Endorsed as ‘Great Place to Work,’ Maersk Lanka anointed one of ‘40 Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka’

Maersk Lanka receiving the award for Sri Lanka ‘s Best Workplaces to Work (from left): Nilkamal Perera, Shanmugalingam Thivaharan, Nadeera Abeykoon, Kshanika Ratnayaka (GPTW) and Saman Kekulawala​

Reaffirming its impeccable credentials as a preferred employer for the second consecutive year, Maersk Lanka was recently crowned one of the ‘40 Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka’ for year 2021 by the Great Place to Work Institute.

Maersk Lanka was also certified as a Great Place to Work (GPTW) after a rigorous measurement through analysis of results of the Trust Index survey (a survey sent to all employees to rate on companies culture, work conditions, leaders, etc.) and Culture Audit questionnaire (where the company gives a detailed write up on the policies and practices), which are scored and selected.

Through positive responses in the survey, employees at Maersk Lanka have given the company a resounding endorsement of its human resource policies and how they are empowered to realise their true potential in the workplace.

Winning a GPTW certification and one of ‘40 Great Places to Work in Sri Lanka’ in the new normal is an impressive achievement by any standard since companies have had to move beyond traditional parameters of employee services to adapt to work from home etc.

Commenting on the accolade, Maersk Lanka Managing Director Siddarth Iyer said: “The recognitions from Great Place to Work are all the more special this year as due to the subsequent waves of COVID-19 that impacted staff. Maersk Lanka invested in the latest tech platforms to facilitate employees to work from home while ensuring their safety and wellbeing. Given the circumstances, understanding the perceptions of employees and workplace cultures has never been more paramount. The main focus at Maersk Lanka is our employees and our brand. We believe that if you have a happy employee, you will have a happy customer. We want our office and work environment to be a home away from home.” Going above and beyond in its WFH arrangements, Maersk Lanka ensured staff had ergonomic furniture in their home office for maximum comfort. The company had ensured that there was a doctor on call from Nawaloka Hospital to ensure employees and their families were well looked after. Oxygen cylinders were purchased and kept on standby if needed by employees. Mental wellbeing of staff was also prioritised. Flexible work hours, engagement sessions for families with mini competitions for kids etc., counselling sessions, and informal meetings for employees with the Managing Director drove internal engagement score up to 75% from 50% previously.

Going against the grain in an economy where salaries were being cut and hiring was frozen, Maersk Lanka actually increased salaries and gave bonuses both in 2020 and 2021. The company has a young employee profile including millennials and instead of asking them to adapt to the company, the company is adapting to their expectations and offering them exposure through the network. Diversity and Inclusion is given strong priority to build an inclusive workplace. As the country wavers between adversity and recovery, Maersk Lanka turned its focus more inward – providing leadership and facilitating teams to adapt to the evolving situation.

While taking care of its associates, the company also facilitated customers by allowing them to send electronic documentation, without the need to visit the office amidst lockdowns and travel restrictions. Maersk Lanka set up a SME platform called TWILL for trade bookings to ensure a seamless transition. Maersk is in a transformation phase currently – moving towards multiproduct integration in keeping with world trends. Its vision is aligned to the government’s vision to make Sri Lanka a logistics hub. The Maersk Group owns the world’s largest container shipping line, holding around 20% global market share. It operates over 70 container ports around the world with the vision to “lift global trade”. Maersk Group has had long-term interests in Colombo Port – already earning the distinction of being the largest foreign investor that helped to develop and grow Colombo’s South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) together with Sri Lanka partner, John Keells Holdings (JKH).