How Collaboration and Creativity Is Nurtured Cross-Functionally at On

The primary iteration of world sportswear model On started when former triathlete, Olivier Bernhard, strapped a backyard hose to the underside of his footwear.

Bernhard was experimenting with numerous home goods to discover a sole that may provide higher assist when working. That experiment shaped the idea of On’s trademarked Cloudtec know-how that options in each pair of On sneakers — and led to the expansion of a enterprise valued at $7 billion when it debuted on the New York Inventory Change in 2021. On has offered greater than 17 million merchandise globally by its 2021 valuation. The corporate has greater than 2,000 workers with 26 retail shops and places of work in 8 international locations.

Since Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti based On in 2010, a inventive and revolutionary spirit has remained core to the enterprise, enabling the sneaker model to department into completely different verticals — together with path and street working, climbing and tennis — and lengthen into new classes, with a rising concentrate on attire. Final yr, On employed Belgian designer Tim Coppens to guide the attire class.

To learn the way On fosters inventive expertise throughout its enterprise, boosted by cross-team collaboration and mentorship, BoF sits down with three of its workers: chief advertising and marketing officer, Alex Griffin; world head of design, Thilo Brunner; and equipment creation lead, Lexi Beeken.

Alex Griffin, Chief Advertising Officer

How would you describe the tradition at On?

Workforce spirit is a key a part of how we work. It’s all about coming collectively to take a seat down and resolve issues creatively. We seek for a unified opinion. It’s an vital side of our tradition — having sufficient completely different opinions and asking the best inquiries to get to that proper reply. That’s the key.

There’s a sure restlessness at On — the ambition degree is excessive and we discover that’s one thing we glance to domesticate within the workforce. We problem ourselves in enthusiastic about how we will discover a completely different path to our rivals. It’s important to discover a completely different manner of doing issues and that distinctive strategy usually cultivates inventive and authentic concepts.

How does On foster workers’ profession and inventive growth?

It’s all about innovation. Each 12 to 14 months, On turns into a distinct firm. The panorama of what you do and the way your workforce operates evolves with the choices that we make as a collective. The scope of the taking part in area that you’re in exponentially modifications inside a high-growth firm. It’s important to settle for that no matter your reply is true now, it may not be the best reply in 12 months’ time.

It’s all about innovation. Each 12 to 14 months, On turns into a distinct firm.

We innovate at such a quick charge as a result of we are attempting issues that haven’t been executed earlier than and giving these missions to individuals which take them out of their consolation zone. There’s a component of shock and the unknown, so we will do one thing completely different.

We have now named On’s headquarters in Zurich “On Labs” as a result of we encourage innovation to occur in all places, in all components of the enterprise. Simply strolling throughout completely different flooring, you see all kinds of various kinds of creativity.

How does the corporate purpose to evolve?

We have now a workforce that’s tasked with taking a model which is well-known throughout the working area and increasing that into new sports activities. So, as we begin to enterprise into extra communities, we will search to outline these communities and perceive the nuance and variations between them.

Hiring individuals from exterior these respective sports activities worlds provides a distinct view, so we attempt to mix collectively individuals which might be ingrained in these communities with individuals which might be asking the questions that wouldn’t usually be requested. We’re one holistic model so we don’t have whole subdivisions per sport — it’s as a substitute about making a sharing tradition. We share learnings and this transcends throughout these completely different teams.

Thilo Brunner, World Head of Design

How would you describe the tradition at On?

Since I began at On, it has felt collaborative — this concept of being inventive, rational and useful about product design. It was by no means about ornament or discovering an aesthetic for the sake of an aesthetic, however constructing upon supplies and performance to succeed in that greater purpose.

It’s very a lot a “can-do” setting with an entrepreneurial spirit — the pondering is agile and impartial. Even after a decade or longer at On, “exploration” is a key phrase that involves thoughts concerning the working setting.

How does On foster workers’ profession and inventive growth?

We wish to construct impartial, agile groups, that are small however highly effective — and so they all spend lots of time collectively. However we additionally need people to have a sure independence. We do rather a lot to make sure we don’t symbolize a totally hierarchical, traditional firm.

The pandemic was check for this strategy as a result of we needed to discover new methods to collaborate and to enhance our teamwork, which is extraordinarily vital right here. The perspective of by no means feeling like it’s a must to put your self on the market by yourself was enhanced by the pandemic, as a result of individuals wanted to speak much more and we had been capable of synchronise all our efforts.

What function does mentorship play at On?

Mentorship goes hand-in-hand with the significance of the tradition we wish to create right here. Tradition must be invested in, which requires time and vitality. Generally it’s additionally about giving individuals confidence. It may be about boosting the skills and confidence of your co-workers, significantly for youthful workers.

Mentorship goes hand-in-hand with the significance of the tradition we wish to create right here.

There may be additionally the ingredient of fostering private progress, which might look completely different for every character. Some individuals work collectively this fashion, different individuals work higher that manner and this will solely be found and fostered by the extra senior, extra skilled individuals investing time and spending time with the junior workers. We have to reply to their wants, skills and qualities.

What excites you concerning the future at On?

The alternatives. Within the very starting, if you find yourself a small firm, you don’t at all times have entry to the most effective suppliers. Now, 13 years because the firm started, individuals wish to work with us as a result of they know that we’re a up to date, quick and forward-moving firm. They ask us, “Why don’t you do that? Why don’t you do this? Why don’t you do this materials?” It’s an thrilling place to be.

Lexi Beeken, Equipment Creation Lead

How would you describe the tradition at On?

There are 5 spirits (optimistic, athlete, workforce, survivor and explorer) – these are the qualities which form us as an organization and outline our working tradition. The explorer spirit actually resonates with me, since it’s all about making errors, studying and being curious.

We’re given the area to take initiative, to take calculated dangers and suppose exterior the field, whereas being open to the truth that some concepts may not work. We’re inspired to strive new issues, with out concern of failure and with out shying away from the learnings that come from these errors.

We even have a suggestions tradition at On, which inspires private progress, higher collaboration and creates a way of belief and respect.

How does On foster workers’ profession and inventive growth?

I joined nearly three years in the past as a contract product developer and supplies specialist. I used to be given the liberty and belief to determine and develop what turned the equipment creation workforce. I used to be given the chance to take all of my previous learnings and experiences to guide this division.

At On, you may specialize in what you might be keen about. So you may say, “my aspiration is that this and I wish to shift my focus right here.” You may construct upon what you might be keen about and concentrate on the areas the place you wish to develop and put your vitality. You’ve gotten the chance to have a seat on the desk, deliver your concepts and be part of that call or brainstorming in the direction of the route we wish to take.

How do you collaborate with different departments?

Our season usually begins with a collaborative workshop with the design and technique groups. This is a chance for the workforce to trade concepts, share new potential instructions, cool product constructions, inspiration that they’ve collected from festivals or suppliers and to spotlight sustainability alternatives.

You may construct upon what you might be keen about and concentrate on the areas the place you wish to develop and put your vitality.

As soon as the gathering briefs are outlined, then our product creation course of begins and that’s once we work carefully with our world companions. We relay that design imaginative and prescient and start making bodily prototypes. Our supplies specialist works carefully with our exterior mills, the sustainability workforce and our design workforce to develop supplies for the season and as soon as we’ve iterated rounds of growth, the merchandise are handed onto the sphere testing workforce. For efficiency gadgets, we additionally companion with the sports activities science workforce who create simulations in our onsite lab.

What function does mentorship play at On?

We have now lots of inside initiatives that are organised by the educational and growth workforce, together with workshops, exterior audio system specializing in vital subjects resembling feminine empowerment within the office, management expertise and the significance of teamwork and there’s a mentor programme as part of that.

For the mentorship programme final yr, you simply needed to apply, stating whether or not you wished to be a mentor or a mentee after which we had been paired up. This yr, they’ve developed the method so that you’re paired with somebody who may also help and information you in a selected space you wish to focus and work on. It’s an effective way to get people in contact with completely different areas of the enterprise and other ways of pondering.

What excites you concerning the future at On?

On a model degree, I’m excited concerning the newly appointed head of ESG (environmental, social and governance), the construction and initiatives she and the workforce are starting to place in place — it’s going to allow us to be taught, observe, analyse and supply much more sustainable and higher decisions for our prospects.

On a workforce degree, I’m excited concerning the new product launches we’re engaged on for 2025 and past. Our Extremely Path Vest launched final month and this was an enormous second for us, it actually begins to put the foundations for an area equipment will develop into.

This can be a sponsored function paid for by On as a part of a BoF partnership.