee expansion between continents to aiding medical staff in real time, the battle Avon won is highly pertinent to any healthtech company seeking:
- Seamless, omnichannel employee support.
- Scalable HR platforms that don’t compromise on empathy.
- Data-driven service enhancements without interrupting workflows.
At HealthTech Insights, we believe in delivering you stories that not only inspire but instruct. Avon’s transformation has key takeaways for CHROs, CIOs, and CX leaders looking to shatter silos and future-proof their people operations.
As healthcare and life sciences organizations move forward in workforce digitization, Avon’s transformation is more than a success story, it’s a roadmap.
AI Authority Trend: How AVON Reinvented Employee Services For The Secure-First, AI-Enabled Era
FAQs
1. How did Avon achieve a 98.4% employee satisfaction rate through its HR transformation?
Avon’s modernization of internal employee support, while preserving its cultural values, led to a significant increase in employee satisfaction.
2. What role did Zendesk play in Avon’s HR transformation?
Zendesk provided a customer experience platform that helped Avon modernize its internal employee support systems, contributing to improved efficiency and satisfaction.
3. What are the benefits of using AI in HR functions?
AI in HR helps make employee service more efficient and personalized throughout the entire employee lifecycle.
4. What is people-centric HR and why is it important?
People-centric HR is an approach that prioritizes the needs and experiences of employees as the core focus of human resources strategies.
5. How can HR help desk software improve employee service delivery?
An HR help desk is a solution that allows HR teams to enhance employee service delivery, streamline HR processes, and boost team productivity.
AI Authority Trend: HRTech Top Voice: Interview with Karolina Michalska, People Services Lead at Avon
To share your insights, please write to us at sudipto@intentamplify.com
