CAPE TOWN: DHL Express was certified as a Top Employer in 12 African markets at the prestigious Top Employer 2016 ceremony in Johannesburg last week. This is the second consecutive year that the company was certified as a Top Employer in Africa by the Top Employers Institute, highlighting the importance that DHL places on employee engagement and development.
Annual international research undertaken by the Top Employers Institute recognizes leading employers around the world that provide outstanding employee conditions, nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of the organization, and strive to continuously optimize employment practices.
DHL Express has been certified as Top Employers in twelve of their local markets including Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda.
Hennie Heymans, Managing Director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), says these certifications reaffirm that the company is on the right track to being an Employer of Choice and a rewarding place to work.
He explains that being an Employer of Choice is one of the Deutsche Post DHL Group’s three bottom lines, and demonstrates how seriously employee engagement and development are to the business. “Our vision is to be The Logistics Company for the World. We aim to be the logistics provider that people turn to first – not only for all their shipping needs, but also as an employee or investor.”
He says that it is a simple reason why DHL is so heavily invested in its people. “Happy employees who feel valued are loyal, motivated and productive. This is not only good for the employees, but also for the company.”
The company has implemented many initiatives to motivate employees – one of which is the Certified International Specialist (CIS) program, which Heymans refers to as a ‘game changer’. “CIS is a cultural change program and revolves around four attributes: Speed, Can-Do Attitude, Right First Time and Passion. Everyone from the Global CEO or our couriers have gone through this training programme which reinforces our core competencies. This program has been central to employee development and retention.”
An extension of the CIS program is the Certified International Manager (CIM) program. “This focuses primarily on ensuring that our leaders have the correct balance between IQ and EQ, and have the right leadership and social skills to lead tomorrow’s workforce,” says Heymans.
Other employee recognition and engagement programs include the annual Employee Opinion Survey, Employee Appreciation Weeks aimed at celebrating and recognizing employees’ achievements within each country, and regular recognition schemes, such as the Employee of the Quarter / Year.
“As the workplace landscape continues to evolve in Africa, we will continue to focus on balancing corporate and societal cultures while promoting diversity and most importantly, retain, motivate and develop our most valuable assets – our people,” concludes Heymans.
