Karlijn Hendriks, head of HR at Hunkemöller: “A little friction can be a good thing”

How important are people to Hunkemöller? “A designer will say ‘no product, no sales’; a property specialist ‘no stores, no shop window’; and marketing ‘no customers, no turnover’. Without the right people in the office and in the stores, however, absolutely nothing happens,” says Karlijn Hendriks, CHRO of Hunkemöller. “I firmly believe that people can make or break an organisation.”

Motivations, challenges and lessons

“What I really enjoy is that for the past two years, we have been truly building the new Hunkemöller,” is her response to what makes her job so fascinating. “My personal motivation is to make an impact. If I went to the office every day without a tangible outcome, I would get little satisfaction from it.”

In over ten years with the retailer, several challenges have come and gone. “The Covid-19 period felt like we had run three marathons. In Germany, each state had its own rules. One store would close, another would stay open – it was impossible to keep track.” After the pandemic came the energy crisis and the Suez Canal blockage, which left us with red Valentine's sets in May that nobody wanted anymore. Then came the period when Hunkemöller was not doing so well financially.”

When asked about her most important lesson: “Listen to your customer. In a retail organisation, the customer is key. We may think we are creating something beautiful, but if the customer does not recognise themselves in it, it is not relevant.”

Hunkemöller always positioned itself as an inclusive brand for all women, but the reality proved more challenging. “Customers perceived us as diverse, but not for all ages. That was a real blind spot for us. In hindsight, it was logical that a 45-year-old woman would think: 'nice for my daughter, but not for me', considering our old hot pink corporate identity and sexy marketing.”

This insight was ‘a bit painful, yet positive’ because it became the catalyst for change.

“The brand now has a more mature positioning. Just look at our Instagram feed. More comfort and less sexy,” she points out. This fits within a broader trend in the lingerie world: athleisurewear has replaced the push-up bra and empowerment and self-love have replaced the earlier beauty ideal and the idea of ‘being seductive for someone else’.

The lingerie giant also successfully introduced new products. “The soft cashmere shirts, for example, sold out in no time and the restocks also flew off the shelves,” she says. “It shows that as a 140-year-old company, you can remain relevant as long as you continue to innovate’.

Good internal communication is essential during change, Hendriks emphasises. “What is decided in the boardroom must be translated to the shop floor – in their language and relevant to their work. If you do that well, employees understand the direction and will follow it.” She notices this approach works because of the unity within the organisation. “There is no one who says: 'I'm not on board'. Everyone is on the same page, and you can feel it. I think that speaks to a strong culture and a great foundation.”

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Strategy and people at the centre of the agenda

Looking back briefly, Hendriks mentions a remarkable moment in her career. After living abroad with her family for a year, she decided to return to Hunkemöller three years ago. Brian Grevy (formerly of Adidas and Gant) was appointed at that time, signifying a new direction and new leadership. “I found it exciting because as CHRO and CEO, you work closely together and share a lot of confidential information. It was a matter of waiting to see if there would be a connection, but fortunately, there was one immediately. More importantly, I did not hesitate for long, because for me it was the perfect moment to put People at the centre of the agenda.”

It was time for the latter, says Hendriks. After years of growth – ‘very hands-on, opening store doors and filling racks’ – the need shifted to strategic depth. “People who not only execute but also determine what and why we are going to do something.”

Currently, Hunkemöller is primarily investing in senior expertise. For instance, HR specialists for strategy acceleration are being hired. A compensation and benefits specialist and an employee experience manager who oversees both the human side and the systems behind it, from HR tools to payroll and sick leave reporting. Smiling, she says: “I hope it will be in place by the time this article is published.”

Steps have also been taken to attract retail talent. The company introduced a new employer branding approach in 2024, followed by a revamped job site in early 2025 and the launch of a recruitment tool in January 2026. “Proud is always a bit of a difficult word for me, because it is just my job, but this tool is very innovative,” says the CHRO.

Applicants complete online assessments in the form of games, which measure personality traits predictive of success on the shop floor. Candidates automatically receive a fit score. “It is still too early for firm conclusions, but my expectation is that employees hired through this system will lead to better matches and a stronger inflow of talent.”

The scheduling of job interviews for retail candidates has also been automated. The system schedules them based on calendar availability. “We have seven hundred store managers. That manager presses a button and has a candidate in the store at a suitable time,” Hendriks explains. “That saves a huge amount of time and administration. Not only for them but also for our recruitment team.”

“I think this example clearly shows the phase we have entered. We are investing heavily in systems, people and the brand.”

HR: on generational differences and growth

Now, on to personnel matters. What does Hendriks see on the floor? “When I was an intern, you were the first to arrive and the last to leave. If you remove the emotion from that, you could say it was quite unhealthy. The new generation maintains a healthier work-life balance.”

This can also have a downside. “Satisfaction often comes from things that were difficult: a tight deadline or a project that seemed impossible, but that you fix with colleagues by pulling an all-nighter at the office with pizza. Sometimes a little friction is a good thing. If that friction results in creating something special as a team, it provides exactly the sense of purpose that younger people are looking for. It would be a shame if that were lost,” she warns.

Hendriks also sees that employees today are hesitant about career progression and taking on more responsibility. What is the exact reason? Fear of losing balance or making mistakes? “I cannot quite put my finger on it.”

Her own vision is down-to-earth. “Stand up and go for it. Ultimately, we sell bras. We are not looking for a cure for a serious disease. We make a product that should make people feel good. Building on that is amazing.”

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Tips for others and a look to the future

Does she have any tips for employees and employers?

“My career path was not planned out. When I was twenty-five, I did not think: I will become a CHRO. I have always had ambition, but it also has to come your way.” Life comes in waves. “Sometimes a wave comes and you jump on it; another you consciously let pass because it is not yours.”

She advises employees to be curious and interested above all. “Look into leadership programmes and ask for feedback, even if it is daunting. You cannot say you want to grow but not be open to input from others.”

She advises other retail companies to innovate. “Something that was your baby a few years ago, you must also dare to replace with something new.” If the market changes, move with it. “Look at a company like Hema that has done this very successfully – or at the names that have disappeared from the high street because they were no longer relevant.” According to her, change and innovation also make you an interesting employer.

What does Hendriks hope for the future? “The next two years must show that the chosen course was the right one. I hope we can reap what we have sown and become as successful as we were a few years ago.”

This article is the third in the HR interview series. Loes Bakker of Tally-Ho and Elodie Janse of Omoda and Assem preceded Karlijn Hendriks of Hunkemöller.

Sources:
- Interview with Karlijn Hendriks-Zuelen, CHRO of Hunkemöller, April 1, 2026.
- AI tools were used for transcribing this interview and as a writing aid.