Continuous professional development
In competing internationally, the quality of our global team is just as crucial as the quality of our products. Therefore, ongoing training is available to all employees in the form of seminars, workshops, eLearning and modules for targeted professional development. Each Henkel employee spends an average of about 2 days each year participating in job-related and personal development seminars for the purpose of acquiring skills above and beyond those gained during ongoing training at the workplace.
Training programs for our employees range from leadership seminars to health, safety, environmental and compliance training, international research and development conferences for our product developers to regional workshops on financial reporting in accordance with international standards. Other examples include regular training courses for our sales and distribution staff to deepen their knowledge of the sustainability performance of Henkel’s industrial products.
To disseminate practical experience and theoretical knowledge at the highest level, we have cooperated since the early 1990s with external partners and leading international schools of business. In 1997, we established the Henkel Global Academy for our management employees. The Academy is a special global training offer for the high potentials and high performers in the Henkel group. Diverse participants from all countries and business units can join, and an average of 700 managers attend the programs each year.
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These activities are supplemented by the intranet-based “Click and Learn” portal. It provides learning opportunities online – especially software, language and management courses. This makes it possible for a wide circle of employees to acquire new knowledge individually at the times that suit them best. The use of online learning to prepare for and follow up on classical seminars that require personal attendance is especially effective.
Improving Leadership Skills
Managers with the personality to motivate a team of employees are a key factor in the success of Henkel. We use a range of tools and methods to identify and foster the potential of future managers. The Code of Teamwork and Leadership defines the general framework within which managers should operate and gives them clear guidelines for decision-making.
- To improve leadership quality, we have developed a globally uniform, modular training concept for employees with managerial responsibility. The programs are tailored to the requirements of the different management levels and are offered locally, regionally or centrally, depending on the target group. The People Leadership seminar provides basic knowledge, while the Team Leadership seminar is aimed mainly at improving performance through self and team management.
- For the top managerial level, we have developed a special, globally oriented Strategic Leadership program in cooperation with the Thunderbird Business School in Glendale, Arizona, USA.