Johnson & Johnson is Top Employer

Johnson & Johnson has done it twice already in Switzerland, and now it is official: The company has been certified as Top Employer for the third time. In addition to Austria, South Africa, Spain, Greece, and Turkey, the national subsidiaries in Switzerland are among those that chose to be screened by the globally acting “Top Employers Institute”, which evaluates the fulfillment of exceptional job conditions and certifies the company in the event that it qualifies. Loes Bresseleers, Head HR Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland, is justifiably proud to have achieved another outstanding result and comments: “It shows that we are on the right track with our HR strategies, policies and practices. I am even more proud that we have learned from past results and that we have improved year after year.”
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“The Top Employer certification shows that we are on the right track with our HR strategy.”

Loes Bresseleers Head HR Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland

This distinction has to be earned‍

But what does a Top Employer certification mean? Why does Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland agree to face such a complex audit process? Ultimately, this distinction has to be earned. The experts of the “Top Employers Institute” evaluate 20 topics in six business segments, including talent strategy, the quality of onboarding, leadership development, but also the work environment, the wellbeing at work, and issues concerning ethics and integrity. Every company that accepts this challenge is required to answer 400 questions and document its HR processes based on strategy papers. Once everything is submitted, the “Top Employers Institute” will conduct a direct hearing and the responsible members of the HR Team must agree to an audit and answer critical questions.
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The experts of the “Top Employers Institute” examine 20 topics in six business segments.

Interview with
‍Loes Bresseleers
Head HR Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland

“The report of the Top Employers Institute allows us to compare ourselves to the global benchmarks and provides valuable input for further improvement potential.”

Petra Heimann HR Leader MD Commercial Switzerland

For the third time, Petra Heimann, HR Leader MD Commercial Switzerland, has closely supported the process in Switzerland for more than a year. She says that it is “an extensive process where hundreds of questions have to be answered”. The Top Employers Institute weighs the answers based on globally applicable reference values. According to Loes Bresseleers, the goal is “to determine if we are able to offer our employees the best possible work environment”. She adds that as a result, the company is pursuing an ongoing improvement process to adapt to social changes and keep the company’s values current. “The report of the Top Employers Institute allows us to compare ourselves to the global benchmarks and provides valuable input for further improvement potential”, says Petra Heimann.

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5,200 hours

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are volunteered per year by Johnson & Johnson employees

USD 1.6 billion

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contributions for charitable purposes

External view of daily practices

Johnson & Johnson, according to Loes Bresseleers, strives to offer a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive environment. “We want to promote and advance careers.” To achieve these objectives, the teams have to be equipped with the appropriate tools. This is accomplished by intensive and recurrent training, courses and programs. For the HR executive, the certification process is “an important external view of our daily practices”.
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It is also important that the work is meaningful and that the job matches one’s own personal values.

Before the turn of the millennium, employees may have been satisfied with average working conditions. Recent studies from business consultants, such as Deloitte, Randstad and Universum indicate that this is no longer sufficient to hold on to the best employees. Scientific papers prove that competent leadership is very important to employees and that the responsibilities must be clearly defined. It is also important that the work is meaningful and that the job matches one’s own personal values. Social acceptance counts just as much as a diverse environment and an intact work-life balance.

Established in 1886 in the USA

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with 14 employees

4,400

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directly employed staff and contractors in Switzerland

41,400 jobs

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are supported jobs by Johnson & Johnson in the Swiss economy

130,000 jobs

offered by Johnson & Johnson worldwide

60 countries

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with J&J sites

265

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production plants worldwide

Meaningful work is important

The Head of HR, Loes Bresseleers, additionally noted that employees want to be proud of their employer: “Particularly during the uncertainties of the pandemic, we found that the values that are outlined in our "Credo" provide guidance.” Or in other words: employees looking for a meaningful job today expect more from their employer than a competitive salary and a standard pension fund.

Health and Wellbeing

Health, and this includes the employees, of course, is a key topic at Johnson & Johnson. All companies offer a wide variety of programs to support the staff in achieving a good life-work balance, whether this is related to nutrition, sports activities or support during emotionally stressful times.

Gillian Gil Operational Lead Switzerland Johnson & Johnson Global Health Services

For Johnson & Johnson, the Credo, or the company’s promise, is much like a moral compass. It was authored in 1943 by Robert Wood Johnson, former Chairman and a member of the founding family. Since then it has been repeatedly refined and updated to reflect the latest social developments. “This Credo is always present in our day-to-day work,” says Loes Bresseleers, Head of Human Resources at Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland. Values, such as responsibility to others, the environment, and consideration, respect and fairness are ingrained in the company’s DNA. Johnson & Johnson has always enforced and practiced diversity and gender equality among its employees and it also takes its responsibility to society seriously. This is not merely lip service. It is demonstrated by social commitments outside the company as well as internal activities relating to diversity and inclusion, sustainability, the health and wellbeing of the staff, and questions of equality and professional support. All of this is embedded in the corporate culture.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

The goal of Johnson & Johnson is to promote diversity: All of the company’s employees should feel comfortable and be able to grow without prejudice, regardless of where they come from, what color their skin is, or what their religion or sexual orientation is.

François Ekane Financial Analyst und Lead Network EMEA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

This is how a work environment was created that is mindful of all those involved and that requires respectful social interaction – and the work continues to evolve to further improve all of these issues. For example, François Ekane’s main profession is Senior Financial Analyst, but he also acts as Lead Network EMEA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion for the Middle East. François works toward the acceptance without prejudice of skin color, gender and social background and that “each individual and their qualities is a priority”. This is why Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland is a supporter of the Pride Parade and also backs the LGBTQ+ community and others.

Returning to work after maternity leave

Re-Ignite

Pregnancies and child care can stop the flow of a professional career. The Re-Ignite program of Johnson & Johnson provides employees with the opportunity to reintegrate into the work life after a break, even of several years.

Zoe Lawson Senior Scientist Large Drug Molecule Platform Global Technical Operations Janssen/Johnson & Johnson

Gender equality has been a major topic for a long time. Programs have been launched, such as “Re-Ignite”, to help employees who wish to return to work after maternity leave. In 2021, Johnson & Johnson received the “Career Empowerment Award” from the University of St. Gallen for its program “Woman back to Business”.

Obviously, such engagements also have a positive effect on the results of the Top Employer certification. As an example, in the segment “Connecting Elements” Johnson & Johnson fulfills 95 percent of the standards the institute has specified. “The inclusion of all individuals in our activities, regardless of religion, skin color or social background, is a priority for us,” says Emelie Dorlin, Senior Manager Community Impact of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Switzerland. The Business Management graduate initially joined the company as a Global Marketing Specialist, but she was so fascinated by J&J’s social engagement that she chose to contribute her skills to this endeavor.

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“The inclusion of all individuals in our activities, regardless of religion, skin color and social background, is a priority for us.”

Emelie Dorlin Senior Manager Community Impact, Johnson & Johnson Zug

“My goal is to help our children to live in a world without prejudice.”

François Ekane Financial Analyst and Lead Network EMEA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

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Values, such as responsibility to others, the environment, and consideration, respect and fairness are ingrained in the company’s DNA.

Field work for a good cause

Community Impact

In Switzerland, Johnson & Johnson invests in partnerships with charitable institutions, including the Red Cross, the Zuwebe Foundation and the Special Olympics. The company encourages and supports the employees’ voluntary participation in a social engagement project.

Emelie Dorlin Senior Manager Community Impact, Johnson & Johnson Zug

Emelie Dorlin is currently responsible for Johnson & Johnson’s collaboration with charitable organizations, such as the Zuwebe Foundation (assisting people with disabilities), the Swiss Red Cross, the WWF, and the Special Olympics. In September of every year, during the annual Community Week, all Johnson & Johnson employees also have the opportunity to personally and actively support external charitable organizations. They can choose to lend a hand to the athletes in the Special Olympics, do field work for Zuwebe, or spend a day helping out in a retirement home. This promotes solidarity, expands the horizon and creates a positive feeling of belonging. The goal is to establish a culture that benefits all, because diversity also means a broader knowledge base for the company and a booster for innovative strength. Johnson & Johnson’s Executive Chairman Alex Gorsky puts it in a nutshell: “Our employees reflect the world’s full diversity of individuals, opinions and approaches.”

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Diversity also means a broader knowledge base for the company and a booster for innovative strength.

Sustainability

In terms of sustainability, Johnson & Johnson has set goals for the coming years. At all sites and in every country around the world, employees from the “We sustain” groups are working together to push this agenda forward.

Frank Plessers Principal Project Engineer at Johnson & Johnson / CEO at futureproof

J&J is also innovative in terms of sustainability and climate protection. By 2025, the company intends to obtain approximately 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. By 2030, it plans to be carbon neutral and reduce emissions by 20 percent. One who advocates the transition to a sustainable future within the company is Frank Plessers, Lead Sustainability at Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Schaffhausen. He is in charge of the local “We sustain” team, a global network where employees of Johnson & Johnson work together to implement best sustainability practices in the entire company and heighten the coworkers’ awareness of this necessity.

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By 2025

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all electricity used in worldwide operations will be generated from renewable energy sources.

By 2030

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all Johnson & Jonson operations will have become climate neutral.

The Credo as a comprehensive foundation

“This Credo is always present in our day-to-day work.”

Loes Bresseleers Head HR Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland

For Petra Heimann, HR Leader MD Commercial Switzerland, it is clear that the Credo is firmly “embedded in the mindset of the employees”. Worldwide, Johnson & Johnson employs a staff of more than 130,000, “and they all feel that they are part of the big picture in a corporation that accepts responsibility,” says HR Lead Loes Bresseleers. The Credo of Johnson & Johnson is the foundation for this.

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Johnson & Johnson Credo

Johnson & Johnson is a Top Employer

How Johnson & Johnson obtained a certificate in Switzerland

«We are Johnson & Johnson»

The commitment of the staff

Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland