Maersk uses video to spearhead digital transformation in container logistics and gain competitive edge in competition for talent

Quick facts

At the forefront of the industry’s digital transition

A.P. Moller – Maersk has been among the first in its field to define and pursue its digital vision, leveraging over a century of industry expertise, and inspiring employees worldwide to implement this vision and achieve measurable business outcomes.

Maersk is transforming from a conglomerate to an integrated company, with the ultimate goal of supporting evolving customer needs and future growth by connecting and simplifying their supply chains. Maersk aims to offer a standardized suite of end-to-end logistics solutions on a global scale.

To achieve this, Maersk is turning complex, paper-based processes into seamless digital services that deliver end-to-end value and transparency. And as their digital focus grows, customers benefit from more agility, predictability, and reliability in their supply chains.

People at the heart of A.P. Moller – Maersk

But what truly sets Maersk apart is an unrelenting commitment not just to customers, but to its people. Employees are one of the company’s five core values, and creating a motivating, diverse and inclusive environment for all is an explicit priority, which serves as a guiding principle to all business decisions made on a daily basis.

The organization is currently reshaping its technological landscape to improve efficiency and help drive the industry-leading digital transformation that will not only simplify global trade but strengthen Maersk’s position as a sought-after employer for qualified IT specialists: experts already working for Maersk and those aiming to join the company in the future.

To ensure that Maersk strengthens its position as an attractive employer, the organization has invested in essential digital infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on facilitating clear and transparent internal video communication, ensuring that each and every employee can benefit from the best Quality of Experience possible when engaging with internal messaging and company vision.

The competition for talent & the new role of corporate IT

Recent years have seen an exceeding number of reports on the dramatic shortage of trained IT staff across many industries, but the stakes are especially high in shipping and container logistics.

In a publication titled “The Digital Imperative in Container Shipping,” BCG experts argue the following:

BCG REPORT

The “Digital Transformation of the Shipping Industry” report by PWC echoes this sentiment, pointing to a shortage of trained IT employees as a serious underlying problem. According to recent data,

PWC REPORT

These days it is not so much a question of whether the digital transformation is believed to trigger fundamental change. Rather, more than ever the focus is on finding the best way of responding flexibly to the changes coming in the wake of technological progress. This is because more and more IT specialists must be recruited on land to ensure the necessary processes can be developed and implemented.

So how does Maersk overcome this challenge? By staying true to their core values and investing in their people.

Diversity and inclusion are key to innovative ideas

At Maersk, open exchange of ideas and freedom of expression come before all else. Employees are therefore explicitly encouraged to interact on internal channels and external social media, and the company as a whole has no distinction between internal and external media when it comes to the disclosure of information.

This fundamental principle of transparency is laid out in the Code of Conduct, which governs how each brand, business unit and employee within Maersk engages with customers, authorities, colleagues, suppliers, the community and other stakeholders.

Video communication: maintaining internal transparency throughout the pandemic

By connecting the world seamlessly, transparently, and dependably, Maersk is making the benefits of trade more accessible to everybody – but it all starts with the company’s own employees, the people who, through their hard work, enable this connectivity every day.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a huge disruptor to nearly all organizations. Companies had to adapt and change the way they work overnight – and Maersk was no exception. Historically, all of the company’s town halls took place with employees joining on-site from large meeting spaces, and leadership knew just how critical those events were for internal alignment, especially when delivering large-scale business transformation. Having the right communication tools that could easily scale was crucial to transmitting leadership messaging to hundreds of employees across the globe.

A large-scale transformation project involving nearly 30,000 Maersk employees took place during the tumultuous beginning of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Company leadership needed a reliable platform that would allow them to communicate the ongoing change to all employees, including those now suddenly working from home, and ensure social distancing is adhered to among those working on site.

The solution, for Maersk, was Hive Streaming.

Using Microsoft Teams live events in combination with the Hive Video Experience Platform, Maersk has been able to introduce key adjustments to their video communication strategy and see a growing internal demand for live video broadcasts to connect global teams spread across continents.

They were also able to ensure social distancing among employees working on site by creating multiple broadcast streams that people could access while remaining at their desks, rather than having to gather in a single location.

• Same Teams live event is held multiple times to accommodate different time zones, giving each employee a chance to attend the event live at a time that suits them best
• Executive Dashboard used to provide instant live event reports to senior leadership
• 60+ live events held successfully in a single week in September 2020
• Consistently high video adoption levels since up to June 2022
• 30 live video events with 1000+ attendees July 2021 – June 2022
• Truly global reach for video communications, with an average of over 90% of viewers worldwide benefiting from good or excellent Quality of Experience

Looking to a sustainable future

As Maersk continues to make strides on the sustainability arena – helping decarbonize the supply chain and leading the way with biofuels – the company’s main priority remains clear: Maersk is committed to continue offering customers solutions that reduce emissions. This priority extends to their work with suppliers and partners, too.

Video is key from a sustainability perspective.

Our colleagues do not need to travel as much anymore, and we’re here to ensure that this in no way compromises the quality and clarity of our internal company communications. We will continue supporting video regardless of what hybrid working will look like for the company moving forward.

NICK SCOTT, HEAD OF PRODUCTIVITY AND COLLABORATION AT A.P. MOLLER – MAERSK

What Maersk has successfully managed to achieve:

1. Create a video-first approach to communications, meeting the requirements of the next generation of sought-after talent
2. Facilitate large-scale company transformation
3. Achieve company-wide broadcasting capability, allowing to address all employees at once
4. Leverage video communication to drive change
5. Demonstrate commitment to people as core company value