LNME
OP-ED
Thoughts on purpose JOHN PEARSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT DHL WORLDWIDE EXPRESS, WRITES HOW THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT THE BEST OUT OF DHL EXPRESS
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or many years now, DHL has invested in defining and communicating our ‘purpose’ as a company. Some 10 years ago we coined our own mantra: Connecting people, Improving lives. It’s simple, its upbeat, but most of all it underscores our collective belief that logistics and global trade improve
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the prosperity of nations and improve the lives of blue-collar workers in those countries. They say, “No plan survives contact with the enemy”. Our plan and our purpose met a formidable challenge with the arrival of the pandemic. On paper, we faced a serious threat to our business and our ability to serve our customers.
Disrupted reality Global supply chains were interrupted, in many countries air traffic came to standstill; border controls sprung up around the world; lockdowns confined people to their homes. No one knew what was around each corner. I have often gone by the principle that a quick decision is often a bad decision and not to be pressured by fictional deadlines. This situation was different and from talking and thinking as a team it quickly became clear that it was necessary to change work routines and processes almost overnight. Communication became critical and we had to tailor and translate messages to our employees in 220 countries and territories. We had to ensure protection from the virus and deal with the prospect of downsizing. We resolved to introduce a radically changed environment. Somehow, we squeezed four years of technological advancement into four months. Previously departments such as HR and IT had often been known as ‘support’ functions. We had to move 9,000 laptops into homes as employees made the transition to their new place of work. Under these circumstances, it confirmed my suspicion that there is no such thing as support functions: we’re all on the frontline and we never missed a moment when we weren’t fully connected to our customers. In fact, more connected than ever before. At one moment we were delivering PPE to China from the world and then within a matter of weeks the direction shifted, and it was to move PPE from China to the world. We helped to safeguard the existence of brands that had to suddenly close their physical stores and move their business online. How tough would life have been if people had stopped receiving packages? There would have been no DIY, no gardening, no books, no sports gear, not to mention vaccines, medical supplies, or spare parts for vehicles. Adapting to the crisis Within weeks, it became apparent that our business remained very strong, and our customers needed us more than ever. We found we were able to fulfil those needs, because our employees were willing WWW.CBNME.COM
