PZ Cussons

The PZ Cussons Experience

While undergoing a major transformation between 2023 and 2026 – for which PZ Cussons won this year’s award for Best change management initiative – the consumer goods business knew bringing the workforce along and “creating a clear, credible experience that supported belonging, development, voice and wellbeing” was going to be critical for success. 

But when analysing employee feedback and external feedback from recruitment partners and sites such as Glassdoor, there was a problem: a gap between how people viewed the company, and how they experienced it. Employee listening data showed strong belief in the organisation’s purpose and brands, but inconsistency in lived experience. 

Furthermore, scores differed by market and function, especially in areas including  belonging, career confidence and willingness to speak up. In particular, women and early-career employees reported lower levels of visibility, access to opportunity and inclusion. “The implications were both commercial and cultural,” the company explained. “Inconsistent experiences were driving attrition, reducing discretionary effort and creating uneven performance across teams.”

In response, the firm set about tackling this gap at a systemic level, building ‘The PZ Cussons Experience’ using a four-stage, insight-led methodology the judges praised for its “consistency, integration and discipline”. The four stages are Decode, Define, Design and Activate, which encompass onboarding, employee resource groups, the EmpowHER women’s network, wellbeing days and a benefits hub to enhance reward visibility and retention, aligning perks with carbon emissions targets. “Together, these interventions creat a consistent, scalable experience that supports both employee outcomes and business performance,” PZ Cussons said. 

Between 2024 and 2026, engagement has increased 10 percentage points from 73 to 83 per cent, with loyalty up to 69 per cent from 52. Meaningful work increased from 83 to 88 per cent, and 100 per cent of mentoring requests were successfully matched. There has been a reduction in ‘regretted attrition’ from 50 to 32 per cent  and 57 per cent of vacancies are filled through internal mobility and promotions. Overall, the organisation returned to revenue and profit growth in its core markets, thanks in part to more engaged employees, clearer development pathways and stronger wellbeing support, strengthening the company’s ability to execute its strategy consistently across markets. 

“A wonderfully structured initiative that was grounded in the real-life experience of the workforce and guided the team to address areas that would have the greatest impact,” the judges said.