Great Place to Work® Sri Lanka recently convened an insightful event titled ‘Navigating Workplace Trends in the Manufacturing & Production Industry,’ aimed at fostering learning and networking opportunities within the business community. The event also served to recognize the 15 Best Workplaces in the Manufacturing & Production Industry.
During her welcome speech, Kshanika Ratnayaka, Director/CEO of Great Place to Work® Sri Lanka, stressed the importance of Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and production industry and underlined its pivotal role as a cornerstone of national economic output, acknowledging the substantial contributions of the agriculture and plantation sector, specifically the tea industry. Kshanika also noted the presence of 18 diversified manufacturing industries within the sector, which ranks as the second-largest contributor to Sri Lanka’s GDP. This importance led Great Place to Work® to study the workplace culture of this sector for the third consecutive year. Additionally, she celebrated the industry’s human potential, its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), and stressed the importance of workforce engagement and talent retention in sustaining productivity.
Paveena Senanayake, Senior Relationship Manager at Great Place to Work® Sri Lanka, shared important insights from the study on employee perceptions and the methodology for identifying the Best Workplaces™ in Manufacturing and Production, offering valuable guidance on enhancing workplace practices, promoting better employee engagement, productivity, and well-being.
The 10 Best Workplaces™ in Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing and Production industry that were recognized included AB Mauri Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, AmSafe Bridport (Pvt) Ltd, Aqua Dynamics (Pvt) Ltd, Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, Diamond Cutters Ltd, Dole Lanka Pvt Ltd, EWIS Colombo Limited, Expack Corrugated Cartons PLC, Nippon Paint Lanka (Pvt) Limited, Omega Line Ltd, Royal Fernwood Porcelain Ltd, Star Garments Group (Pvt) Ltd, Sunquick Lanka Private Limited, Sunshine Tea (Pvt) Ltd, and Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC.
The events keynote speaker Brahman Balaratnarajah, Deputy Managing Director of Haycarb PLC and Chairman of the Industrial Association of Sri Lanka of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, shed light on the current state and future prospects of Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector.
Balaratnarajah underscored the pivotal role of managers in fostering growth and success, noting the sector’s pride in its contributions to the nation’s economy. He also addressed significant challenges, such as balance of payment crises and tourism sector downturn due to the pandemic. Despite these hurdles, he outlined strategies for progress, emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and technology innovation. Additionally, he stressed the importance of continuous improvement and collaboration for long-term success. His remarks urged industry stakeholders to collaborate for positive change and sustainable development.
The ‘Navigating Workplace Trends in the Manufacturing & Production Industry’ event bringing together industry leaders, experts, and top performers to address critical issues and celebrate excellence within the sector, also brought to the fore the importance for stakeholders to inspire collaboration and collective efforts to ensure a brighter future for the manufacturing and production sector in Sri Lanka.
In this context, Great Place to Work® is dedicated to facilitating organizations within the Manufacturing and Production industry in creating environments where every employee is empowered to reach their fullest potential. This initiative aims to cultivate a vibrant workforce that underpins Sri Lanka’s enduring success in this sector.