Gen Z might groan at the idea of fetching their boss’s flat white. And who can blame them? They’ve entered the workforce in an era where optics matter, and they know that being the person who always grabs the coffee, takes notes, or organizes the lunch (also known as “office housework”) can make you look more junior and hurt progression over time.
But Stephanie Kramer, the CHRO of L’Oréal U.S., says those small tasks are often where opportunity begins—and they played a surprisingly big role in her own career to the corner office at the world’s largest beauty company.
Quest fragrances, where she worked closely with perfumers early in her career
Before joining the Fortune 500 firm, L’Oreal, Kramer’s first job out of university was at Quest fragrances. It was also the first time the value of a simple coffee run stood out.
“I really wanted to have time to get to meet this incredibly cool perfumer,” she recalls to Fortune, adding that she went early to the meeting with the mindset that she simply wanted to support her team. But she soon discovered that “something positive comes out of those little things too.”
