Advantis DNA: Empowering a multi-generational workforce towards a more inclusive future

Employees at Advantis DNA launch

Advantis, the transportation and logistics arm of Hayleys PLC, has embarked on a pioneering journey of cultural transformation by introducing the ‘Advantis DNA’.
The employee-led initiative focuses on empowering and amplifying the voice of the company’s multi-generational workforce, enabling them to reshape and transform the organisation in response to the rapidly changing world.

“As a new cohort of young, dynamic and ambitious professionals rise to positions of real responsibility and new generations enter the workforce, we recognised the need for a conscious and structured effort to support their integration into our organisation. Simultaneously, it became evident that we needed to adapt ourselves and our company to align with their aspirations and the rapidly changing nature of work,” said Advantis Group Managing Director Ruwan Waidyaratne. 
He further explained, “The Advantis DNA represents our acknowledgement of the need for change and our commitment towards empowering our people to grow and thrive, driving our organisation to new heights. This evolution is designed to anticipate future cultural shifts over the next decade, document our team’s experiences and suggestions through regular pulse checks and regularly re-examine our culture every three years.”  

The launch of Advantis DNA represents the culmination of a 20-month-long programme of extensive employee consultation – spanning 2,300+ employee voices, 17 cultural surveys and 19 leadership workshops for Advantis teams in Sri Lanka and across the globe. 
Each session was focused on gaining a holistic and accurate understanding of organisational bias for strategic emphasis, leadership preference, employee management, criteria for success and other dominant cultural elements. Accordingly, Advantis hosted further employee consultations to help co-create a blueprint for an organisation-wide cultural transformation, in which all employees would be given the training, encouragement, resources and tools needed to achieve their maximum potential.

“Before embarking on this ambitious programme of cultural transformation, we studied established global benchmarks in the corporate culture, including emerging players in the logistics and construction fields. Moreover, we also looked at global conglomerates that have successfully fostered an inclusive organisational culture where people can thrive and be future-ready,” said Advantis Group Management Committee Member Sagara Peiris. 

He further added, “Drawing from all of these elements, as well as our established strengths, we developed the Advantis Culture Canvas. Each of these elements was then broken down into small and defined actions that would incrementally move the organisational culture to align with the aspirations of our teams.”
In order to introduce the entire team to the company’s revamped values, purpose, philosophy and spirit, Advantis organised an event filled with gamified experience for all employees, creating a series of activities and contests that helped reinforce values and demonstrate how those values can help lead to effective actions across every aspect of the business.

Advantis Managing Director Ruwan Waidyaratne introduces Advantis DNA