Sanasa Life Insurance ‘A Great Place to Work’: Certified for second consecutive year

Chief Executive Officer Nuwanpriya Gunawaradane

Deputy General Manager HR, Establishment / Strategy & Risk Management and Agency Development Nilantha Gadiyawasam

“From Staff Members to Senior Managers, these men and women from all sections of society come together in a cultural richness in our organisation,” Deputy General Manager HR, Establishment / Strategy & Risk Management and Agency Development Nilantha Gadiyawasam said. "The HR policies in place ensure that people from all these segments have equal opportunity within the organisation. Sanasa is committed to having a gender balanced workforce, as proven by its 56% male to 44% female ratio. Notably, a substantial number of women occupy managerial roles within the company”. This showcases the empowerment of females, highlighting the significant role of women in decision-making leadership roles at Sanasa Life Insurance.

The year 2025 began with a reason to celebrate for Sanasa Life Insurance. Winning the certification as "A Great Place to Work" by the global authority on workplace culture for the second consecutive year.

Commenting on this achievement "This certification demonstrates Sanasa Life Insurance's commitment to maintaining high standards of employee satisfaction and operational excellence,” Sanasa Life Insurance CEO Nuwanpriya Gunawardane said.

Drawing from its past, Sanasa Life Insurance has always set its sights on creating and implementing improvements within the organisation. It is this similar thinking that acts as the cornerstone to incorporate the triple bottomline framework, a business concept that integrates sustainability into business practices based on Profit, People and Planet. Strategies are formulated and developed within Sanasa Life Insurance taking into account the outcomes produced from this triple ‘P’ framework.

The Triple ‘P’ concept

The triple "P" concept, is a globally recognised framework that evaluates organisational performance based on Profit, People, and Planet. It offers an interesting perspective on sustainable business practices. Through the strategic implementation of this triple bottomline approach, organisations can achieve operational efficiencies, cultivate a positive and engaged workforce, and demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Profitability

The organisation ‘Great Place to Work’ places emphasis on an organisation’s enhanced revenue generation ability. Going by the triple bottomline concept, the first ‘P’ stands for profitability. How does profitability help to make Sanasa Life Insurance a best place to work? 

Each year, Great Place to Work conducts an assessment of Sanasa Life Insurance's workplace by sending out an estimated 600 questionnaires to employees, focusing on employee satisfaction, leadership, and the organisation’s ethical and cultural environment. An organisation is considered to be a ‘healthy and happy’ place to work if these factors are at higher levels.

The survey provides input to Great Place to Work to ascertain if the organisation is functioning at optimum levels, thereby enabling better revenue generation through better employee commitment. From this standpoint, critical criteria is obtained to discern if the company/organisation is a great place to work at.  

People

“The second ‘P’ is all about the people within the organisation,” Deputy General Manager Manager HR and Establishment Nilantha Gadiyawasam said. Elaborating further he explained, “This is our greatest asset. At Sanasa Life Insurance, we have blurred the lines of diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging.”

“From Staff Members to Senior Managers, these men and women from all sections of society come together in a cultural richness in our organization,” he added.  Gadiyawasam said: "The HR policies in place ensure that people from all these segments have equal opportunity within the organisation. Sanasa is committed to having a gender balanced workforce, as proven by its 56% male to 44% female ratio. Notably, a substantial number of women occupy managerial roles within the company.”  This showcases the empowerment of females, highlighting the significant role of women in decision-making leadership roles at Sanasa Life Insurance.

Diversity is another crucial area that makes Sanasa Life Insurance a great place to work. The company firmly believes a diverse workplace contributes as a defined asset to the work ethic. Inclusion of people from all religions in the country, any region, and any ethnic group makes up a foundational ethic of Sanasa Life Insurance. “Our employees are proud to serve in an organization as diverse as this,” said CEO Nuwanpriya Gunawardane, referring to the various ethnicities and religions of the Sanasa workforce which is seen as a direct reflection of the country’s diverse population that promises to provide equal opportunity to everyone within.

Planet

Thirdly, but most importantly, the Planet. As an environmentally conscious organisation, 3% of Sanasa Life Insurance’s total midterm premium revenue is allocated annually toward environmental sustainability initiatives. Sanasa Life Insurance places significant importance on creating environmental awareness and conservation practices among its employees.

The company closely monitors waste management, implements recycling strategies, limits paper usage, and supports the country’s efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.

A Great Place to Work: How it all began

The tagline ‘A great place to work’ was initiated as part of Sanasa Life Insurance's branding plan, which aimed to showcase its employee-focused approach. However, to gain official authorisation and use the "Great Place to Work" tagline, the company was required to complete a comprehensive evaluation conducted by the Great Place to Work organisation, which utilises data-driven models to measure and analyse workplace culture.

Achieving this certification was no easy feat. Over 1,000 employees across all the Sanasa Life Insurance branches participated in a digital survey, providing honest feedback on workplace satisfaction. As mentioned above, the survey assessed the happiness index, diversity, provision for the availability of equity, inclusivity, belonging, male-to-female ratio, and female employee safety, amongst other factors. The results were then analysed against the Great Place to Work industry-standard metrics to determine eligibility for certification.

The certification does not stand for an organisation’s lifetime. In fact, it is only valid for the year the survey is carried out and the year of certification for which it is issued.

Commenting on receiving the award for the second consecutive time, the management reflects that it is not only an external recognition for what they have always been. The certification is an acknowledgement to the various initiatives the Sanasa Life Insurance company has undertaken within the organisation to create a healthy and happy workplace.

Commenting on this achievement "This certification demonstrates Sanasa Life Insurance's commitment to maintaining high standards of employee satisfaction and operational excellence,” Sanasa Life Insurance CEO Nuwanpriya Gunawardane said.

 What makes working at Sanasa Life Insurance so great?

Sanasa Life Insurance employee satisfaction can be traced back to the company's various policies and systems, which facilitate efficient and transparent workflows. “We are a policy-driven organisation. There is a policy for every action,” CEO Nuwanpriya Gunawardane said.

Employees place their trust in the company for their promotions, benefits, and professional development opportunities which are based on clear cut, standardized policies. 

Amongst the multiple policies incorporated in the company are the promotion policy, benefits administration policy and life cycle management policy, all of which promote a sense of trust and fairness to the employees. “This employer-employee connection creates a positive synergy of efficiency, inclusivity, and belonging,” Gunawardane emphasised.

Belonging and equity initiatives at Sanasa Life Insurance

All of Sanasa Life Insurance’s workplace initiatives show a distinct characteristic of going beyond the norms to create a conducive working environment for its employees. The company recognises the value of long tenure by providing employees who have served faithfully, with the opportunity to become shareholders. Through the Sanasa Employee Society, eligible staff can collectively acquire company shares. This encourages a stronger sense of belonging.

Sanasa also prioritises systemised methods for climbing the career ladder which requires the employee to have the desired qualifications and experience to enter a position. An effective system that eliminates any form of unfairness and instills common ground for all employees who wish to better themselves. 

Sanasa Life Insurance also understands that not all its employees can finance the necessary education. 

The company has an education scheme that funds Sanasa employees' access to education. Loans up 100% are granted for higher studies, and repayable after course completion. If the employee chooses to study at the Sanasa University, an institution recognised by the UGC specialising in insurance and risk management studies, the cost will be fully borne by the company.

Workplace efficiency is also a mandatory concept that enhances employee satisfaction. Meetings at Sanasa Life Insurance are efficiently conducted by eliminating unnecessarily long meetings. This is done by improving by forming cohesive teams and improving group dynamics. Citing efficiency as a way to create a better and easier working environment, the company is moving towards automated processes and streamlining integrated synergized team strategies. These actions will help to carry out productive decisions resulting in profit maximisation and greater efficiency within the organisation.

Looking Ahead: A workplace of future

The achievement of the "Great Place to Work" certification for two consecutive years undeniably represents yet another significant milestone in Sanasa Life Insurance's steadily expanding collection of organisational accomplishments. Having said this, Sanasa Life Insurance is already gearing up and setting ambitious goals for the years ahead to enhance its workplace culture even further.

One of these goals is to create at least 0.5% of employment opportunities specifically for differently-abled individuals. The management of Sanasa see this as a challenging task, which will require structural changes for better accessibility, and other amenities that help support the differently abled. But it is a worthy challenge, one that the company is proud to be involved with and bring equilibrium to society. 

Another is integrating remote work options into its organisational framework. Working from home was an adjustment the world had to make during the pandemic. Post pandemic, companies were happy to have a workforce back in the office. Sanasa Life Insurance appreciates and views its employees as people with commitments apart from their jobs. Currently some employees are permitted to work from home depending on their work scope and schedule. In the future, the company plans to address this new work ethic even further by offering remote work options for employees requiring flexible hours. 

With a steadfast commitment to produce a healthy workplace, Sanasa Life Insurance continues to redefine what it means to be a great place to work. By building a workplace culture that values its employees as both professionals and individuals, the company is not about just earning certifications, it is setting groundbreaking standards in ethical employee management within the insurance industry. 

CEO Gunawardane in his closing statement states, “As Sanasa Life Insurance moves toward an even more inclusive and forward-thinking future, one thing remains certain: its greatest asset will always be its people and will strive to be ‘A great place to work’ in the future as well”.