Calvin McDonald (Rotman MBA ‘00)
President and CEO, lululemon
IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF COVID-19, we asked ourselves a fundamental question: What is the most important asset that we must protect above all else? It became immediately clear that our overarching priority would be protecting our people and our community. This informed our decision to be among the first major retailers to close stores across all of our markets worldwide, as well as our early commitment to provide pay protection to our employees. The question of whether to furlough people or keep them on our payroll was a critical early test for us: How would shareholders react to this expenditure? How long would the closures last? We had no idea, but we knew only one decision was right for us. As demand through our e-commerce business grew, we set up stores for distribution and brought people back to serve our guests in a new way.
Employee expectations have evolved over the pandemic. The veil of leadership has been lifted: Employees expect leaders to show vulnerability and connect with their people in human and authentic ways. They also expect companies to be proactive and take a public stand on social and civil issues. And importantly, the expectations for what constitutes a ‘place of work’ have evolved. This new wave of working has become a global revolution that will fundamentally change the future of the workplace. Leaders must now figure out how
