DHL Express has been 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 is certified as a Top Employer in Africa by the Top Employers Institute, highlighting the importance that DHL places on employee engagement and development.
According to report made available to CEOAfrica DHL Express has been certified as Top Employers in 12 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),said the certifications reaffirmed that the company as on the right track to being an employer of choice and a rewarding place to work.
He explained that being an employer of choice was one of the Deutsche Post
DHL group’s three bottom lines and demonstrated 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.”
The company has implemented many initiatives to motivate employees, one of which was the Certified International Specialist (CIS) program, which Heymans referred 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.” Heymans noted.
Other employee recognition and engagement programmes included the annual Employee Opinion Survey, Employee Appreciation Weeks, aimed at celebrating and recognising 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,” he concluded..