Widya Sebastiana’s influential role has taken her knowledge of quality assurance to new levels and honed the analytical skills she previously developed as a pharmacist. Responsible for Dettol and Harpic, Widya and her team are ensuring the safest and highest quality products are delivered to millions of people. “It’s about putting the customer at the heart of everything,” she explains. “We’re focused on creating effective, proven brands that make people happy. It’s essential to our purpose and fight.”
Widya work spans different departments and activities from production to engineering to technical. “The variety of things to consider and people to work with can be challenging. But it’s rewarding to remove barriers and collaborate. This way you’re learning from people who open your eyes to alternative ideas and different viewpoints.”
Widya’s freedom to work with other teams and functions at a fast pace has proven vitally important in recent times. “At the earliest stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, our factory in China had to temporarily close. But demand for antiseptic liquids were huge. We had to step up quickly from Indonesia to keep the production line moving, and this included creating and rolling-out a new product line for Dettol.”
It’s clear how much quality means to Widya. “It’s core to everything Reckitt does,” she says. “We always put quality first”, she explains “and we make sure everybody knows about it.” Every year, her team has a Quality Day to raise awareness. “Everyone gets involved. This year we hosted a quiz and posted lots on our Instagram feed. It’s about promoting how important our work is – and showing we can have some fun on the way.”
For Widya, having the Freedom to Succeed helps her focus on her ambitions and still balance her life at home.
I can live out my ideals and better understand my purpose. You need something to work towards, to measure your personal goals against.
Right now, Widya’s looking forward to taking her role even further. “I’m working with my manager to take on more responsibility. It’s my chance to influence and shape other peoples’ development too, and encourage them to follow their own career paths.”
Widya loves spending quality time with her family, and at Reckitt she’s found the support and balance she needs to do this. “I love cooking food and sharing food at home with the people I love. It boosts my energy, so quality of life at home turns into achieving quality at work.”
