Exchange of experiences among fathers: Henkel employees came together to discuss their experiences with parental leave. Some of them also used part time working models to reconcile both: professional success and a happy family life with children. (This link refers to the Henkel intranet and is only accessable for Henkel employees).
Archive for the ‘Best Practices’ Category
Best Practices
Career and Family – Not only a Women’s Matter
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 by Astrid Bosten
Best Practices, Women in Business
Working Model of the Future
Monday, January 9th, 2012 by Astrid BostenThe younger generation, the GenY’s or so called digital natives, has different expectations and attitudes regarding their careers. This is what companies had and have to learn. They want to work mobile and digitally cross-linked, because they are used to it. They have a look at a good work-life-balance and fathers also want to take an active part in raising their children. In return, women want to pursue in their career.
Best Practices, International Ambassadors
Henkel’s Women Mentoring Program in China
Thursday, December 8th, 2011 by Monica Sun
Best Practices
Best Practices
The German Executive Association, ULA, joines “Diversity Charter”
Friday, November 25th, 2011 by Astrid Bosten
This Tuesday, the German Executive Association, ULA, has joined the initiative “Diversity Charter” (Charta der Vielfalt). With signing the Charter, the association wants to anchor the appreciation of diversity among its members at even greater depth. Minister of State and Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer and Dr. Wolfgang Bruckmann, president of ULA emphasized during the signing ceremony the importance to take advantage of the diversity potential in the German labor market.
The German Executive Association ULA is the political voice of all managers in Germany. It represents their interests in labor, fiscal, social and educational policy towards the government and parliament, both in Berlin and in Brussels.
Böhmer welcomed the joining of the Association. For her it is a signal to the equality of the sexes in professional life: “Forward-thinking companies recognize that diversity management contributes significantly to the company’s success. It has been scientifically proven that mixed teams achieve better results. This is a challenge for managers. In response to this, it is very gratifying that the German Leadership Association with its accession to the Diversity Charter declares its commitment to promoting diversity in leadership positions”.
The German “Diversity Charter” is one of the largest networks of companies and institutions in Germany. The initiative, under the patronage of Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, is committed to the appreciation of diversity and inclusion in the corporate culture. To date, over 1,100 companies and institutions with more than 5.5 million employees in Germany signed the Charter. Henkel is one of the founding partners of the Public Private Partnership structure that ensures the continuation of this company’s initiative.
Additionally, Henkel France just recently has signed the French Diversity Charter. Thus, Henkel has signed the German, French and also Spanish Charter version until today.
Best Practices
The Modern Epidemic
Thursday, November 24th, 2011 by Astrid BostenYou might think people have never felt better than today. They live longer and stay healthier while aging. The latest study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), however, shows a totally different picture. Thus, almost every third German is suffering from a mental disorder within one year. And: ten years ago, half as many antidepressant drugs were consumed. Additionally patients seem to be getting younger. Every second German, who has to face for the first time the diagnostic of being depressive, is under the age of 32.
Best Practices
Success Factor Diversity
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 by Astrid BostenThe discussion about diversity currently continues to gain importance. On Monday, October 14, for the first time the “German Diversity Award” was handed over by the founding partners Henkel, McKinsey and WirtschaftsWoche to outstanding performers in the field of applied diversity.
Best Practices
Mixed-age Teams and Generational Change – New Opportunities through Diversity Management
Friday, November 11th, 2011 by Astrid BostenIn 2010 the Diversity Professional Network “Synergies through Diversity” started its initiative. Henkel was amongst the first members of this professional network.
The network provides companies and organizations a platform for the topic diversity and practical support for the implementation of diversity management. The regularly synergy workshops are organized in cooperation with different companies and aim to share as well as exchange new developments in the diversity field and to provide a framework for knowledge and experiences.
Now, on October 12 and 13, 2011, the ninth synergy workshop took place in Stuttgart hosted by the EnBW AG. The topic: “Mixed-age Teams and Generational Change – New Opportunities through Diversity Management”.
Dr. Petra Köppel, founder of the network “Synergie durch Vielfalt” and Dr. Bernhard Beck, board member of the EnBW AG, welcomed the attendees to discuss the challenges of mixed-age teams and generational change in business. In the subsequent panel discussion, Dr. Bernhard Beck, Professor Sven Voelpel of the Jacobs University Bremen, and Detlef Hollmann of the Bertelsmann Foundation shared their views on “The Obsession with Youth versus Seniority”.
The next day, Dr. Petra Köppel addressed in her speech “Diversity, Generations and Leadership” the issue that organizations not only have to face the shortage of skilled workers but also difficulties between generations that are becoming more noticeable. Those occurring problems are still rather ignored than discussed. But facing the demographic change it is time for change otherwise companies will fall into the cost trap.
As the Demography Report 2011 of the European Commission highlights the age structure in the EU is becoming older. This development is based on increasing life expectancy as well as low fertility level in the past decades in European countries. The results let foresee a continuity of the ageing process in the future. In January 2010, the median age of the European population was 40.9 years. Over the next 50 years the median of population age will reach 47.9 and the proportion of over 65 years old people will increase from 17.4% to 30%.
To address these demographic trends, Henkel has teamed up with the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen in an early stage of this discussion. Together, we have developed the so called “Demography Radar,” with which we are able to simulate the age structure of our global workforce, under certain conditions. Based on this information we can take early personnel policies in order to better meet the challenges of demographic developments.
For example, it is increasingly important that young people benefit from the experience and knowledge of older employees. Therefore, we have established different mentoring schemes that focus on cross generational exchange and additional knowledge transfer systems. These systems ensure that skilled knowledge remain in the company. In addition, we offer our employees comprehensive models for health maintenance. These offers include health check-ups, a healthy lifestyle consultancy and support in the transition from active professional life in retirement.
Best Practices, Women in Business
Overcoming the Gender Gap by being an “Ideal Worker”?
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 by Astrid BostenWhat picture do you have in mind when you think about the “ideal worker”? Is he or she ambitious, passionate and hardworking? And is it a man or a woman? And what do you think are their secrets of success?
But the study clearly showed that there is no one-solution-fits-all approach that women can adopt to advance their career. Among the studied high potentials the Catalyst could observe that even if women are using the same career advancement strategies as their male counterparts, the gender gap between them and their male colleagues is still emerging.
However, there are particular actions that pay off more than others as the study could proof. Greater career satisfaction as well as greater compensation growth was identified if women proactively made their achievements visible. Furthermore, among the 3,345 high potentials an opposed result concerning the influence of leaving the organization on the compensation growth could be recorded. While male “leavers” have a higher compensation than those men staying with their first employee, for women it is more beneficial to stay where they have already proven what their work is worth.
One newsworthy best practice for this result is Virginia Rometty. She recently was named the next chief executive of IBM. In this ear of frequent job-hopping and layoffs, Rometty stayed up 30 years at the same company and finally made it to the top. She is the first woman to hold that job in the company’s 100-year history. As Rometty’s career shows climbing the career ladder within a single company can lead to more success because women can thereby prove themselves and develop sponsors who can help to proceed in their careers.
That loyalty can certainly pay off, Kathrin Menges, the youngest female board member of Henkel also proved. She began her meteoric career in 1999 at Henkel and is another example of how Henkel is developing the next generation of leaders from within the company.
You can read the complete Catalyst study here:
The Myth of the Ideal Worker: Does Doing All The Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?
