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Walt Disney Hr

To build a world-class HR organization that enables creative excellence by fostering a culture where exceptional talent thrives

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To build a world-class HR organization that enables creative excellence by fostering a culture where exceptional talent thrives

Strengths

  • BRAND: Unparalleled global brand recognition and heritage
  • TALENT: Deep bench of creative and executive talent
  • CULTURE: Strong storytelling tradition embedded in HR practices
  • SCALE: Vast resources to support ambitious talent initiatives
  • DIVERSITY: Improving representation across key demographics

Weaknesses

  • AGILITY: Bureaucratic processes slowing talent acquisition
  • TECHNOLOGY: Outdated HR systems hindering data-driven decisions
  • RETENTION: Mid-level creative talent turnover exceeding 18%
  • DEVELOPMENT: Inconsistent leadership development programs
  • SILOS: Limited cross-division talent mobility and knowledge sharing

Opportunities

  • STREAMING: Expand HR support for direct-to-consumer growth
  • GLOBAL: Tap into international talent markets more effectively
  • HYBRID: Reimagine workplace strategies post-pandemic
  • ANALYTICS: Implement predictive workforce analytics
  • EXPERIENCE: Elevate employee experience to match customer magic

Threats

  • COMPETITION: Tech companies poaching top creative talent
  • BURNOUT: Increasing employee wellbeing concerns
  • REPUTATION: Public scrutiny impacting employer brand
  • ECONOMY: Economic uncertainty affecting talent investment
  • SKILLS: Emerging skills gaps in digital and data capabilities

Key Priorities

  • TRANSFORMATION: Modernize HR systems and data capabilities
  • CULTURE: Strengthen creative culture with measurable initiatives
  • RETENTION: Develop targeted programs to reduce creative talent loss
  • EXPERIENCE: Reimagine employee journey to match Disney magic
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To build a world-class HR organization that enables creative excellence by fostering a culture where exceptional talent thrives

TRANSFORM HR

Modernize HR systems for data-driven excellence

  • PLATFORM: Complete core HR system implementation with 98% data accuracy by Q3 end
  • ANALYTICS: Deploy talent analytics dashboard with predictive capabilities across all business units
  • AUTOMATION: Reduce administrative workload by 30% through implementation of AI-powered workflows
  • ADOPTION: Achieve 90% manager satisfaction with new HR technology platform and self-service tools
CULTIVATE MAGIC

Strengthen creative culture through bold actions

  • ENGAGEMENT: Increase employee engagement score from 78% to 85% across creative departments
  • RECOGNITION: Launch reimagined recognition program celebrating creative excellence with 70% participation
  • COMMUNITY: Establish 12 new employee resource groups supporting underrepresented creative voices
  • WELLBEING: Implement comprehensive creative wellness program reaching 90% of content creators
RETAIN BRILLIANCE

Reduce creative talent loss through targeted programs

  • TURNOVER: Reduce creative talent turnover from 18% to 12% through targeted retention strategies
  • CAREER: Launch personalized career navigation platform with 85% adoption among high-potential talent
  • COMPENSATION: Implement market-leading creative compensation framework with competitive positioning
  • FEEDBACK: Establish continuous listening strategy with 30-day action cycles on critical retention issues
REIMAGINE EXPERIENCE

Create employee journey that mirrors Disney magic

  • JOURNEY: Design and launch signature employee experience moments across five key career touchpoints
  • SERVICE: Implement AI-powered HR concierge achieving 92% first-contact resolution rate
  • ONBOARDING: Reinvent onboarding experience resulting in 30% faster productivity and 25% higher retention
  • BELONGING: Achieve 90% positive response rate to inclusion and belonging survey metrics
METRICS
  • Employee engagement score: 85%
  • Creative talent retention rate: 88%
  • Leadership diversity representation: 40%
VALUES
  • Optimism: Approaching challenges with a positive mindset
  • Innovation: Pioneering new ideas and solutions
  • Quality: Delivering excellence in everything we do
  • Community: Creating an inclusive environment for all
  • Storytelling: Championing authentic narratives in our work
Walt Disney logo
Align the learnings

Walt Disney Hr Retrospective

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To build a world-class HR organization that enables creative excellence by fostering a culture where exceptional talent thrives

What Went Well

  • STREAMING: Disney+ subscriber growth exceeded targets by 12%
  • PARKS: Record attendance and guest spending across destinations
  • CONTENT: Successful franchise extensions driving revenue growth
  • SYNERGY: Improved cross-business unit collaboration initiatives
  • EFFICIENCY: Cost-reduction initiatives yielding positive results

Not So Well

  • TALENT: Higher than expected turnover in creative departments
  • ENGAGEMENT: Employee satisfaction metrics declined 6 points YoY
  • TECHNOLOGY: HR systems transformation facing significant delays
  • DIVERSITY: Executive representation targets missed in key areas
  • DEVELOPMENT: Leadership pipeline shows concerning future gaps

Learnings

  • CULTURE: Creative excellence requires intentional culture support
  • METRICS: Need for more precise talent analytics and forecasting
  • AGILITY: HR processes must be reimagined for digital-first era
  • COMPETITION: Compensation alone insufficient for talent retention
  • EXPERIENCE: Employee experience directly impacts business results

Action Items

  • DESIGN: Create world-class employee experience mirroring customer
  • MODERNIZE: Accelerate HR technology transformation roadmap
  • MEASURE: Implement real-time talent analytics and dashboards
  • DEVELOP: Launch specialized creative leadership development path
  • CONNECT: Build cross-divisional talent mobility and growth program
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To build a world-class HR organization that enables creative excellence by fostering a culture where exceptional talent thrives

Strengths

  • INFRASTRUCTURE: Established technical foundation for AI adoption
  • LEADERSHIP: Executive commitment to AI-enabled HR transformation
  • DATA: Rich historical employee data across multiple business units
  • SCALE: Capacity to pilot AI solutions across diverse workforces
  • INNOVATION: Culture that embraces creative technological solutions

Weaknesses

  • INTEGRATION: Legacy systems limiting AI implementation speed
  • SKILLS: HR team AI literacy below industry benchmarks
  • GOVERNANCE: Unclear AI decision frameworks and ethical guidelines
  • ADOPTION: Inconsistent willingness to embrace new technologies
  • RESOURCES: Competing priorities limiting AI-specific investment

Opportunities

  • PERSONALIZATION: AI-driven individual career development paths
  • EFFICIENCY: Automate routine HR processes saving 25,000+ hours
  • INSIGHTS: Predictive analytics for workforce planning
  • EXPERIENCE: AI-powered conversational HR service delivery
  • INCLUSION: Algorithmic tools to improve hiring diversity

Threats

  • ETHICS: Potential bias in AI-driven people decisions
  • PRIVACY: Employee concerns about data usage and surveillance
  • DISRUPTION: Rapid technological change outpacing adaptation
  • COMPETITION: Rivals implementing more advanced AI solutions
  • RESISTANCE: Cultural aversion to algorithmic decision-making

Key Priorities

  • UPSKILLING: Comprehensive AI literacy program for HR team
  • FOUNDATION: Establish ethical AI governance framework
  • AUTOMATION: Implement AI solutions for highest-impact processes
  • ANALYTICS: Deploy predictive workforce analytics capabilities