Canada's Top 100 Employers (2026) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 38
42
( 2026 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
Henkel Canada fosters employees’ ideas and initiatives
W
hen Sakina
Alibhai started
working at
Mississauga,
Ont.-based
Henkel Canada three years ago,
she had a yearning to get involved
in project management, which
wasn’t part of her initial role. But
thanks to the company’s openness
to employee input and support for
career development, she was able
to pursue that goal.
“We have regular conversations
with leaders about what we want
to do and where we want to be,”
says Alibhai, a co-pack planner
in Henkel’s hair professional
business unit. “They took notice
of my interest and really fostered
me, giving me projects to work on
and develop the skills I needed.
Right off the bat, they help ensure
you have the tools you need for
success.”
The company supported
Alibhai’s participation in a
project management course at the
University of Toronto, and her job
now includes project management
as well as supply planning and
master data maintenance. “They’re
very open to employees wanting
to learn more about the business,”
she says. “There’s a huge focus on
growth.”
Henkel — a global company
with business units dedicated to
industrial adhesives and consumer
brands including laundry and
hair care products — offers its
employees extensive training
opportunities, both internal and
external.
“We have a learning hub where
employees can access numerous
training programs,” says Ana
Tomic, sales director for Henkel
Canada’s consumer brands unit.
“Some are virtual, some are in
person, some are by nomination
from the leadership team.
Everyone can invest their time to
upskill in different areas.”
Alibhai was also able to take a
two-day finance course. “They had
someone come in and talk about
how the company’s finances work,
what the terms and figures mean,
and how your job impacts those
figures,” she says. “It was super
engaging. It’s an environment
where we’re encouraged to explore
different areas of the business and
learn from leaders at all levels.”
Right off the bat, they
help ensure you have
the tools you need for
success.
— Sakina Alibhai
Co-Pack Planner,
Henkel Consumer Brands,
Hair Professional
Employees at Henkel Canada volunteer together on Community Impact Day.
Tomic also values the company’s
openness to employee input.
“Anyone can book a meeting with
the leadership team and pitch
an idea, even interns,” she says.
“We’ve had interns pitch ideas
that were out of the box but made
sense for the business, and they’ve
been able to put these ideas into
practice.”
Then there’s the popular
Smart Work program, which, in
addition to offering flexible work
schedules, allows employees to do
their job in another country for up
to 30 calendar days each year.
“It’s a game-changer,” says
Tomic. “It helps us balance
career with family life or just
have a chance to experience life
