Hayleys Plantations’ management team returns from AOTS Japan training program

Hayleys Plantations team at AOTS Kansai Kenshu Centre, Osaka, Japan

Management team of Hayleys plantations sector

• Largest group to receive overseas training in the sector 
• Team consists of corporate and estate management 

A group of 25 corporate leaders and best-performing employees in estate management from Sri Lanka’s leading regional plantation company Hayleys Plantations recently returned home after completing the acclaimed AOTS Japan training program. 

Organised by the Association for Overseas Technical Corporation and Sustainable Partnership (AOTS) Japan, the highly specialised management and leadership development training program was customised for employees from Hayleys Plantations. The training session aimed to enhance employee capabilities in leadership, business strategy and philosophy and Japanese management systems, including quality management strategies.  

“Traditionally, the plantation sector is one of the most labour-intensive industries in the country, still burdened with archaic HR practices that are fast becoming redundant in an increasingly modernised Sri Lankan economy. By equipping our employees with a detailed understanding of business strategy, innovations, use of quality management tools and best practices in sustainable plantations management, we hope to enhance their skills and capabilities to address future challenges and gain a strong competitive advantage over the long term,” Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said. 

A collaborative partnership with the Japan-Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association (JATSECA), the training program comprised key classroom learning sessions for an in-depth understanding of management concepts taken up by Japanese corporations from strategic management approaches towards innovation, transformational leadership to team-oriented approaches for employee engagement. 

“A particular emphasis was placed on the development of progressive leadership skills, as well as the implementation of sustainable management practices adapted from the tried and tested experience of the Japanese private sector, which is considered the global gold standard for efficiency in management. Backed by this knowledge, we are confident that Hayleys Plantations will play a pivotal role in enhancing our local industry through the introduction of global best practices,” Hayleys Plantations’ HR and Corporate Sustainability Deputy General Manager Anuruddha Gamage said.   

Over the course of the training program, Hayleys Plantations employees were given access to individual sessions on Japanese management techniques, including 5S, Kaizen, Total Quality Management (TQM), and the world-renowned Toyota Production System (TPS), in addition to special sessions on transformational leadership, business innovations, business strategy and philosophy. The program included factory visits to several reputed Japanese business such as Toyota, Panasonic, Avex and Kirin Beverages, giving participants first-hand insight and practical exposure into effective, sustainable management practices.

The pool of 25 consisted of corporate management team members, including the Managing Director and other heads of operational divisions and emerging leaders in estate management. The training program conducted at the AOTS Kansai Kenshu Centre (KKC) in Osaka, Japan, concluded with the team committing to the ‘Osaka Resolution’ as the way forward strategy for Hayleys Plantations.

The most recent training program represented the latest in prolonged training engagement. Over the past six years, a total of 16 corporate and estate management employees from Hayleys Plantations have received AOTS training on leadership, organisational management, business innovation and quality management. The year on year investment by Hayleys Plantations has increased significantly to include foreign training opportunities to various employee categories and increased personnel and person-hours in training. 

Under the helm of Dr. Rajadurai, Hayleys Plantations has driven a radical transformation in its approach to plantations management. Through an unrelenting focus on the creation of a vibrant ‘knowledge-driven’ culture, Hayleys Plantations has emerged as a respected leader in human resource development and sustainability.