Philips Canada’s purpose runs deep with employees

Aaron Minocha never expected that the company purpose of his employer, Philips Canada, would one day become personal to him. But it did last year when his mother spent three months recovering in hospital after a serious accident.

“What brought me comfort in such a dark and difficult time was the amazing care that she received from the staff and clinicians and the Philips equipment that supported her recovery,” said Minocha, senior marketing manager, personal health. “She was always surrounded by Philips technology and that put me at ease and gave me a sense of comfort.”

Philips Canada is the Mississauga-based subsidiary of Royal Philips, a health technology company that provides innovative technology and solutions to health-care providers with the purpose of improving 2.5 billion lives per year by 2030.

“At the end of the day, everything I do works towards bettering the lives of Canadians and people all over the world,” Minocha says. “That’s something I can wake up for and get excited about every day.”

Similarly, the company’s purpose motivates Christine Rottar. A registered nurse by training, she provided direct care to patients for more than 10 years before moving into the commercial side of health care. “I’ve seen how innovation can change people’s lives. That’s what drives me and helps inform the work that I do today,” says Rottar, image-guided therapy leader, Canada.

Philips Canada aims to show that same level of care to its employees. Since joining the company in 2019, Minocha has led the oral health care business in Canada. That includes some 100 products, from Sonicare power toothbrushes to professional teeth whitening.

“I absolutely love what I do,” Minocha says. “I get to work on special projects across our personal health business in North America that include planning for our commercial meetings and being part of strategic workstreams within our global business units. Those are the types of experiences that continue to help me fuel my learning and growth within Philips.”

Minocha also sits on the personal health leadership team and takes advantage of opportunities at Philips Canada to help progress in his career. He participated in the company’s continuous improvement training program to learn new skills for effectively tackling the problems he faces or to help his team members.

“We’re really trying to develop a culture where we not only encourage, but empower, our people to help shape the Philips experience,” Rottar says. “Health and well-being are also a top priority for Philips Canada.”

The company offers several time-off programs that allow employees to rest and reboot as well as pursue personal goals. A flexible vacation plan gives all employees access to equal vacation, plus an inclusion and diversity day to observe an important event or cultural celebration. Minocha has used his day off to celebrate Diwali or Pride Month.

“We’re ensuring that everyone can take the time they need to refresh,” Rottar says. “It allows for us to play hard when we’re on the field, and when we’re off the field, we’re able to recharge. We can get that balance in life.”

Minocha also appreciates his employer putting him in the driver’s seat of his career and being able to give back to the community where he lives and works. Recently, he used one of his two paid annual volunteer days to clean up a park in Mississauga.

“I truly believe our teams are making an impact every day,” Rottar says. “We’re focusing on putting people into the heart of everything we do.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Greater Toronto’s Top Employers winners, published December 3, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.