Inside Hilti’s Trade Days: How We Bring Learning, Innovation and Community to Life

Written by the Hilti GB/Northern Europe employer brand team – sharing real stories and insights into life, culture and careers at Hilti.

 

If you’ve ever spoken to a Hilti salesperson about Trade Days, one thing becomes clear immediately: these days matter.

They’re energetic, hands‑on, noisy, full of tools, full of learning, and full of people who genuinely care about getting better at what they do.

To give candidates a real understanding of what Trade Days are and why they’re such a core part of our culture, we sat down with marketing leader Simona Kalova. As Head of Trade Management for Hilti Great Britain, Simona leads a team of nine – a mix of category and trade managers who focus on long‑term trade direction and turn it into profitable, scalable market execution. With 16 years’ experience at Hilti within sales and marketing across four countries, she has a unique perspective on why these days work, how they’ve evolved, and how they support the development of our sales force.

 

The purpose of Trade Days

When asked how she describes Trade Days, Simona smiles and calls them: “The culmination of all the work we do.” 

Trade Days bring sales colleagues together in groups, based on the customer trade they specialise in – whether that’s drywallers, electricians, concrete workers, carpenters, or any of the many customer groups Hilti supports. Because these colleagues are spread across the country – from Inverness to Plymouth, they don’t often meet in person.

Trade Days solve that.

Three times a year, across a dedicated week, the Trade team runs five Trade Days, bringing these groups together for a full day to:

• learn about upcoming priorities and focus areas
• see new tools and systems in action
• practise customer conversations
• get hands‑on experience with innovations
• exchange best practices with peers
• and understand how their role connects to the wider strategy

It is, at its core, a Trade Day is a development day – and one built specifically around the daily realities of our sales force.

 

How Trade Days have evolved: From product updates to capability building

Historically, Trade Days were more straightforward: you came in, learned about a few new products, and left with some technical updates.

But over the last several cycles, Simona and her team have transformed the approach.

“We want people to feel both competent and confident – not just informed. That means telling a more comprehensive story across the year.”

Instead of disconnected events throughout the year, Simona and the Trade team now build an annual learning journey. Each Trade Day builds on the last. The content is shaped directly by feedback from the salespeople who experience:

• Which messages landed well last time?
• Which tools or applications are still unclear?
• Where do people need more support?
• What skills do we want to strengthen before the next commercial push?

This creates continuity – and makes every Trade Day more relevant, targeted, and impactful.

 

The energy in the room: What it feels like to attend

It happens that the Trade Days usually fall in the first weeks of the month and sometimes it can be new joiners’ first days at Hilti. Simona jokes that the first impression can be overwhelming:

“A room full of red shirts, loud laughter, people hugging… it can be intimidating at 8am!”

But that energy is a sign of something important: community.

Because Hilti is built on relationships – with customers and with each other – the atmosphere matters.

For new joiners whose first week at Hilti overlaps with a Trade Day, her message is simple:

• don’t worry – everyone is there to support you
• be curious
• ask questions
• get involved in the practical exercises

The day is deliberately designed to be a safe environment to practise, try, fail, and learn.

It’s about gaining confidence before you’re out in front of customers.

 

The real impact: Why Trade Days boost performance

One of the most rewarding parts for Simona is seeing how people leave at the end of the day:

“There may be some apprehension in the morning – but by the afternoon, people are energised. You can feel the shift.”

It’s a combination of:

• seeing tools in action,
• learning from peers,
• clarifying tough technical questions,
• hearing how others position solutions,
• and receiving practical coaching.

By the end of the day, teams walk away feeling more capable and more equipped – and that shows up in how they support customers the next morning.

 

A memorable moment from recent Trade Days

Reflecting on the past months, Simona recalls how powerful it was to watch the wider storyline resonate with account managers:

“Seeing people truly connect with the direction, seeing their confidence grow – that’s been hugely gratifying.”

Her team pours weeks of work into each Trade Days cycle, and seeing the rooms full of engaged, motivated colleagues makes it worthwhile.

 

Looking ahead: What 2026 will bring

The upcoming Trade Days in April arrive at a key moment.

After two years of a challenging construction market, the outlook is finally improving.

“It’s a natural moment to give the team a boost. Customers are ramping up activity, and we want our account managers to go into this period feeling confident and supported.”

Spring is traditionally the start of the construction season – meaning timing really matters. Trade Days help ensure our teams are ready.

 

Three words that capture it all

After much laughter and self‑imposed pressure to come up with the perfect alliteration, Simona settled on: Energising. Empowering. Eventful.

And it’s hard to imagine more fitting words.

 

Why this might matter to you

For anyone considering a sales career at Hilti, Trade Days are a window into how we develop our people:

• we invest in hands‑on learning
• we create space for community
• we give you tools – literal and metaphorical – to grow
• and we want you to feel confident, supported, and ready

Trade Days aren’t just events. They’re a reflection of how seriously we take capability building, culture, and teamwork.

 

Ready to join us?

If you’re looking for a place where development is hands‑on, community is real, and innovation happens every single day – we’d love to meet you.

At Hilti, you’ll be surrounded by people who want you to succeed, grow, and feel confident in the work you do. To explore our opportunities and start your journey with us, go to our careers website.

And who knows? Your very first week might include your first Trade Day – and we promise, it’s the best possible welcome.