Seven Ways That Henkel North America Recruits, Develops, and Engages Talent

At Henkel, our purpose as pioneers at heart for the good of generations unites us as we strive to enrich and improve everyday life for our employees, customers, partners, and consumers. Our diverse team of around 8,000 colleagues in North America is empowered to make an impact, craft individual career paths, and collaborate in strong teams to shape a better tomorrow.

We know that our people are the key to our long-standing legacy of innovation, sustainability, and corporate responsibility. To continue building on that legacy, we invest in programs that allow us to find exceptional talent to join our organization and provide resources to current employees designed to make them feel supported, included, and heard so they can act as ambassadors for the organization and excel at Henkel for years to come.

RECRUITING

Some of the ways that Henkel seeks and engages pipelines of future talent include:

1. Career Conferences 
For many years, Henkel has been attending career conferences that attract a diverse and engaged talent pool, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity. In 2023, we sent representatives to the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Convention, WE23 – sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers, the Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Conference, and Forward 2023 – the National Black MBA Association Conference and Expo, among others. Our interactions with a spectacular pool of over 35,000 total conference attendees at our Henkel booths, product demonstrations at an interactive hair-styling bar, and representation on panels and workshops allowed us the opportunity to share more about our dynamic organization and career opportunities in both business units across multiple functions. We were thrilled to conduct over 250 on-site interviews at these conferences and hear from candidates about how their previous experiences and personal identities might make them a great fit for Henkel. 

At Henkel, we believe that seeking out the best candidates in a diverse workforce drives innovation, and allows us to create more successful brands and products while fostering a more incsive and enriching workplace for all of our employees.

2. University Partnerships 
Some of the most promising talent pools for young professionals exist at institutions of higher education across North America, and Henkel’s university partnerships are a foundational method of finding high-potential talent. Annually, Henkel employees connect with students at over 60 universities through in person and virtual recruiting events, networking sessions, coffee chats, employer presentations, site tours, industry days, classroom presentations, and more. We believe that education ensures a future-ready organization and continually work to encourage employees to act as entrepreneurs, bring in fresh ideas, accelerate our digital transformation, and change markets, products, and services. As we value individual and collective commitments to education, we actively seek out opportunities to connect with students while they are deepening their knowledge in a chosen field.

3. Internship Program and PRISM Rotational Program 
For undergrad students, internships are a crucial opportunity to network with working professionals and sharpen technical skills through on-the-job training before entering the workforce full time. Knowing that internships help students to find their passions and bridge the gap between the lifestyle of a student and that of a full-time employee, Henkel takes pride in providing an internship program that helps students pave the way to their future careers. Henkel has hired over 150 interns from across the United States to work in our Consumer Brands and Adhesive Technologies business units and functional areas such as HR and Finance throughout the summer of 2024. Each year, our interns enjoy dedicated programming for early career growth, substantial assignments from their teams, networking, and ongoing feedback discussions with managers to fuel a summer full of growth and accomplishments. 

Each year since 2011, Henkel has also welcomed around 30 high-potential recent graduates to join the PRISM Leadership Rotational Program, providing associates an opportunity to discover Henkel culture, products, systems, and processes with the goal of deploying them into a wide variety of roles in the Adhesive Technologies organization. As PRISM associates are exposed to different aspects of the business through rotations, trainings, and mentorship programs, they are steadily growing a skillset and knowledge base that will prepare them for success in their next roles at Henkel. The breadth of experiences the program offers has a proven track record of helping attract, develop, and retain high-potential, diverse talent.

4. In-House Recruiting Model 
Henkel has transitioned to an in-house recruiting model with the goal to efficiently attract top diverse talent both internally and externally who will drive business results, while providing the best possible experience for candidates and internal stakeholders. A team of dedicated professionals seek out talent within Henkel and externally who will bolster our competitive edge and represent the diverse consumers, customers, and partners that we serve. Coming from backgrounds in marketing, production, education, customer service, and of course HR and recruiting, this diverse team is built to reflect the unique and enthusiastic spirit of the candidate pool they work with every day. This agile model generates ownership and pride in recruitment efforts and has strong ties to business goals, corporate culture, and DEI initiatives.

DEVELOPING AND ENGAGING

While we embark on the continuous search for talent, we also make significant investment into engaging, recognizing, and rewarding the exceptional workforce at Henkel, with programs that include:

5. Global Total Rewards Program 
Henkel offers a comprehensive Total Rewards package with benefits and programs that allow members of our organization to choose what’s most important for them and their families, while encouraging and rewarding individual performance. We offer competitive pay, 401k with employer matching, an employee share plan, and enhanced health & welfare benefits that include access to reliable and affordable childcare and elder care, and mental health care for employees and their families. Henkel also offers 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for employees, regardless of gender, who welcome a child into their home through birth, adoption, surrogacy, guardianship or fostering – affirming our prioritization of equity in parenting and childcare for all parents.

Global Total Rewards complements Henkel’s organizational emphasis on Smart Work, a framework that aims to shape a future-ready workplace through the promotion of employee health, sustainability, travel, workforce digitalization, and hybrid office and mobile work. This approach demonstrates our commitment to creating a flexible working environment that values the uniqueness of our employees and their diverse needs.

Henkel also encourages and supports the volunteer efforts of employees and retirees through the Make an Impact on Tomorrow (M.I.T.) initiative. Over the past 25 years, the global program has invested over $41 million to support over 17,300 projects in more than 100 countries. Henkel provides financial and in-kind donations as well as paid time off for employees to volunteer for causes they are passionate about such as Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity.

6. Employee Resource Groups 
Fostering a culture that supports emotional connections is indispensable to employee engagement and retention, as people are more motivated to achieve within an organization where they feel supported by peers and leadership along each step of their career journey. Open dialogue and access to educational materials helps employees understand why an inclusive culture is important to the business and helps them define the role they play in helping to create a more equitable workplace and society.

Henkel North America does this by maintaining an environment where all employees can feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to contribute. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)—a network of 9 affinity groups with 20 chapters—are a key enabler. These employee-led groups with over 2,000 members are actively working to help build a spirit of belonging and sense of trust within Henkel and the community. The groups host events, partner with organizations dedicated to supporting underserved communities, and collaborate with each other to advance Henkel’s DEI priorities.

7. Internal Educational Opportunities 
Henkel employees have access to over 8,000 educational modules via our Henkel Learning Hub. The topics range from digital marketing to leadership essentials and conflict management and are digitally catalogued for use at any time. Avid learners also have the opportunity to seek external training, in-person or virtual, conducted by experts outside of Henkel. With a manager’s approval, fees and expenses are covered by the organization and the completion of such trainings will be added to an employee’s training record, reflecting their commitment to further education. These programs provide employees with the tools necessary to excel in their current roles as well as level up their skill base if they are seeking a promotion, international short-term assignment, or transition to a different area of the Henkel business.

We also offer a series of panels, seminars, and virtual coffee chats throughout the year to provide live and interactive opportunities for mentorship and peer-to-peer learning on a variety of topics. For example, a panel discussion about fostering female talent in STEM roles encouraged attendees who are interested in a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, or a related field to connect with their peers and learn from women who have been successful in their endeavors. This is just one of many events in a series of Global Recruiting Talks designed to show support to all of our employees, regardless of the career path they pursue, and provide forums for them to be heard, included, and developed as a professional.