Henkel reviews

4.4

90% would recommend to a friend

(5,172 total reviews)
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Carsten Knobel

94% approve of CEO

82% positive business outlook

Henkel has an employee rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on 5,172 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Henkel employee rating is 20% above average for employers within the Produktion industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

5K reviews
1.0
Jun 4, 2026

Broken promises and toxic management overshadow initial training

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The brand looks good on a CV, and the initial onboarding/training process was okay. Some colleagues in the local team are decent people, but the corporate management ruins everything.

Cons

The "Internal Mobility" Trap: When the company decided to downsize our department, management looked us in the eyes and promised: "Don’t worry, this is not a shift of people, it’s just a shift of positions. We will help you relocate internally." It was a complete lie to prevent panic and keep people working until the last day. 4 Months of Rejections: Over the course of four months, I actively applied for various internal vacancies (including Operational Controlling and others matching my background). Result? Immediate, generic rejections for every single application. The internal recruitment system is a joke; they do not care about retaining experienced employees or honor their promises. Toxic Bureaucracy: Management protects their own interests while treating operational specialists as easily replaceable headcount numbers. False Stability: Henkel loves to pitch itself as a stable, family-owned global giant with great values. In reality, their "values" disappear the moment they need to cut costs.

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Henkel Response
1d
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are truly sorry to hear that you felt disappointed by the outcomes during a period of business transformation. At Henkel, we strive to treat all employees with respect, transparency, and fairness, particularly during times when evolving business needs require organizational adjustments and role transitions. To support transparency, employees have access to an internal career path overview, which provides visibility of role requirements across different career levels, from junior roles to people leadership and expert career paths. Each internal application is assessed against the requirements of the specific role, including mandatory criteria, relevant skills, experience, and business needs. This transparent process helps ensure fairness and consistency for all candidates. We understand that such situations can create uncertainty and that individual experiences may differ depending on personal circumstances and the opportunities available at a given time. Internal mobility remains an important part of our talent strategy, and we continuously encourage employees to explore career opportunities across the organization. While we aim to support internal career moves wherever possible, decisions are influenced by a combination of role requirements, business needs, and the overall selection process. We recognize that unsuccessful applications can be frustrating, especially during periods of organizational adjustment. We take comments regarding communication, management practices, and employee experience seriously, as they help us identify areas where we can improve. We appreciate your contributions during your time at Henkel and wish you every success in your future career.
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Glassdoor has 10,026 Henkel reviews submitted anonymously by Henkel employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Henkel is right for you.