Employees feel valued and safe at Philips Canada

Philips Canada encourages its employees to always bring their true and authentic selves to work. Even if that means, as it did for Jean-Francois Alleno, taking time off.

Alleno, a clinical specialist manager who has been with the health technology company for 16 years, took a year-long leave of absence in 2019. He had put pressure on himself to act in a way that seemed more “corporate” to fit the manager role. Eventually, he says, that pressure took a toll and he felt exhausted.

A yoga and meditation teacher, Alleno spent his year off participating in workshops and retreats and developing skills that were important to him. When he returned to Philips in November 2020, Alleno felt he could bring his true self into his role.

“The company allowed me to do that and gave me that time in order to develop myself,” Alleno says. “That time in my life has changed the way I work with my colleagues and the way I manage my team.”

Part of this change has included holding meditation and yoga sessions for his colleagues. Alleno hosts these sessions as the chair of the Philips Canada Culture Committee and co-chair of its wellness pillar. The committee provides employees the opportunity to shape the Philips work culture and connect the day-to-day work experiences. This is done through the committee’s three pillars – fun, wellness and diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Every workplace has pressure and employees have goals they need to achieve. People need time to relax and to have fun,” Alleno says. “I think it's important for the company to hold a space for people to be themselves.

“A big company initiative over the last few years has been, ‘Life is better when you are you.’ They want you to bring your whole self to work because that makes a huge difference in your performance and the relationships you can have with your colleagues.”

Darran Fischer, managing director, says Philips values the different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences each employee contributes. “We value those differences because they make us stronger as an organization. We also understand that it is not only important to acknowledge each other’s differences but to show our employees that we embrace them,” he says.

Philips recently hosted a panel discussion in honour of National Coming Out Day, where participating employees shared their stories. “It was amazing to see the overwhelming support these individuals received from their colleagues," says Fischer. “Every comment was in support of those individuals sharing who they truly are and encouraging them to be proud. I am grateful to be part of a company that proactively creates safe spaces for its team members and celebrates employees’ differences.”

The company also created a Women’s Leadership Group, which works to build a community of confident women who can develop themselves professionally through mentorship, networking, developing leadership capabilities and giving back to the community.

“It is employee development and learning programs like these that truly help our employees succeed,” says Fischer. “However, beyond those programs, it is the ongoing support, empowerment and encouragement they receive from their leaders and their peers that help them feel their best at work. Those are also the same principles that allow them to feel it’s safe to share when they don’t feel their best.”

Alleno appreciates working for a company that values its employees for more than their work skills. “They value you for being a human,” he says. “They value the skills you are going to bring to the company but, they also value you for who you are. That really resonates with me and my colleagues.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Greater Toronto’s Top Employers winners, published December 9, 2022 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.