Thursday, 27 June 2013 01:40
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Fashion Bug, one of Sri Lanka’s leading retail clothing stores with over 17 outlets island-wide, had 48 members of their staff graduating recently, having successfully completed the Diploma in Sales and Marketing from the Human Resource Management Institute.
Forty eight employees including Branch Managers, Deputy Managers and Merchandisers graduated in the presence of the Board of Directors and special guests, at a convocation ceremony, organised by the company to further boost the morale of their staff and to recognise their achievement, which was held at the Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies. The Chief Guest on this occasion was Chevron Lubricants Lanka Plc Managing Director Deshamanya Dr. Kishu Gomez, while the Guest of Honour was, Human Resources Management Institute Founder Director Gihan Talgodapitiya. Also present were Human Resources Management Institute Lecturer Wathsala Nanayakkara and Star Garments Ltd. Group Training and Development Manager and Senior Lecturer Human Resources Management Institute Matheesha Mahamalage.
The one-year diploma course was offered to all employees who opted to read for it. The investment by the company in this exercise was over Rs. 2.5 million and was fully sponsored by Fashion Bug. The areas covered in the course included customer care, consumer behaviour, sales strategy, people management, basic management, supplementary knowledge in retail marketing, basic marketing and selling.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest Deshamanya Dr. Kishu Gomez said that the programme was indeed a great accolade for the management of Fashion Bug with knowledge and education being the noblest incentives an employer could offer. He also commended the company on the impeccable grooming and professionalism displayed by their staff.
Guest of Honour, Gihan Talgodapitiya said that the best quality he sought to inculcate amongst the students was none other than humanity.
Fashion Bug Personnel Manager Harsha Buddhadasa said that this course would be part of Fashion Bugs annual HRD programme and would be offered every year to whomever amongst their staff who would like to avail themselves of this offer.
The company annually spend over Rs. 10 million on employee and HR development, as they feel that the staff are the foundation of the company and the reason for its success
“Fashion Bug’s people hail from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities; hence they constitute a truly Sri Lankan corporate entity. An equal opportunity employer, Fashion Bug invests over Rs. 10 million annually for Human Resource Development and seeks to increase the amount dedicated to HRD annually”, said Fashion Bug Manager Human Resource Development Namal Ekanayake. Fashion Bug currently numbers over 1200 Sri Lankan men and women amongst its staff. “We have a high staff retention rate with 10 staff members who have been with us since inception,” said Ekanayake.
Fashion Bug was founded in 1994 in Bandarawela with a seven-member team, the first shop being a mere 500 square feet in Bandarawela town. The brainchild of founders Rizal and Ashan Subian and A.C.M. Thariq, today it has evolved into a household brand that boasts of 17 outlets island-wide. “Fashion Bug’s success lies in the hands of its staff, which is why we believe in investing in them,” said Buddhadasa.
