Training Initiatives
Sika is as agile as a medium-sized enterprise which allows the company to implement business opportunities quickly. To ensure that this remains the case, employee expertise must be kept in alignment with current trends and market demands. In 2021, Sika spent a total of CHF 8.8 million (2020: CHF 6.4 million) on employee development.
The aim is to provide at least ten hours of training per year for each employee. In 2021, each employee received on average 11.1 hours of training, an increase of 10.7% compared to 2020 due to the further strengthening of digital learning and more in-class training held due to less Covid restrictions in several countries.
Sika’s Learning and Development (L&D) team organizes a broad range of internal and external training programs based on the Group’s Management’s strategic initiatives and works closely with General Managers, Regional HR Managers, Area HR Managers, Country HR Managers, and other key business leaders. Sika focuses on four training pillars: Talent development (leadership); Sales training pillar; Management; Professional skills trainings and academies (procurement, operations, sustainability).
Sika’s performance and talent management system has been the core of management development activities for many years. Designed to identify and develop managers’ skills, it facilitates systematic employee succession planning in the respective organizations, while promoting company growth by continually identifying new talent.
Future managers are developed at various levels, either through continuous training initiated by the respective national organization or provided by the Sika Business School, the Sika Operations and/or Procurement Academies, and external education partners.
Sika Business School
65% of all Sika Business School courses are sales oriented. To promote the development of sales skills within the company, sales and marketing training was expanded to include these new courses: Foundation for Sales, Making the Sale, Pricing for Sales, Coaching Sales Teams, and Key Account Sales. Many training courses on Sika products and their applications have been moved to a virtual or digital learning format. The company’s expertise in advising customers both remotely and in person has been further developed. Each Sika Business School program has its own goals, targets, and specific attendees nominated by local management/HR and regional HR managers.
Sika Sustainability Academy
Sustainability is a strategic pillar, a competitive advantage and a key component of the company’s innovation drive and Growth Strategy 2023. In 2022, after 2 years break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sika Sustainability Academy – a flagship global sustainability education program - took place from October 17 to October 20 in Preston (UK).
Local Sustainability Champions
Local Sustainability Champions support the local management and teams in analyzing and prioritizing focus areas, codeveloping a “More Value – Less Impact” roadmap, initiating and coordinating activities with business relevance and building up a local sustainability committee to engage employees on all levels.