"Family as a success factor"

Sylvie Nicol is a member of Henkel's Management Board and responsible for Human Resources and Infrastructure Services. As a regional ambassador for the "Success Factor Family" corporate program of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, she is the contact person for companies in North Rhine-Westphalia on the subject of reconciling work and family life. In this interview, she talks about her role as a regional ambassador and the importance of a family-friendly corporate culture for small and medium-sized companies.

What tasks do you have as a regional ambassador for the "Success Factor Family" corporate program?

As a regional ambassador, I stand up for diversity, tolerance and a family-conscious corporate culture in NRW. These topics are at the top of my agenda and are also an important part of Henkel's corporate strategy. However, I am not only concerned with change at Henkel - these important topics belong on our socio-political agenda in general. That's why I'm involved as a regional ambassador for the corporate program "Success Factor Family". In concrete terms, this means that I am available as a contact person for other companies and organizations, share experiences and develop ideas and projects together with entrepreneurs. In doing so, the exchange with politicians is also important to me.

What measures for a better work-life balance does Henkel offer its employees and to what extent have you personally already benefited from them?

On the one hand, the right "infrastructure" is crucial - flexible working models, company daycare centers, parent networks or support from our social services, for example with questions about caring for relatives, to name just a few examples. But even more important is the right culture. A work and management culture that focuses on diversity and appreciation and in which presence is not confused with performance.

I have also benefited from this family-friendly culture at Henkel. My colleagues and, above all, my superiors have always supported me. Because let's not kid ourselves: Raising children and pursuing an ambitious career at the same time is not easy. You need support for this - not only privately, but also from your employer. Henkel responded flexibly to my family situation. However, I always communicated my ideas and goals clearly. When my children were still small, I certainly also benefited from the fact that in my home country of France it is much more natural to return to work quickly after giving birth than here in Germany. It's a question of culture.

Small and medium-sized companies in particular are facing challenges due to the shortage of skilled workers and young talent. Do you think that good work-life balance solutions will enable these companies to compete better on the market? What advice would you give them?

I firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive corporate culture that allows employees to balance their private and professional lives is becoming increasingly important in order to attract and retain the best talent. Not to mention that a diverse team is also a key factor for business success. Of course, smaller companies do not have the same opportunities - for example, to run their own company daycare centers. But fortunately, a lot is happening here on the government side. Regardless of such facilities, in my opinion, corporate culture is not a question of company size.