Great Place to Work SL fosters learning, networking

Great Place to Work Sri Lanka recently convened an insightful event titled ‘Navigating Workplace Trends in the Manufacturing and Production Industry’, aimed at fostering learning and networking opportunities within the business community. 

The event also served to recognise the 15 Best Workplaces in the manufacturing and production industry.
During her welcome speech, Great Place to Work Sri Lanka Director/CEO Kshanika Ratnayaka 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. Ratnayaka 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 and stressed the importance of workforce engagement and talent retention in sustaining productivity.

Great Place to Work Sri Lanka Senior Relationship Manager Paveena Senanayake 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 recognised 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 event’s 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, emphasising 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.