Innovation is a widely used term across the professional industry, but what exactly is it?

‘The creation of new ideas or things, forward looking and ahead of current thinking.’

RB takes pride at being at the forefront of innovation, 40% of our net revenue is generated from products launched in the last 3 years. At RB, innovation leads our performance; we encourage bold thinking and creative ideas. However, innovation is much more than just thinking of new product ideas, it is utilised in every role, whether that be formulating solutions in the test labs or exploring new research tools.

A few months ago I was luckily enough to attend a consumer panel, listening and analysing consumers discussing the Strepsils brand. The insights were very interesting and it was very beneficial for me in understanding a consumer mindset. At RB we are always in contact with consumers, we listen, watch and interact with them. Our innovation strives on consumer insight, which in turn creates products that meet their needs and requirements.

As a result we encourage ideas, products and technologies from outside the company. Idea Link is just one effective tool to allow external sources to input. Every day we receive ideas and inventions and it is our job to turn those in to relevant consumer solutions.

So why is RB so innovative?

‘Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower’ – Steve Jobs, Apple CEO.

As a consumer driven company, RB must not only meet the obvious identified needs, but aims to create products that solve problems consumers didn’t know existed. To achieve this RB must innovative above and beyond the current market, looking to the future and setting the pace for others to follow.

RB’s successful innovation isn’t a result of a process or technique within the company, it relies on attitude, RB folk have innovation embedded in to them, utilizing their creativity, passion and energy at every possible moment.

So if you have innovation, talent and drive that needs sharing, check out the latest opportunities suited to you – careers.

When I joined RB in July of last year, I knew this was a company which recognised hard work, dedication and innovative thinking – and could offer an incredible variety of options for career growth. This is why I chose RB, why I wanted to make a career here.

And this week I read something which made me feel incredibly proud to be part of this extraordinary company. Every year a list of the 100 most influential people in the industry is produced by the online magazine, Marketing.

Marketing’s Power 100 is a definitive guide to who calls the shots in the industry; who leads creativity and innovation and who managed to lead their teams through a year of economic uncertainty. And this year, the number one slot is filled by RB’s very own Phil Thomas, the UK marketing director.

But the success doesn’t stop there!

RB is also featured again, with Stefan Gaa – the UK healthcare marketing director who oversees a portfolio of brands including Nurofen and Lemsip. And what makes Stefan’s accolade (he’s at number 23 in the top 100) all the more incredible is that he has only been in the role for a year. He joined the company in 2000 as a brand manager in Germany and made his way up the ranks to the position he is in today.

A truly shining example of how your career really can sky rocket if you want it to and how at RB performance really does equal progression.

If you feel inspired to join our marketing team at RB, why not discover what we do, how we do it and what you will need to be a part of it? And you can also discover a typical career path for our marketers.

If you think about successfully building your career then visibility is one of the most important things. If one’s performance is visible to higher management levels then chances for the next step on your job ladder are high.

One of the best things about RB is that RB employees get ultimate visibility. When I was management trainee, the GM of RB Pakistan and directors of various functions knew not only my name but also they knew what projects I was working on.

The reason is that RB is a lean organization with an almost flat hierarchy. Employees are directly involved in the decision making process, rather than closely supervised by many layers of management. This eliminates bureaucracy in an organization and empowers people.

The top management is closer to the middle management which makes it easier for the upper management to communicate effectively to the lower level management. Flat hierarchy organizations like RB in comparison to tall structures are more effective in terms of innovation and empowerment. That is why RB won The Economist’s Innovation Award in the category of Corporate use of Innovation.

Our view is not limited to our country only, we get visibility on a global level. As management trainees we had training sessions with our regional HR director, SVP Global Corporate Communication & Affairs and our Regional Director. These kinds of sessions teach us to think global and act local; top management shares their views regarding RB global. We get to know the future plans, share best practise and have business updates with other regions.

With great empowerment and visibility comes great responsibility, everyone in RB knows every other person’s performance so one has to put his/her best forward. RB no doubt is a place for people who are achievers and performers.

Do you want to work in an environment where you have visibility to top management already in an early stage in your career? Do you want responsibility and are an achiever and high performer? Than RB might be the right place for you – find out more in the ‘Are we right for you?’ section on our website: www.reckittbenckiser.jobs