Business

Great Place to Work ranks Airtel Lanka among Best Workplaces in Asia

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/18

Pushing through the challenges posed through every evolving variant of the globally disruptive coronavirus since last year, Airtel Lanka marked a key milestone, when the youth preferred telco was recognised among the Best Workplaces in Asia – Small and Medium List 2021, by Great Place to Work.

This is the first time that Airtel Lanka was bestowed with this recognition, and is a testament to the company’s efforts for being one of the only telecommunication service providers to push innovation and early-adaption for a new and resilient workplace culture.

The entire process however, does not overlook the essentials and facilities that employees require. In fact, it increases focus on specific employee-centric areas to enable the workforce to be productive in the time they spend working, driven to achieve, and contented in nearly every aspect of their personal lives.

“In times like this, being connected is a key driver in ensuring the wellbeing of our employees. Increasing our engagement with them through innovative digital mediums really gave us the opportunity to support them in an emotional, physical and financial sense,” noted Bharti Airtel Lanka CEO Ashish Chandra.

According to Airtel Lanka’s Head of Human Resources Kanishka Ranaweera, for most organisations, much like Airtel, there are four key areas they should increase focus on.

Firstly, an increase focus on improving employee wellbeing, not only are they protected from the threat of the pandemic but also supported in their emotional, physical and financial wellbeing.

Secondly, the adaption to ‘Work from Home’. The WFH culture started as a novel alternative to physically going to work, but after a whole year, it’s evolved into a way of life.

Third, encouraging a comfortable and flexible working lifestyle. Employees can put in their own working hours and work when it is most suitable to them. We don’t monitor employees, rather trust them for a timely delivery.

Last, utilising effective tools and platforms for employee skills development. Organisations have witnessed platforms and digital tools rapidly improve and become more adaptable to employees and this was also the case for us.

“Focusing on these four areas is what gave us an edge over the competition. Implementing this train of change before the first lockdown even came into effect last year, helped the adaption process become more quick and efficient. So, our culture has become more collaborative and empathetic, making our workforce more equipped to handle even a higher demand,” commented Kanishka.

On top of the key focus areas, Airtel’s success is attributed to two main factors- the level of trust placed in employees and how they embraced and adapted to the new normal. “Humans thrive on good relationships and trust, and our approach towards our employees reflects the same,” he added.

Equipped with strategic business continuity plans, Airtel Lanka also emphasises on elevating the sense of security and safety among employees. They are provided with everything, from necessary personal protective equipment, to access to quality healthcare for preferential treatments, insurance covers for COVID-related testing and consultancy through oDoc, free-of-charge.

Also, in the unfortunate event that an employee tests positive for the coronavirus, the telco ensures paid leave and family support during that period.

“We also made it a point to enhance our engagement with our employees. Always being connected through new and innovative digital mediums, engaging through virtual games that are fun and helpful in development, and even hosting traditional events and competitions online, from Bakthi Gee and Carols to Art Competitions for the whole family to be a part of,” Kanishka said.

“Even on the corporate level, after realising the importance of increasing and improving communications, the CEO Connect and HR Connect sessions were birthed.”

For the telco, the return of all the investing and care for its employees is a very satisfied customer base. Airtel Lanka’s engagement scores have improved drastically, with attrition at an all-time low. With satisfied employees taking the organisation to new heights in the new normal, the telco commits to continuously innovating and enabling its workforce, proving indeed to be a great place to work for all.

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Business

Sri Lanka’s first generative AI‑powered, trilingual insurance assistant

Published

56 mins ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General Limited (SLICGL) unveiled Beechat, the country’s first generative AI‑powered insurance assistant, heralding a milestone for Sri Lanka’s insurance industry and move towards digital services.

Beechat is designed to transform the customer experience. Available through the SLICGL website (https://www.slicgeneral.com/) and customer portal, the Assistant offers customers instant access to policy information, real-time claim status updates, and insurance-related help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For customers, Beechat makes insurance simpler and always available. Instead of waiting in queues, calling hotlines, or being limited to business hours, customers can check policies, track claims, and receive instant answers in Sinhala, Tamil, or English, empowering every customer, whatever their language, to manage their insurance with ease.

The inclusivity ensures every customer, regardless of language preference, can engage with insurance services seamlessly. The AI‑driven platform reduces complexity, eliminates delays, and builds trust. Ultimately, Beechat transforms insurance from a process often seen as slow and complicated into a smooth digital journey that fits modern lifestyles.

The launch of SLICGL Beechat is strategically important for the organization because it strengthens its position as a leader in innovation within Sri Lanka’s insurance industry. Introducing the country’s first generative AI‑powered, trilingual insurance assistant, SLICGL demonstrates a commitment to digital transformation and technology‑driven service excellence.

The initiative reaffirms the company as forward‑thinking and customer‑centric and differentiating from competitors who still rely on traditional service models. It signals to industry stakeholders that SLICGL is setting new standards for accessibility, efficiency, and convenience in insurance.

Pioneering AI‑driven customer engagement, the company sets a new benchmark. Beechat demonstrates how technology can elevate insurance from a traditional service into a dynamic, futuristic experience, strengthening SLICGL’s relationship with the people it services. (SLICGL)

Business

‘Lanka Tractors returns with a historic Colombo 11 showroom’

Published

1 hour ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

Lanka Tractors Limited officially reopened its original showroom in Colombo 11, marking the return of one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised agricultural machinery companies and the official launch of the ACE Tractor brand in the country.

Located at 343 Olcott Mawatha, Colombo 11, the showroom was ceremonially declared open by Chief Guest Dudley Sirisena, Chairman of the Araliya Group of Companies, in the presence of Upul Jayasuriya, Chairman of Lanka Tractors Limited, Thilina Abeysuriya, Managing Director, Nishantha Yapa, Head of Business, and Rajiv Gunawardena, CEO of Asia Asset Finance PLC.

Originally established in 1971 as the State Trading (Tractor) Corporation, Lanka Tractors was restructured in 1991 and became one of Sri Lanka’s largest importers and distributors of agricultural machinery. Over the decades, the company represented internationally renowned brands including Massey Ferguson, Kubota and TAFE, earning the trust of generations of Sri Lankan farmers through quality products, technical expertise and dependable after-sales support. The reopening of its original Colombo 11 showroom, first established in 1982, marks the revival of an institution that has played a pivotal role in the mechanisation of Sri Lankan agriculture for more than five decades.

The company’s revival commenced in late 2025 through an exclusive partnership with ACE Tractors, the agricultural division of Action Construction Equipment (ACE) Limited, one of India’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies. ACE manufactures tractors, agricultural machinery, construction equipment and industrial equipment, with annual production capacity exceeding 9,000 tractors, exports to more than 37 countries, and a dealer and service network spanning over 100 locations worldwide.

Prior to the commercial launch, Lanka Tractors adopted an extensive validation programme to ensure the products were ideally suited to Sri Lankan farming conditions. Three introductory models—the ACE VEER 3000 (26 HP 4WD), ACE DI 350 NG (40 HP 2WD) and ACE DI 450 NG (45 HP 4WD)—underwent rigorous field testing across multiple agricultural regions under the supervision of ACE technical specialists. Following several product refinements based on local operating conditions, the tractors were introduced to the market in April 2026.

Business

Akurugraphy exhibition opens at Geoffrey Bawa Space in Colombo

Published

1 hour ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

The desire to communicate and be understood is at the heart of what it is to be human. In contemporary life, digital infrastructure underpins how we work, live, and share information, but the letterforms that carry our languages are rarely neutral.

Arkurugraphy, a new exhibition at the Geoffrey Bawa Space, explores the history, culture, and future of letterforms across Sri Lanka’s three official languages. Presenting the decade-long practice of Colombo-based type foundry Mooniak, it examines how decisions about the digitisation of Sinhala, Tamil, and Latin scripts impact legibility and carry deep consequences for who is seen, who is heard, and whose language endures.

Writing systems carry human thought and knowledge across time and space. Letterforms can become a form of cultural artefact, unique graphic symbols representing identity and belonging. Today, these inherited letterforms often take shape as digital fonts, their design demanding fluency across history, aesthetics, linguistics, and technical standards. Akurugraphy asks audiences to look at letterforms beyond the act of reading: to appreciate their form, trace their past, and consider the decisions that impact their future.

Akurugraphy brings together typographic specimens, archival material, and software development spanning Mooniak’s full body of practice. It is a celebration of letterforms as art and an examination of the technical and political stakes of designing scripts for the digital age. As part of the exhibition, the Geoffrey Bawa Space will host a programme of monthly talks, curatorial tours, workshops, and children’s programmes.

Akurugraphy is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and will be on view until 8 November 2026. The exhibition is designed to be accessible and welcoming to all visitors. The Geoffrey Bawa Space offers step-free access and wheelchair accessible facilities. Tactile elements are available throughout the exhibition. More information is available at geoffreybawa.com/akurugraphy .