The recent Great Place to Work® event held in Colombo shone a spotlight on the 15 Best Workplaces^TM in manufacturing, of companies that have prioritized employee engagement and trust, leading to optimal outcomes.

Kshanika Ratnayaka, CEO of Great Place to Work® in Sri Lanka, emphasized the importance of strong leadership in businesses and creating a positive workplace culture. She stated prioritizing employee well-being and engagement with top-down proactivity is crucial for organizational success and underlined the importance of research and checks for maintaining high standards and identifying areas for improvement.

Ishan Dantanarayana, Board Director of Brandix Corporate Campus and Executive Vice President of Brandix Inspired Solutions Institute delivered the keynote speech. Emphasizing the importance of staying up-to-date with new management practices and tools and adopting supportive technologies and cultures that are vital for a positive work environment, he highlighted that employee appreciation and prioritizing well-being create a sustainable competitive advantage.

Ruwani Alwishewa Practice Head of Assessment at Great Place to Work® in Sri Lanka provided an overview of the study on employee perception on workplace culture in the manufacturing and production industry and explained the 'Great Place to Work For All' methodology used to select the 15 Best Workplaces^TM. She highlighted strengths, areas for improvement and differentiators. Trust and employee engagement were the focus and the importance of continuously improving standards and adapting to change for sustainable performance. She suggested seeking feedback, collaborating with employees and fostering a culture of 'innovation by all'.

At the panel discussion hosted by Kaneru Godagama, Head of Consulting Services at Great Place to Work® in Sri Lanka, senior leaders from three of the top 15 manufacturing and production workplaces shared their insights on being a sought-after employer. United Tobacco Processing's General Manager, Neil Discombe, emphasized their employee commitment by pausing factory production on Saturday mornings to provide a life education program. Heineken Lanka's Director of Human Resources, Paduma Subasinghe, highlighted the significance of diversity and inclusion, exemplified by their sponsorship of a global LGBTQ "pride parade" and their achievement of 50% female representation in senior leadership.  Dole Lanka's Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Dilkushi Jayaweera, discussed the company's efforts to ease employee burdens during the economic downturn and the importance of making employees feel valued by involving them in the decision-making processes.

The 15 Best Workplaces^TM in the manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka, recognized by Great Place to Work®, included AB Mauri Lanka Pvt Ltd, Amsafe Bridport Pvt Ltd, Aqua Dynamics Pvt Ltd, CBL Global Foods Ltd, Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, Dole Lanka Pvt Ltd, EWIS Colombo Ltd, Expack Corrugated Cartons PLC, Heineken Lanka, Horana Plantation PLC, PGP Glass Ceylon PLC, Roofmart Pvt Ltd, Royal Fernwood Porcelain Ltd, Star Garments Group Pvt Ltd, and United Tobacco Processing Pvt Ltd.

With over 30 years of global experience, Great Place to Work® has been operating in Sri Lanka for 10 years, supporting organizations in measuring workplace culture and building great workplaces that are better for business, better for people and better for the world.

Photo Caption 

Left to right 

Pic 1 - Kshanika Ratnayaka, giving her opening remarks

Pic 2 - Ishan Dantanarayana, delivering the keynote speech at the event.

Pic 3- Ruwani Alwishewa, providing an overview of the study on workplace culture in the manufacturing and production industry.

Pic 4- The Panel Discussion of insights shared on being an employer of choice