The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) will conduct its Employers’ Symposium this year under the theme of ‘Repositioning Sri Lanka-Meeting the Employment Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ in early November. 
This year’s theme is aligned with the changing business paradigms resulting from the technological advancements, particularly in the realms of information and communication. The symposium will highlight the necessity to revisit employment strategies, reskill people and redesign organisations which would enable employers to meet the requirements of the future world of work.
The symposium will draw experts from some of the leading EFC member corporates who will bring under the spotlight topical employment-related issues with the ultimate objective of finding sustainable solutions that would enable employers to incorporate best practices and employment strategies suited for their organisations. The technical sessions and case studies are assured to inspire the private sector to regain its position as the growth engine of the national economy. 
Sunshine Holdings Group Managing Director Vish Govindasamy will be among the guest speakers who would be elucidating on the need for redesigning organisations. Although the need to transform ‘old workplaces’ into ‘new workplaces’ is urgent, in an era where technology has transcended traditional boundaries, such transformation takes time, effort and funding, stated Govindasamy. “While adopting technology, we need to keep in mind the practicality of such changes and balance them, so that productivity is not lost in the transition.” 
Sunshine Holdings Group MD also reminds that technological advancement in social media will positively result in employee engagement, although the negative impact of which cannot be underpinned at the same time. When designing such new enterprise models, client satisfaction should be the cornerstones, observed Govindasamy, who remarks that it is very common for the corporates to “get lost” in adopting change without paying attention to the customer/client needs and satisfaction. 
Shedding light on some of the new enterprise models his organisation has adopted in reengineering the organisation, he said, “Some of our companies are embracing change and introducing new HR models to achieve employee engagement. There are new ERP evaluations and upgrading taking place in almost all our companies.”
The stumbling blocks which hinder the process of redesigning lie within the organisations themselves, observed Govindasamy further, adding that these impediments are largely ‘internal’ than external. “The senior staff in most of the organisations are generally averse to change and react slowly, engaging them in the process is a key part of success,” 
he added. 
Commending the efforts of the EFC in creating a platform for sharing the experience of its member companies in repositioning themselves to cater to the needs of the modern-day world of work, Govindasamy further said that the initiative is also a means of disseminating knowledge through healthy dialogue among diverse organisations which the EFC always strives to champion.