Q: In your view, have employees’ expectations of employers changed due to the pandemic and economic crisis?

A: The pandemic has undoubtedly caused employees to rethink the balance between their work and personal lives with the majority expecting a hybrid working environment. Nevertheless, the unintended experiment in remote work destroyed one of the most durable myths about the workforce – that you can’t trust employees to do their work if you can’t see them.

At DHL, we strongly believe that employees need to be productive and healthy wherever they are, and that they are likely to go above and beyond when given the choice of where, when and how much they work, assuming that they’re equipped with the right resources.

As we navigate the complex macroeconomic landscape, employees expect organisations to prioritise the importance of their physical and financial wellbeing. We’ve been able to achieve this by strategising the optimal utilisation of our resources where employee appreciation and respect are at the heart of everything we do.

We launched holistic programmes with a wide range of nonfinancial and financial incentives intended to motivate colleagues’ physical, emotional, financial and social wellbeing, thereby ensuring our people remained safe, connected and supported throughout this challenging period.

Q: Could you outline how your organisation enables the ‘employee experience’ in the workplace?

A: With over 100,000 employees globally, diversity is an essential part of our DNA. We have always ensured that the principle of acting ‘As One’ is instilled in our human resources approach. The ideas, skills, experience and opinions of our employees are our company’s biggest asset.

Embracing these differences is our way of tapping the innovative power of our company whilst encouraging a culture of dialogue, openness and mutual respect. Therefore, showing appreciation and support must take new and creative forms.

Our Employee Opinion surveys enable us to analyse and measure the employee experience against different focus areas. We conduct pulse surveys throughout the year to understand employees’ needs, and how they evolve and change with the times.

Furthermore, our Focus strategy is gear-ed towards becoming the employer, investment and provider of choice for the world, and the key is our Certified International Specialist (CIS) programme. It includes inspiring training and engagement content delivered by the senior leaders to encourage, recognise and reward vital behaviours of our employees.

Moreover, we celebrate Employee Appreciation Week every year to applaud and express gratitude for the tireless work put in by our employees in taking DHL to greater heights.

Q: In what new ways can a positive work culture be fostered?

A: In 2022, we launched our Social and Informational Portal, which provides crucial organisational and functional information, and the capability to connect socially with each other.

Another way to create a positive culture is through community involvement.

At DHL, we have gone one step further and created our own Wheel of Purpose, which includes business sponsored volunteer programmes (GoGreen, GoHelp, Go-Teach and GoTrade) to strengthen our teams whilst sending a message that we are united and committed to the greater good.

Alternatively, our world-class partnerships enhance the profile of our brand as an employer of choice by providing an excellent platform for employees to experience DHL logistics live and be a part of these moments.

For instance, to celebrate our role as the official logistics partner of Coldplay’s 2023 Music of the Spheres World Tour, employees have the chance to win an ultimate ‘Coldplay Weekend,’ which includes a trip to see them in concert, and a meet and greet with the band.

These are indeed some of the new ways we have used to foster a positive culture at DHL.

Q: Could you shed light on how organisations such as yours can pursue the philosophy of creating a ‘great workplace for all’?

A: As a multinational company, we see strength in diversity. Our diversity policies are designed to tackle gender stereotypes, encouraging, enabling and empowering wo-men to excel in roles once dominated by men.

We have implemented numerous programmes locally to support and inspire our female colleagues, ranging from networking events and career programmes to talent pools.

For example, the DHL4HER initiative focusses on promoting and enabling gender equity, whilst supporting our group’s goal to increase the number of women in leader-ship roles in middle and upper management to at least 30 percent by 2025.

In pursuing a culture of a great workplace for all, organisations should keep in mind that culture is not a one-size-fits-all approach. When creating and sustaining a high-performance culture, employees’ unique needs and values should be considered at every stage.

At DHL Express, we have proven this philosophy by keeping employees at the heart of our business. We believe that when you deliver for your people, they deliver for your customers.

Therefore, we constantly motivate, empower and invest in our people, so that they are gratified at work, and remain driven to continuously deliver customer satisfaction and business success.

– Compiled by Yamini Sequeira
Dimithri Perera | Country Manager

 Telephone: 0777 798888  |  Email: dimithri.perera@dhl.com   Website: https://mydhl.express.dhl/content/dhl/lk/en/home.html