MAERSK LANKA
Q: What would you say is Maersk Lanka’s value proposition for Sri Lankan job seekers? And how does the company look to keep its workforce engaged?
A: Maersk Lanka is a pioneering logistics company, which aspires to be home to trailblazers, and bring forth a positive change in the sector.
We strive to position ourselves as an organisation ushering in a paradigm shift where employees are motivated to unveil and unfold their true potential. A vacancy at Maersk Lanka is best suited for individuals with a passion to be brave and explore new horizons, cross frontiers and challenge the status quo to achieve excellence.
Our employees have the unobstructed support of the management to innovate in a challenging work environment.
Experience gathered at every turn can be considered an opportunity to learn; it enables people to step out of their comfort zones, and that is an exciting detour on their journey towards character and personal development.
Maersk Lanka is a part of a global team that counts centuries’ worth of experience and established regional offices in 158 countries. The company’s global presence has provided us with the opportunity to establish a unique and diverse workforce.
Our global mindset enables workers to enjoy a sense of belonging and inclusivity, and this is reflected in the way they engage in their particular areas of employment.
Maersk Lanka is an organisation that’s conscious about the impact it leaves on the environment and society. It has a stake in CSR and considers possible avenues to mitigate the carbon footprint left on the ecosystem. We aspire to be recognised as a carbon neutral organisation by 2050.
The legacy of Maersk Lanka is a combination of corporate values and common cultural behaviours, in my opinion.
Q: So what do you consider to be the main components of a ‘great workplace’? And what is the role of senior management in creating such an environment?
A: Organisations should look to invest in creating a safe work environment that is built around the core values of trust and transparency.
Senior management has the critical responsibility of fostering trust among subordinates. Appropriate steps need to be taken to be transparent regarding policy formulation and implementation.
Organisational diversity and inclusivity can be achieved by recruiting employees based on individual merits rather than personal bias, facilitating fair and equal opportunities for career progression.
I believe that an organisation should focus on imposing reasonable challenges that staff should strive to conquer. A challenging workplace motivates employees to remain attentive and engaged with the tasks that have to be completed.
Employees should never be put in a situation where they have no option but to question whether their talent is being underutilised. Decision makers should identify talent and offer exceptional gratification as a way to encourage progress.
An organisation that enables transformation and innovation is on the right path to becoming a thriving commercial business.
Q: In what ways has the pandemic changed workplaces and their cultures, in your assessment?
A: Employee welfare was the primary concern that needed to be addressed.
Maersk Lanka took proactive measures to secure its employees and their families from the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was an unanticipated change, and the workers needed time to process and adapt to the ‘new normal’ landscape.
It was assumed that the pandemic would hamper the organisation’s existing communication channels. However, we soon realised that our ability to communicate virtually is able to derive equally effective results.
Emerging tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams enabled Maersk Lanka to become more structured. This paved the path to maintaining regular connections despite the distance that separates one another.
It’s been a period when organisations have had to seek avenues to ensure business continuity. Customers have been stranded in an alien and troubling environment, and in dire need of flexible solutions. Discovering ways to cater to these needs despite supply chains being at a standstill seemed to be a daunting challenge.
The challenge is intensified due to the fact the employees are forced to work away from their familiar workstations.
Market volatility has accelerated digital disruption as years’ worth of change has taken place in a short time.
Employees should be mentally and emotionally healthy if they are expected to stay in touch with changing dynamics. To this end, organisations should look to drive employee engagement.
Coworkers automatically establish informal connections during their regular work hours. However, the new changes dictate that these connections need to be structurally infused into the way they work from their homes.
Senior management should make provisions to identify entertainment activities that can be enjoyed by the entire team. Regular participation in team building exercises will contribute to the enhancement of staff morale and engagement.
Q: How do innovation and customer satisfaction make for a robust workplace culture?
A: A modern successful business does not depend solely on customer orientation. My interpretation of the new wave would be similar to the definition of the term ‘customer obsession.’
Businesses need to be obsessed with their customers. They need to answer burning questions including ways to anticipate and discover emerging customer needs, utilise technology and innovation to introduce personalised solutions – and avenues to introduce tools they can use to derive ‘wow’ experiences.
Customer satisfaction is not limited to responding to calls and inquiries. Organisations should invest in the capabilities that enable customers to easily avail themselves of available solutions.
An ideal workplace perceives customer obsession as the primary focus, supported by a solid people strategy; it is fortified by innovation and an effective digital strategy, in my opinion.
Q: In what ways can a culture of trust and transparency improve business?
A: The rapid pace of developments in the present business climate does not leave time to build and foster trust with every change in the management hierarchy.
Trust thrives in a safe environment that ensures complete transparency. It is a workplace where employees are given the freedom to voice their thoughts and opinions without any fear of facing repercussions.
