Sana Raja realized she was pregnant soon after starting her job at Panasonic Canada Inc. She was excited to begin her journey as a first-time mom, and pleasantly surprised by the culture of support at Panasonic, which included a 17-week maternity leave top-up pay program.
“The top-up helped tremendously,” says Raja. “And when I came back to work, my manager offered me a new position as senior e-commerce specialist, which was a nice surprise. People talk about how hard it is to return after mat leave and pick up where you left off, so it makes me happy that my career goals are supported even though I was gone for a year.
“They were so understanding and helpful as I dealt with coming back as a new mom,” she says. “There are a lot of parents on the team, and everyone provided advice and suggestions. It was a good transition.”
For her part, digital designer Sandra Purkovic is grateful for Panasonic’s flexible-hours policy, which helped her manage her child’s schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m a single mom, and my daughter had difficulties with online school,” she says. “I really had to stick with her and monitor her work. So, I would do my own work in the evenings. My boss was amazing – he allowed me to create my own schedule if I met the deadlines.
“It was tough, but everybody was so supportive. It’s like a big family.”
These policies, along with an innovative leadership development program, are part of the reason why more than 50 per cent of Panasonic Canada’s executive team are women, says Deborah Scott, vice-president of human resources and facilities.
“Women are essential to have on the leadership team, because we bring a different voice, perspective and skills to the table – and that’s necessary for companies to excel,” she explains. “It’s about having an environment where women feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. I’ve never been shy about the fact that I have a family, and I don’t want to have to park my life at the door. Having the employer realize that and make sure women feel supported is crucial.”
In addition, as VP of facilities, Scott has led initiatives to keep employees safe post-pandemic, including providing options to work at home or in a hybrid model when all the employees are welcomed back to the office environment.
“We also fitted the building with things we thought would make our employees feel comfortable,” she says. “We retrofitted our open workstations with Plexiglas over-panels, put directional arrows on the floors and provided masks and key fobs so they can press elevator buttons without using their fingers. We’re ready!”
Purkovic further appreciates the company’s support for employee participation in charitable events, and for her own efforts to engage her colleagues in creative projects like COVID journals and crochet groups and establish a quiet room for meditation in the office.
“It’s a huge company, but the executives are so approachable,” she says. “They listen to you; they reply to your emails and they take your ideas into consideration.”
Despite the business challenges presented by COVID-19, says Scott, the company has relied on its values to keep its workforce intact and thriving.
“Our founding values are still relevant,” she says. “Contribution to Society. Adaptability. Courtesy and Humility. Untiring Effort for Improvement. Cooperation and Team Spirit. Fairness and Honesty. Gratitude. They’re not clichés, they’re lived every day on a global basis. And I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together.”
