Why Cornerstone

The Walgreens HR team reviewed several talent management software vendors and selected Cornerstone OnDemand, implementing the platform’s Performance Cloud, Learning Cloud, and Succession module in 2009. Prior to Cornerstone, Walgreens did not have a uniform leadership or learning model across the organization. “With Cornerstone, we can now create a consistent message, from executives to team members, about what it means to be a leader and work at Walgreens,” said Lindley.

The Results

Through Cornerstone, the HR team created Walgreens University, which has both a physical location—classrooms, a mock drugstore, and videoconferencing capabilities located in Deerfield, Illinois—and an online learning environment. Based on Cornerstone’s Learning Cloud, Walgreens University’s virtual environment provides employees with expansive just-in-time training and development opportunities. “Walgreens University was inspired by all the business transformation we were going through. We’re building a global platform. We’re elevating community pharmacists. That requires new skills and abilities across the organization,” said Lindley.

Walgreens’ executives rolled out Cornerstone’s Performance Cloud in stages, using year one to teach managers how to create custom performance reviews and 360-degree reviews, identify competency and skill gaps, and perform compensation modeling. “With the Performance Cloud, we now have a performance management process that is continual as opposed to once or twice a year,” said Reilly. “This gives us the opportunity to be more flexible in making changes and being more effective in real time, rather than waiting for a yearly analysis to see where we need to make changes.”

Prior to Cornerstone, Walgreens’ succession planning was incomplete. With the platform’s succession management capabilities, leaders created a comprehensive succession management plan. “We’ve been able to identify our core needs, possible skill and people gaps, and various scenarios that will affect our growth and future strategies,” said Reilly. Cornerstone technology has been a key component in Walgreens’ change management strategy, including transforming behaviors, minimizing risk and achieving compliance, accelerating speed to value, and sustaining business solutions over time. “Our company is moving very fast. As we move from store growth to going global, the talent piece is critical for ensuring our growth is sustainable,” said Daniela Hautzinger, director of change management. “With Cornerstone, we’re able to promote more datadriven—and informed—behaviors. We’re both helping employees have a voice in their career paths and creating a more formal, consistent method of moving our talent initiatives forward.”