In the depths of the COVID-19 crisis, with stores closed and orders canceled, many of the biggest names in fashion were wondering whether their businesses could survive the year.
Fast forward a few months and the future seems brighter. Fashion brands are anticipating a recovery of pent-up demand and long-awaited creativity on the post-pandemic catwalks. Many are even striving to create a more sustainable sector, one that has been reset for a new world.
For these forward-looking brands, now is the time to ensure that the workforce is ready. After meeting the immediate challenges of lockdown — focusing on safety protocols for store staff, pivoting corporate employees to remote working; increasing staff to online channel fulfillment — they are striving to embed the skills, ways of working and workplace organization that underpin a future-ready workforce.
But digital technology and new skills are only part of the story. As much as 64 percent of an individual’s potential relies on their sense of wellbeing in the workplace, and wellbeing is influenced by several factors. For around one in two employees, the ethical, sustainable and moral values that a company holds is vital. For others, the crucial ingredient is that they are seen, listened to and

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