Thomas Hansen – CEO Australia & New Zealand, Röhlig Logistics
People are the beating heart of any freight forwarding business – while the main purpose of any such business is moving cargo, what makes a company stand out is its people.
In an era when technology is revolutionising the logistics landscape, the value of human connection is increasingly important.
This is one reason why, over the 50 years that Röhlig has been in Australia, people – customers, partners and employees – have been at the centre of its business.
Internationally, Röhlig, founded in 1852, has over 2500 employees in more than 150 offices in over 30 countries. This vast network is a testament to the company’s philosophy that a human touch is key to building enduring relationships with clients, partners and employees.
HIGH PERFORMANCE CULTURE
These lasting relationships are created and maintained with a focus on fostering a high-performance culture among the company’s employees.
The company believes that a fulfilled and engaged workforce translates into excellent customer service. Most importantly, fulfilled and engaged employees do good work because they care about what they’re doing.
Brett Smith
Airfreight Product Manager
– Australia & New Zealand
“Our approach to improving the customer experience is incredibly adaptable. Locally we have the ability to make product changes quickly in order to be at the front of the market.
That makes the workplace an energised and exciting environment – it’s not a grind every day, and I think that approach has a lot to do with why we have been successful.”
Kate Rowe
Commercial Support Team Leader
“I’m just coming up to my 33-year anniversary with Röhlig Australia. I actually met my husband here.
It’s a great, family orientated company. They are very supportive of working mothers, with maternity leave and being able to work school hours. It’s great working here; it’s a very nurturing company.”
Linette Lorenzo
Sea Freight Product Manager –
Australia & New Zealand
“Working in such a supportive and positive environment is amazing, and you see that from top management level all the way through the business.
Also, I’m proud that Röhlig supports women in management, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”
Röhlig Australia nurtures a culture where people thrive and reach their full potential – the company provides continuous training, mentorship programs and opportunities for growth.
The company’s CEO Australia and New Zealand, Thomas Hansen, said it is important to shape a space where employees feel they can have opportunities to expand their horizons.
“A high-performance culture starts from creating an environment where employees can continue to develop – whether it’s developing a product, whether it’s developing through education.
“It’s all about creating an area where they feel that they have the ability to grow and they can be constantly challenged,” he said.
COLLABORATION
One way in which Röhlig Australia gives its employees opportunities to grow is through an exchange program between Röhlig offices in Australia and the US.
According to Mr Hansen, sending Australians to the Los Angeles and Chicago offices for a time makes a big difference to collaboration and customer satisfaction, as imports from the US into Australia are an important part of the company’s business.
“This makes a point of difference for us.” Mr Hansen said.
“As much as I would like to say that freight forwarding is different, transport is a generic product. It’s the people that make a difference, and that’s the difference for us – of course, we have our network, and our products – but it’s the staff that’s the main driver.”
With a people-first approach, Röhlig Australia has proven that success is not solely measured in numbers but in the bonds built with customers.
