Issue
#09
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
INSIGHT MAGAZINE
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
this issue
Magazine | w w w.insightmagazine.ae
q Ensuring Bright Future of Energy 06
q Emirati Tourism Professionals 10
q Ways to Meet Emirtization Targets 18
q Transitioning MBAs Beyond Classroom 24
Youth Employment and
Emirtization
Opportunities for the Next
Generation of Employees
Can the Retail Industry Appeal to Emirati Youth?
Fast-track Employment Attracts Top Talents
The Rise of the Freelance Economy
Emiratization & Youth Employment: A Legal Perspective
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T
he Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) is the leading voice of the
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businesses and expanding opportunities for its valued members.
Aiming to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s sustainable economic development as well as
improve and organize the commercial and industrial undertakings within the Emirate, ADCCI
collaborates with government and other significant bodies and authorities. Rendering best
services to member firms and companies is among its main responsibilities.
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
3
Introduction
Dear
Reader,
E
very new year presents us with the
chance to turn a new page, make
optimistic resolutions and start
afresh. It could be a career decision
you’ve been wanting to make, or a
postgraduate degree that you’re considering
to take.
Maybe your company is trying to meet
Emiratization quotas, or perhaps you’ve
struggled in finding the right talent. We’ve
thus dedicated this issue of INSIGHT to
innovation and best practices in employment
and Emiratization.
Local companies are now thinking outside
of the box to attract the next generation of
employees. Young ADIPEC is a great example.
Its Ambassador Programme and photography
competition are attracting national youth
to take up careers in the critical oil and gas
sector.
In retail, YES to Work initiative is
successfully changing Emiratis’ longstanding
attitude towards jobs in the field. Tourism,
on the other hand, has some way to go, with
UAE nationals accounting for just one percent
of the sector’s workforce. But this figure will
soon increase, as we learn from an exclusive
interview with the Tourism and Culture
Authority - Abu Dhabi.
ISSUE # 9
January - February 2016
All content © 2015 ADSM.
We’ve taken an in-depth look at how
leading organisations are using fast-track
employment programmes to expedite
their recruitment needs. As the Expo 2020
approaches, mass hiring will be inevitable,
but not for everyone as our special feature
reveals. Just as some sectors will benefit
more than others from the event, hiring needs
will also vary.
Meanwhile, employers have been
voicing their concern over the lack of
practical experience given in management
degrees, a problem that Abu Dhabi School
of Management has addressed with its
Signature Learning Experience. Our coverage
of this unique MBA-embedded course
demonstrates how a business school can
bridge theory with practice.
We’ve also shed light on the reality of
freelancing in the UAE, and how a prestigious
university degree is no longer the only ticket
to a dream career. Finally, four experts share
their insights on corporate coaching, the
importance of having engaged managers, the
legalities of Emiratization, and practical ways
to meet nationalisation targets.
We hope that this issue inspires you with
new ideas and guides you to the solutions
that you need. As always, we look forward to
hearing your thoughts and suggestions.
Sincerely,
Sophia Korayim
Managing Editor
PO Box 6844, Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 2 691 7777
www.adsm.ac.ae
Produced and Managed by
Abu Dhabi School of Management
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Dr. Abdullah Abonamah
MANAGING EDITOR
Sophia Korayim
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Althea Rozario
Heba Hashem
Hisham Wyne
Nichole Charles Miranda
Ron Thomas
Will Rankin
DESIGNER
Rahat Ayaz
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CONTACT:
Sophia Korayim
+971 2 691 7703
s.korayim@insightmagazine.ae
COPYRIGHT
The information contained is for
general use only. While we have
made every attempt to ensure
that the information contained in
this magazine has been obtained
from reliable sources, the
publisher is not responsible for
any errors. All information in this
magazine is published “as is,” with
no guarantee of completeness,
accuracy, timeliness or of the
results obtained from the use of
this information. In no event will
the publisher, its related affiliates
or anyone else be responsible for
any decision made or action taken
in reliance on the information in
this magazine.
All contents are under copyright
and may not be reproduced in any
way without written permission.
CONTENTS
06 Ensuring a Bright Energy Future
10 Expo 2020 and the Changing Face of
Human Resources
14 Inspiring the Next Generation of Emirati
Tourism Professionals
18 Five Ways to Meet Emiratisation Targets
20 Can the Retail Industry Appeal to Emirati
Youth?
24 Transitioning MBAs Beyond the
Classroom
06
14
28
34
28 Fast-track Employment Attracts Top
Talents
32 The Rise of the Freelance Economy
34 One Door with Many Keys
36 The Power of Coaching
38 Your Best Employee Role Model
40 Emiratization & Youth Employment: A
Legal Perspective
10
20
24
Further Reading
42 Recommended Books For Youth
Employment
46 Events and Tenders in Abu Dhabi
Emirate
36
6
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Ensuring A Bright
Energy Future
A
DNOC, the Abu Dhabi
National Oil Company, not
only has a commitment
to Emiratisation, but also
a responsibility – as the
organisation in control of Abu Dhabi
and the UAE's enormous energy
reserves – to encourage young
Emiratis to take up careers in oil and
gas.
The 2013/2014 UAE Higher
Education Factbook reports that 17
percent of Emirati students were
enrolled in an engineering programme
during that academic year. This figure
falls to 13 percent for female Emirati
students, while for male students it
stands at 24 percent.
One innovative way the organisation
is attracting the younger generation
into the profession is via the Young
ADIPEC programme, a scheme which
runs alongside the annual Abu Dhabi
International Petroleum Exhibition
and Conference (ADIPEC), which is now
one of the largest energy events in the
world.
Hanadi Aliwat, special projects
manager at dmg events, which
organises Young ADIPEC, said: “Every
year we are seeing more and more
interest from school and college
students from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
Through the programme, they have
come to understand a great deal more
about the oil and gas industry, the
opportunities, and the fact that it is no
longer a profession which necessarily
involves tough outdoor field work and
getting your hands dirty.”
Young ADIPEC
ADNOC is also aware of the need
to foster innovation, so the Young
AIPEC zone at the annual event is full
of high technology and real-world
examples of how technology, research
and innovation go hand in hand with
the industry. Today's students are
encouraged to become tomorrow's
industry innovators.
The ever-expanding Young
ADIPEC saw 400 students from four
international schools and 12 Abu
Dhabi Education Council schools
across the emirate participating in
2015.
Underlining the far-reaching
gravity of the programme, Young
ADIPEC has enjoyed the patronage
of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
7
ADNOC and other forward-looking local companies are thinking outside
of the box to encourage a new generation of oil and gas employees - in
a sector that’s in need for young people
Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of
Culture, Youth and Community, since
it began in 2012. The third annual
edition of Young ADIPEC in 2015
offered students from schools across
Abu Dhabi an exciting line-up of
events designed to encourage them to
choose a career path into the oil and
gas industry.
Students from the ages of 14
to 17 are given the opportunity to
gain hands-on experience in the
energy sector through a series of
educational and engaging activities.
And it's not only theoretical – local and
international companies are heavily
involved in the programme. The list
reads like a who's who of the energy
sector.
Partners in the programme are the
Petroleum Institute, as education
partner, and Think Science, as youth
programme partner. Sponsors of
Young ADIPEC are ADNOC, ARDECO,
Al Mazroui Engineering, ExxonMobil,
Partex, Total and Weatherford.
“ADIPEC welcomes the participation
of schools and universities. The next
generation of oil and gas professionals
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
will be the result of partnerships
between industry and education,”
said Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, ADIPEC
2015 chairman, and strategy and
coordination director at ADNOC,
adding that “pooling knowledge and
expertise will create a situation that is
attractive to talented young engineers,
and potential scientists, to our
dynamic industry.”
Sultan Al Hajji, vice president
and chief strategy officer at Total
Exploration & Production (Total E&P)
UAE, believes that the oil industry is
facing talent scarcity globally, and the
challenge of finding competent Emirati
talent is becoming tougher.
“We should make the energy sector
an attractive career path for students
today so that they select their
education stream accordingly. We
should also ensure Emiratis get the
latest world-class practical industrial
knowledge and experience through
collaboration with international oil
companies.”
As part of the programme, which
has activities throughout the year,
students are given numerous
platforms and media through
which they can learn and enhance
their on-site experience, including
a photography competition,
sustainability zone, field trips to
leading oil and gas companies, live
demonstrations and the opportunity
to learn about the key engineering
design processes involved in the oil
and gas industry.
In 2015, Young ADIPEC saw the
launch of a new competition, the Oil &
Gas Identity competition, sponsored
by TOTAL. In this new element of
the programme, students got to
understand the fundamentals of the
industry. They were invited to identify
a unique vertical within the industry,
for example, geology or engineering,
select an individual who works within
the field, and then take time to
Young ADIPEC
We should make the energy sector an attractive
career path for students today so that they select
their education stream accordingly.
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
9
Young ADIPEC saw 400 students from four
international schools and 12 Abu Dhabi
Education Council schools across the emirate
participating in 2015.
understand his or her job profile and
what the role entails.
There is also an annual Young
ADIPEC photography competition,
which in 2014 had the theme
‘Innovation and Sustainability’.
Indeed, innovation is central to the
ongoing sustainable development
and future success of the industry.
Worldwide, it drives technology,
which drives competitive advantage,
which ultimately drives sustainability.
But what does innovation and
sustainability mean to students?
In Young ADIPEC’s photography
contest, participants are invited to
capture how they see innovation and
sustainability through their lens of
their cameras, and take their time to
discover either themes in the world
around them.
New for 2015, a dedicated Young
ADIPEC Ambassador’s Programme
saw each participating school
nominating a student ambassador
who represented Young ADIPEC
among his or her classmates, friends,
and family. The goal of this newly
developed role is to raise awareness
of the programme to fellow students
and offer the wider community insight
about the many opportunities in the
oil and gas industry.
“Increasing the uptake of
engineering as a career path among
Emirati students is still a challenge
for the local oil and gas industry,”
admitted Al Shamsi, “but Young
ADIPEC is committed to overcoming
this hurdle by working with the
industry to inspire young nationals to
be at the forefront of future visions
for the energy sector that will have an
impact worldwide.”
Students will have an exciting
opportunity to get hands-on
experience during trips to oilfield sites,
training centres, innovation centres, as
well as workshop and manufacturing
facilities belonging to leading oil
and gas companies. These include
Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil
Operations Ltd., (ADCO), Al Mansoori
Specialized Engineering, Al Mazroui
Engineering, Borouge, the National
Drilling Company, The Petroleum
Institute, Schlumberger, Total, and
Weatherford.
“It is crucial for the future
development of any country to have
its nationals working across all
fields and sectors of its economy,”
said Wael Agha, managing director
of programme sponsor Al Mazroui
Engineering. “Empowering today’s
youth with the required expertise and
skillset is the only sure-fire way they
will succeed and thrive both personally
and professionally in this knowledgebased economy.”
- Will Rankin
10
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Expo 2020
And The Changing Face
Of Human Resources
Build It And They Will Come. But
How Then To Keep Them?
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
T
hat’s the question the
UAE seeks answers to as
Dubai gears up for the Expo
2020 global exhibition.
Mega events bring in an
influx of people in the short term.
A sustainable bump in prosperity
however needs a concerted strategy.
The big picture
Consider the statistics: Dubai’s Expo
Preparatory committee believes that
the event will spawn 277,000 jobs in
Dubai alone as the economy gears up
for the exposition; 50 additional jobs
per Expo employee will be added in
other MENA countries; and 25 million
visitors will make their way through
the gates once the event officially
kicks off, 70 percent of whom will
come from outside the UAE. The net
economic benefit is expected to hit
USD 23 billion.
HR consultancies are already
gearing up for the expected job
creation, with hiring starting
early. “Winning the Expo 2020 bid
is foreseen to be very positive,
expediently affecting the job market in
the UAE. Hiring patterns might change
across industries that will be most
affected by the bid,” says Suhail Masri,
vice president of sales at Bayt.com,
the region’s largest online recruitment
website.”
According to the August 2015 Bayt.
com MENA Job Index survey, 31
percent of UAE current employers
state that their companies will
“definitely be hiring” in a year’s time,
and 41 percent will “probably be
hiring”.
The will to hire is there. The next
step is to oil the wheels of regulation
11
so that individuals and companies
can get ready to meet the Expo
2020’s specific requirements. This
might involve stipulations that allow
individuals to undertake short-term
contract work.
“The Expo will run for over 6 months,
and most staff members will need
to be onsite way ahead of time to
prepare for the opening. Interestingly,
most of these jobs will be contract
based, which emphasises the
importance of enabling independent
contractors to work transparently and
competitively to deliver this global
event,” says Loulou Khazen Baz,
founder of virtual skills marketplace
Nabbesh.
Sectors in the spotlight
While the entire UAE economy is
expected to benefit from Expo2020,
some sectors will gain more of a fillip
than others. “I see the bulk of the
hiring in the retail, entertainment,
media, real estate and hospitality
space,” suggests Baz.
“There will be demand for
communications experts and
marketers, social media experts,
content writers, bloggers and
journalists, translators, photographers,
animators and videographers, stand
designers, audio-visual experts,
entertainers and artists, promoters
and hostesses, data entry personnel,
market research people, mobile
and web developers, and a lot of
hospitality staff.”
Bayt.com data indicates that while
the Expo Dubai 2020 will lead to an
increase in infrastructure construction
and real estate development, other
industries will also benefit. “The
industries currently attracting top
Dubai’s Expo Preparatory committee believes
that the event will spawn 277,000 jobs.
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Suhail Masri, Vice President of Sales, Bayt.com
talent in the UAE according to the
Bayt.com Job Index are banking
and finance (42%); oil, gas and
petrochemicals (36%); and construction
(34%),” says Masri.
HR will start planning early
Workforce requirements of this
magnitude will mean talent coming
in from around the world. HR
departments will need to impart
training, cultural orientation and
localisation to new employees.
Early planning is paramount.
Companies will first identify their level
of involvement in the Expo, and then
accordingly estimate their recruitment
needs. Training procedures will also
have to be mapped out in advance.
“My recommendation would be to
outsource the recruitment stage to
external suppliers who have access
to a large and diversified talent pool.
The company’s HR department should
focus on on-boarding and training to
make sure the new recruits absorb
and deliver on the company’s values
and brand promise,” Baz says.
While international job seekers will
account for some of the jobs filled,
hiring will first focus on existing
residents. As Baz notes, “The UAE has
a diverse and well educated population
of both Emiratis and expatriates,
constituting an ideal talent pool for a
world-class event. No one can sell the
UAE better then its residents.”
A sustainable boost
Events like the Expo 2020 are
organised on the premise that they
deliver a long-lasting bump to the
economy. The 277,000 jobs created
will need to be kept once the event is
over.
Masri says this is possible.
“Preparation for Expo 2020 has
not just been about hiring and
creating jobs: it’s also been about
creating infrastructure, opening new
businesses, and creating long-term
growth. During the past few years,
many of the country’s resources have
The Expo will run for over 6 months, and most
staff members will need to be onsite way
ahead of time to prepare for the opening.
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
13
Loulou Khazen Baz, Founder, Nabbesh
been channelled into sectors such as
arts, culture and other key sectors.”
He adds that the UAE has witnessed
remarkable growth of dedicated free
zones for media, entertainment and
other creative industries. “Many major
international companies have already
set up their Middle East base in the
UAE, and this all led to jobs across
career levels in these industries.”
The Expo 2020 should not be seen
as a one-off. Rather, it should be
treated as a trigger for nationwide
economic and population expansion.
Tourism will grow, as will the UAE’s
reputation. Other international scale
events will almost certainly follow.
“According to industry experts,
Dubai is expected to see elevated
visitor numbers and spending growth
even after the Expo ends,” Masri says.
“With the infrastructure in place, the
UAE will have the ability to host other
global events and attract traffic from
all over the world, making it the ideal
location for multinational corporations
to set up their regional hubs.”
Baz concurs. “The expo will further
cement the UAE’s leading position
While international job seekers will account
for some of the jobs filled, hiring will first
focus on existing residents.
among the world’s best places to live
and work out of. It will bring exposure
and business to the UAE’s population,
which can only be a good thing.”
There is a distinct probability
that the UAE will have undergone
a beneficial maturation by the time
the Expo shutters its doors. With a
focus on sustainability, infrastructure
expansion, and quality of life already
evident, there is every reason to
believe that the UAE will end 2022
with a rosy GDP, a growing population
and a suitably diversified economy. A
country that started out as trade hub
and later became a tourist destination
will evolve into a genuine attraction
for long-term residents and investors.
- Hisham Wyne
14
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Inspiring The Next Generation Of
Emirati Tourism Professionals
T
he tourism industry
represents one of the
main pillars of economic
diversification in the Abu
Dhabi 2030 Vision. At the
same time, the UAE Vision 2021 aims
to increase the number of nationals
working in the private sector by
tenfold.
However, Emiratis currently account
for just 1% of the tourism sector’s
workforce in the UAE capital, according
to the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture
Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), the entity
that manages the emirate’s tourism
sector and markets the destination
internationally.
In this exclusive interview with
INSIGHT, Fatima Al Melhi, Industry
and Tourist Guide Training Unit Head
at TCA Abu Dhabi, takes us through
the Authority’s multipronged strategy
that will entice more Emiratis to join
this fast-growing cornerstone of the
economy.
Fatima Al Melhi,
Industry and Tourist Guide Training Unit Head, Tourism &
Culture Authority Abu Dhabi
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
The tourism sector is a major
driver of growth for the UAE, having
contributed 8.5%, or AED 122.6
billion to the country’s GDP in 2014.
Despite that, Emiratis are said to
make up a small percentage of Abu
Dhabi’s tourism sector workforce.
Why do you think that is?
Tourism is a relatively new economic
sector for the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
While our trading heritage and
commercial past attracted many
travellers to visit, it is only in the past
10 years that a concerted effort to
grow the tourism economy has been
undertaken. In this time, tourism was
identified as one of the main pillars
of economic diversification in the Abu
Dhabi 2030 Vision. A priority therefore
is to deliver on the 2030 plan’s goal
of creating a socially cohesive and
economically sustainable community.
While developing Abu Dhabi as
a world-class and modern tourism
destination, it is incumbent on the
Tourism & Culture Authority to
ensure that the benefits contribute to
developing the local community while
promoting, protecting and respecting
Abu Dhabi’s culture and heritage. This
includes the development of industry
employees.
A growing number of Emiratis
are now entering the industry on a
number of levels. We will be focusing
keenly on Emiratisation within the
sector by increasing the number of
Emiratis involved in tourism; engaging
with the local community in its future
development and ensuring that
the industry is both inclusive and
accessible to all through regulation.
What is the current percentage of
Emirati employees in Abu Dhabi’s
tourism sector?
It is estimated that Emiratis
currently make up 1% of Abu Dhabi’s
tourism sector workforce. This is set
to increase over the coming years with
the Authority’s proactive support via
training and educational initiatives.
We work very closely with key
government agencies and key
players in the tourism sector to
enhance and improve the skill set
of Emirati nationals for the purpose
of increasing their participation in
the tourism sector. This is achieved
by raising awareness of the sector’s
importance, and through increased
engagement with Emiratis to build
their capabilities.
How do you intend to increase the
number of UAE nationals working
within the tourism sector?
We will be focusing keenly on
Emiratisation within the sector. The
tourism industry is delivering on
the 2030 plan’s goal of delivering a
growing number of Emiratis who
are now entering the industry on a
number of levels. Of course, we want
to see more Emiratis in the industry
and have a number of innovative
schemes – including a Tourism
Youth Summer Camp for university
students, an Abu Dhabi Ambassadors
programme, and other commercial
incentive programmes to encourage
the development of the private sector.
Our efforts are also to make the
sector more attractive. By growing
the economic importance of the
sector, we expect there will be greater
opportunities for the community to
become involved.
We have a target to double the
number of tourist guests by 2020.
In turn, this means that we will
attract new hotels, attractions and
experiences – these will all need
qualified, enthusiastic staff in all areas
of the business, including marketing,
operations, to services, human
resources, as well as direct visitor
engagement. So, you see, the tourism
sector, like all other economic sectors,
is not simply limited to servicing the
15
immediate needs of the tourist – it is
a fully holistic economic ecosystem.
It is our responsibility to ensure it is
sustainable, and has a fully qualified
workforce, in all required specialisms.
One of the initiatives you have
undertaken is the Abu Dhabi
Tourism Youth Summer Programme,
which is a salaried internship open
to UAE nationals between the ages
of 18 and 21. How successful has
this programme been?
The annual Tourism Youth Summer
Camp educates young Emiratis
about the industry and what it has
to offer them. Aimed at identifying
and inspiring the next generation
of tourism professionals for Abu
Dhabi, the three-week programme of
lessons, workshops, field visits and
work placements enables attendees
to gain first-hand insight into the
destination’s hospitality and tourism
sectors and the role they play in the
development of the emirate. The
programme was launched in 2009
and has engaged more than 500
recruits, many of whom have reported
that they are more likely to consider
a career in tourism following their
participation in the Camp.
What approach are you taking
to entice potential candidates to
get involved in the hospitality and
tourism sectors?
Our Emiratisation programmes
are encouraging youth at school
and university to consider tourism
as a career move. We are raising
awareness by presenting at schools
and hosting students in one of our
five-star hotels for orientation tours.
We find that once the students
are exposed to such a dynamic
sector, their attitudes are positively
influenced towards considering joining
one of the hotels as a career.
To make the experience more
realistic, we have launched the
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Fatima Al Melhi,
Industry and Tourist Guide Training Unit Head, Tourism &
Culture Authority Abu Dhabi
‘Khebraty Programme’, an initiative
which creates a part-time job for
university students at one of the
hotels in the Emirate. The Authority’s
industry development training
plan builds long-term destination
competitiveness by supporting
the delivery of world-class service
standards through a human resource
pool of well-trained, committed and
dedicated professionals.
We also have an Industry and
Tourist Guide Training Unit which
oversees training and accreditation
and industry awareness. The Unit’s
mandate is to collaborate with
stakeholders to raise the level of
professionalism within Abu Dhabi’s
tourism industry, and is also
responsible for promoting compliance
of the tourism regulatory framework
by sharing best industry practices,
assessing training needs, and
organising training programmes to
address them.
The Unit’s key roles are to
identify Abu Dhabi tourism industry
manpower development needs and
to conduct professional development
programmes to entice UAE nationals
to seek employment within the
tourism sector.
Would you say there are common
misperceptions among Emiratis
about the tourism sector in general?
If so, how can these views be
corrected?
There is certainly a degree of
the unknown, and a misconstrued
perception that the tourism industry
is not as important as other sectors
of the economy. The Abu Dhabi
Ambassadors Programme, a major
aspect of our Emiratisation strategy,
plays a pivotal role in challenging
these misconceptions and realising
the Authority’s vision of improving the
emirate’s visitor experience through
increased interaction with locals.
TCA Abu Dhabi introduced the
Ambassadors Programme in 2008 to
encourage Emiratis to be advocates
for tourism within their own sector of
work. The programme aims to expand
participants’ knowledge in tourism and
culture nationally and internationally,
polishing their skills and boosting their
confidence in approaching Abu Dhabi
visitors.
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Abu Dhabi Ambassadors
Programme consists of essential
training workshops covering
hospitality, heritage and tourism
over three months, in addition to
specialised workshops on the subjects
of how to deal with the media and
the public, etiquette and protocol
fundamentals, and the principles of
organising tours in cooperation with a
leading company.
employees is one of the fundamental
functions of our Human Resources
department in relation to employees’
performance levels and productivity.
The Programme also includes field
trips to some of Abu Dhabi’s major
tourism attractions such as Sheikh
Zayed Grand Mosque and Al Ain city’s
oases. The Programme concludes
with several tests that qualify the
participants to receive the title of Abu
Dhabi Ambassador.
The Learning Map charts employees’
skills to identify positions suitable
for their educational and practical
experience. It is flexible across all
levels of the organisation and guides
effective and efficient employee
performance in delivering the duties
and assignments of the Authority. The
Map is annually reviewed and ensures
the process of training and career
development is continuous.
More than 650 Ambassadors from
all walks of life have graduated from
the Programme, from university
students to government employees
and even celebrities, who participated
in a special edition of the Programme.
Additionally, more than 250
university students from across the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi are selected
to act as Qasr Al Hosn Festival
Ambassadors during the Festival.
The Qasr Al Hosn Ambassadors
Programme sees the ambassadors
interact with visitors to help narrate
the Emirate’s rich culture and history
across the various festival touch
points, and serves to pass down
the Fort’s importance through the
generations.
Abu Dhabi TCA also makes
considerable effort in training its
existing employees, working with
renowned institutions to improve
their skills and knowledge. Can you
tell us more about your manpower
development strategy?
We believe human capital is the
Authority’s most valuable asset to
achieve its goals and strategies. The
process of training and preparing
To this end, a ‘Learning Map’ has
been developed to evaluate employee
competencies and identify training
methods and techniques required to
develop a group of experienced and
qualified employees.
Having identified training as
key to upgrading Abu Dhabi’s
tourism services, the Authority has
implemented a comprehensive
tourism training plan as part of
its overall industry professional
development strategy such as training
workshops and seminars as well as
research initiatives in collaboration
with local and international
educational institutions.
Recent subsidised courses for
employees and industry professionals
have been run in collaboration with
University of Lausanne, Cornell
University, the School of Events,
Tourism & Hospitality at Leeds
Beckett University, and the School of
Hotel & Tourism Management at the
Hong Kong Polytechnic University. All
courses have been run in Abu Dhabi.
The plan also identifies and designs
adequate training opportunities for
UAE nationals thereby enabling them
to take up key tourism sector roles as
tourism guides. Participation is free
for UAE nationals.
17
Is there anything else you would
like to add?
We are in the process of developing
a Tourism Investment Promotion
Department within the Authority
which is dedicated to matching
business investment opportunities
with potential partners, for
government, government related
entity (GRE) and private sector
partners, attracting Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) to Abu Dhabi and
identifying investment opportunities
for built assets and service provision.
The department will act as a catalyst
to attracting local entrepreneurs
and SMEs into the Emirate’s tourism
sector.
The Authority has also launched a
platform for Emirati entrepreneurs
that focuses on bolstering Abu Dhabi’s
leisure offering by supporting homegrown ideas and business start-ups.
‘Rowad Al Seyaha’, for example,
has been designed to offer Emirati
entrepreneurs, both experienced and
aspiring, the chance to develop their
ideas for potential business startups. A first of its kind for the leisure
market, the initiative focuses on
developing creative leisure business
ideas in Abu Dhabi, and has gained
support from a number of government
entities, including The Khalifa Fund,
Abu Dhabi Municipality, Department
of Economic Development and the
Environment Agency Abu Dhabi –
who will be offering guidance to the
successful projects.
- Interviewed by Heba Hashem
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Five Ways To Meet
Emiratisation Targets
Private-sector companies and organisations need to meet the UAE’s
Emiratisation quotas, but providing a nourishing workplace for young,
modern Arab minds can be a challenge.
I
ndeed, Emiratisation is one of the
pillars of the UAE's national agenda,
an extension of the UAE Vision
2021, a blueprint of objectives
geared towards housing, education,
Emiratisation, health, the economy,
infrastructure and government
services.
Recent research from Aon Hewitt,
the human capital and management
consultancy, suggested that high pay
is not the answer. Less than half of
UAE nationals surveyed – 41 percent
- felt they received adequate coaching
and mentoring at work, which
suggests that organisations are failing
to follow up in terms of development
and support.
Other pitfalls noted in AON
Hewitt's research included adopting
an Emiratisation target without
reference to the labour market or a
good definition of the organisation’s
workforce requirements; recruiting
without giving due consideration to
attitude and aptitude; and failing to
prepare managers to deal effectively
with a more diverse workforce.
Aon Hewitt Middle East CEO DR
Markus Weisner, speaking to Gulf
News, suggests a number of ways
of fixing the Emiratisation issue. He
says that before starting recruitment,
set the right targets to reflect the
availability of candidates with the
necessary skills.
Secondly, he proposes conducting
a labour market review to determine
the availability of these skills, and then
decide which roles should be filled
through external recruitment and
which through internal promotions.
A company needs to understand
its current market reputation, and
develop its brand as necessary. Aon
Hewitt suggests some 68 percent of
Emiratis are proud to be part of their
current organisation.
Finally, Weisner stresses on the
importance of using the right channels
to attract UAE nationals, while
focusing on their attitude and aptitude
over qualifications and experience, in
some instances.
Samie Al-Achrafi is a leading
UAE-based global culture change
expert, recognised for creating high
performance cultures underpinned by
values. He is known for his progressive
learning interventions that transform
organisations and embed lasting
change.
Born and raised in the Middle
East, Samie moved to the UK and
USA before joining the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office where he
was posted to Romania. He has
worked with leading institutions
around the world such as Walt
Disney World, Emirates Airline, Merck,
MSD and HSBC to create alignment
around purpose and deliver on their
organisational ambitions.
He has also supported HSBC and
Mubadala in generating opportunities
for Emiratis. Here, he offers up his top
tips for securing a strong, satisfying
employment culture for Emiratis.
1. FOCUS ON EFFECTIVENESS, NOT
EFFICIENCY
“Don’t allow your strategy to attract,
develop and retain Emirati talent be
distracted by short-termism”, says AlAchrafi. “Focus on your effectiveness
metrics (the impact) rather than just
efficiency metrics (the number of
nationals, annualized attrition, for
example), and the results will come.
Don’t allow your
strategy to attract,
develop and retain
Emirati talent be
distracted by shorttermism.
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
2. LOOK TO ATTRACT YOUNG
TALENT
Attracting locals is challenging,
according to the expert, “as there
is a finite number of resources and
companies across different sectors
looking to meet their quotas.” He
says he firmly believes in attracting
the right person for the right role at
the right time, “so a big part of the
solution is in working with school
children to develop a future pipeline.
This is going to require a long-term
mindset, as we have seen in markets
like Singapore.”
3. DON'T BLAME A 'BRAIN DRAIN'
While a 'brain drain' - where bright
young locals go to study then develop
careers abroad and don't return home
– is a problem in some countries,
Al-Achrafi says he sees the opposite
happening here in the UAE.
“More and more, Emiratis are
returning to the UAE after their
studies to contribute to their society,”
he says. However, this isn't without its
hurdles, too. “The challenge becomes
how to develop authentic leaders who
possess the critical skill to define and
realise future success. More often
than not, the crucibles that lead you
to understanding your ‘True North’
and moral compass don’t happen at
the beginning of a career, yet you may
find Emiratis on the senior leadership
team by the age of 30.”
So is the Emiratisation challenge
down to education?
Al-Achrafi feels that there needs to
be sufficient quality options available
for Emiratis to make a choice. “Having
said that, in a globalised world, there
is no substitute for experiencing life
in different countries and cultures,
and international study provides the
perfect opportunity to do so. Living
abroad is also the best way to learn
new languages, and that can only
19
benefit business, government and
society in our hyper-connected world.”
4. TELL A COMPELLING STORY
Salaries clearly need to be
competitive, but the values and
culture of your organisation must
match those of your young leaders.
“A lot of work goes into ‘flavour of the
month’ initiatives. When I consult with
companies, I advise them to reduce
the number of activities, align to
outcomes, tell a compelling story, and
measure the impact. You’ll find that
these strategic enablers will transform
the engagement and enablement of
nationals in your business,” comments
Al-Achrafi.
But is there enough training and
incentives aimed at locals? Again,
Al-Achrafi has strong opinions here.
“In volume, yes, but in relevance, no.
We should be focusing on developing
authentic leadership, business
resilience and emotional intelligence,
whilst aiming for professional
certifications and accreditations.”
“Your talented Emiratis are fed
up sitting in front of international
educators, having their photograph
taken in the training room as part of
a PR stunt. At Marmalade Fish, we
believe learning should be strategic,
disruptive and experiential, supported
by robust coaching and mentorship.”
5. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY, OR
THE NUMBERS
Given that Emiratisation quotas are
government mandated, should the
government be doing more?
“This is where we need to shift the
narrative, and differentiate between
intention and impact,” says Al-Achrafi.
“Our obsession with ‘points’ and
‘numbers of Emiratis’ is unhelpful and
counter-productive. The government
wants to ensure we are upholding
Samie Al-Achrafi, UAE-Based Global
Culture Change Expert
Our obsession
with ‘points’ and
‘numbers of Emiratis’
is unhelpful and
counter-productive.
our commitments to the country
that charters our right to operate, by
being fair and equitable and building
a sustainable, knowledge-based
economy. They desire Emiratis to
have access to a wide range of career
paths, living a life of meaning and
significance, whilst creating an even
finer UAE for the next generation.”
Is it financial? Are locals offered
higher wages abroad? “I’ve held
senior nationalisation positions in
the private and public sectors and,
in my experience, money can only
attract and retain in the short-term.
Bespoke development aligned to the
strategy and purpose with robust
reinforcement and embedding goes
much further in responding effectively
to the challenge,” concludes AlAchrafi.
- Will Rankin
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Can The Retail Industry
Appeal To Emirati Youth?
Only a few industries can claim to offer the flexibility and variety of career
streams that retail does.
Mubarak Alshamsi, Director General of ACTVET, During a Site Visit
to One of YES to Work Participating Outlets.
F
rom running a market stall to
managing a souvenir shop,
or even heading a global
conglomerate, the choices
in the retail landscape
are endless. Sociable personalities
can work directly with customers;
quieter types can plan away business
strategies in the back office.
Perhaps one of the biggest draws
of the retail industry is the degree of
flexibility that it offers through shift
patterns. Such an environment can be
ideal for many, especially those with
family commitments, as well as people
who like to work when others are at
leisure and pursue their own interests
when others are working.
Despite these exciting prospects,
few Emiratis consider retail as a
serious career option, perceiving jobs
in the sector as inherently demeaning
and lacking in status, and favouring
government employment instead.
“For far too long, stubborn
misperceptions have persisted about
retail and the jobs our industry
provides,” says Matthew Shay,
president and CEO of the National
Retail Federation. The truth is that
retail jobs equip workers with valuable
skills that are vital for success in
today’s service economy, he adds.
MINDSET CHANGE
In the last few years, a major shift
has started to take place – more
Emiratis are showing interest in
retail and considering a career in
the industry. This change in attitude
can be largely attributed to the
Young Emiratis Start (YES) to Work,
a national initiative that encourages
UAE national students to engage in
the private sector by offering them
short-term work placements in retail
outlets.
Launched in 2013 by the Abu Dhabi
Centre for Technical and Vocational
Education and Training (ACTVET),
the program runs each summer and
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
21
As many as 2,500
young Emiratis have
benefitted from
the YES to Work
program since its
launch.
winter during school breaks and
involves 10 retail partners in 308
different locations across the UAE.
The partners comprise almost all
of the UAE’s retail giants, including
Carrefour, Abu Dhabi Cooperative
Society, Juma Al Majid Group,
Landmark Group, M.H. Alshaya Co., Al
Futtaim, Chalhoub Group, Sharaf DG,
among others.
Mubarak Al Shamsi on a Site Visit to Sharaf DG in Al Ain
“We’re giving students the chance
to work in the retail sector to bring
them closer to society, to develop
their leadership skills, and to enable
them to experience what it feels like
to be on the other side,” Mubarak Al
Shamsi, deputy director general of
ACTVET, said during a site visit to the
participating outlets.
Once selected, a student receives
one week’s training, followed by
on-the-job experience for two weeks
through morning or evening shifts.
After the three weeks, they leave with
a financial reward and a qualification
in retail services accredited by the
UAE National Qualification Authority
(NQA). This qualification holds three
transferrable credits that can be used
in future studies.
“We usually attract candidates by
meeting with them directly at schools
and universities, and through social
media,” says Adel Arafa, media officer
at Emirates Skills, a program under
ACTVET focused on raising awareness
of career-oriented technical and
vocational education among young
Emiratis.
YES to Work Students
Nahyan Khalifa, A Participant in YES to Work
22
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Mubarak Al Shamsi On a Site Visit to One of YES to
Work Participating Outlets
In its sixth and latest campaign,
which ran from 20 December 2015
to 7 January 2016, YES to Work
selected 800 Emirati male and female
students in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai,
Sharjah and Ajman and placed them
in positions across 10 industrial
and commercial companies. This
represents a 14% increase compared
to the summer program of 2014,
which attracted 700 students.
Altogether, as many as 2,500 young
Emiratis have benefitted from the
YES to Work program since its launch.
However, with all participants still at
school or university, the possibility
of settling for a full-time position
after the program is highly unlikely,
although it could motivate them to do
so after graduation
“The students are too young [for
permanent placements], although
the initiative made them think
Landmark Group,
one of YES to Work
retail partners, plans
to spend Dh150
million to open 15
UAE outlets over the
next three years.
about working in the retail sector
and starting up their own projects
someday. Also, many of the retailers
showed interest in employing them
full-time.”
A BOOMING INDUSTRY
Who wouldn’t want to join an
industry that’s growing at an average
rate of seven percent every year? From
about Dh160.5 billion in 2015, retail
sales in the UAE are forecast to reach
Dh197.2 billion this year, according to
data from Euromonitor International.
Moreover, in 2014, the country was
ranked as the fourth most lucrative
retail market in the world by the
Global Retail Development Index.
In the mid-term, the UAE’s
flourishing tourism sector and high
per-capita income, along with its
quality infrastructure and ease of
operation, will continue to provide
ideal conditions for retail growth in the
country.
Landmark Group for instance, one
of YES to Work retail partners, plans
to spend Dh150 million to open 15
UAE outlets over the next three
years, primarily in Abu Dhabi and the
Northern Emirates. Regionally, the
chain expects to invest about Dh1
billion to establish 75 stores, after
which it intends to employ over 20,000
people.
The UAE’s
flourishing tourism
sector and high percapita income will
continue to provide
ideal conditions for
retail growth in the
country.
Similarly, retail franchise operator
M.H. Al Shaya Co. – nother YES to
Work partner – created 2,000 jobs
when it opened 42 different brands at
Yas Mall in late 2014. With more than
3,000 stores, cafes and restaurants
in its portfolio, Alshaya has been
an innovator in retail franchising,
bringing brands such as Mothercare,
H&M, Debenhams, Starbucks and The
Cheesecake Factory to Middle East
consumers.
Being part of Absher – the
government initiative that aims to
increase the participation of Emiratis
in the private sector – YES to Work
ultimately has the same objective. But
regardless of what students decide
to do next, or whether they join the
public or private sector, they will have
gained invaluable experience, which
should give them an edge in today’s
competitive job market.
And in a society where parents often
support their children in their financial
requirements, summer jobs and
part-time work help foster a culture
of independence and self-reliance
among young people – all which will
positively reflect on their professional
performance in the long run.
- Heba Hashem
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
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24
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Transitioning MBAs
Beyond The Classroom
MBA students who are exposed to real-life business scenarios are the
ones who are getting the greatest value out of their degrees.
C
lassroom theory is no longer
sufficient on its own to
prepare MBA students for
the real business world.
Academic institutions are
now expected to do more to integrate
practice into their MBA curricula,
enabling students to embrace an
innovative and entrepreneurial ethos
that they can bring into the workplace.
In the UK, a staggering 90% of
leading employers surveyed by the
Association of Business Schools (ABS)
in 2014 agreed that embedding work
experience within courses would make
students more employable.
“A period of extended, meaningful
work experience that is embedded
in the course enables students to
develop business skills (learn by
doing), apply the theory that they
learned in the classroom and reflect
on it, and also to develop a more
realistic view of the broader world of
work,” according to ABS’s 21st Century
Leaders report.
school has embedded two aspects in
the SLE: technology and sustainability.
“We live in a highly digitized,
information-rich world, a knowledgebased economy where technology is
the enabler. So we need to instill in
the students that technology is an
integrated part of any business.”
“We are also very conscious of the
environment and our carbon footprint,
so whichever project the student
decides to do in their MBA, they
have to explain how sustainability
is going to be addressed and what
effect will their business have on the
environment,” Dr. Abonamah added.
Abu Dhabi School of Management
(ADSM), a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi
Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
is the only academic institution in
the GCC region that incorporates the
Signature Learning Experience (SLE)
into its MBA, which is delivered in
association with London’s Imperial
College Business School. This 9-unit
experiential course, embedded
throughout the MBA program, gives
students the opportunity to apply
knowledge acquired in the classroom
to develop an innovative business
idea.
Sophia Korayim, who is the SLE
advisor and the director of the Center
of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
at ADSM, commented: “We have
enhanced the standard MBA
curriculum with practical management
experience to better equip graduates
with skills that they need to become
outstanding decision makers.”
“The SLE is a unique model offered
at ADSM. It encourages MBA students
to take action, solve real problems
and reflect upon the outcomes, which
helps them develop mental flexibility
and resilience. Such skills do not
come from textbooks, but from direct
engagement with today’s complex
business environment.”
ELECTRICITY USAGE APP
A SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
Today, business schools all over the
world are starting to include out-ofclassroom experience and engage
students with industry. In one such
school, practical experience is not an
option; it is a compulsory course.
According to Dr. Abdullah
Abonamah, president of ADSM, the
Hamad Dalmook,
an MBA student at ADSM
The SLE proved to be invaluable
to Hamdan Al Mulla, who together
with team members Ahmed Al Zaabi,
Asmaa Yousef, and Abeer Al Mansoori
proposed a mobile app that can detect
a consumer’s real-time usage of water
and electricity. Al Mulla was among
17 MBA students who showcased
their early-stage projects in December
2015, after developing them over a
period of 15 months through the SLE.
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
25
Abu Dhabi School of Magangement
“Our idea is for an app that would
increase people’s awareness of their
water and electricity consumption.
This app would obtain data from Abu
Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority,
and we as a company would put it into
a software that can inform customers
about their daily usage,” explained Al
Mulla.
“The UAE has one of the highest
water consumption rates per capita,
about 550 litres per day. Likewise,
electricity usage per capita is very
high, between 20 and 30 kilowatthours per day. By putting knowledge
into consumers’ hands, we would
encourage them to cut down on
their consumption. Also, if they were
traveling and saw activity on their app,
they would be alerted of a potential
leakage at home.”
To get feedback on their idea, the
team visited the General Secretariat
of the Executive Council, which is the
authority entrusted with proposing
Abu Dhabi’s general policies and
strategies. The Council referred them
to the Regulation and Supervision
Bureau (RSB), the independent
regulatory body for the emirate’s
water and electricity sector.
“The RSB liked our proposal and
said they will look into it. Based on
our studies and estimates, we can
start the project with a capital of
Dh100,000,” said Al Mulla, adding
that the concept was considerably
narrowed down over the course of the
SLE. While originally, the team planned
to cover the whole of Abu Dhabi
with their app, as they researched, it
became apparent that this would be
unrealistic.
“We discovered that different tariffs
apply for locals and expatriates and
we cannot request data on people’s
nationalities, so we redefined our
project to focus on local residents.
We also found that industrial
and commercial rates differed, so
we agreed to concentrate on the
residential sector. What I personally
learnt from the SLE is that the more
you plan and research, the higher your
chances of success will be and the
less likely you will face unexpected
circumstances.”
MAKING USE OF PALM FIBRE
Meanwhile, a collection of ecofriendly items adorned one of the
exhibits at ADSM. Unlike products
made from date palms fronds, these
items, which included baskets and
bracelets, were made from a much
tougher part of the tree – the fibre.
“We discovered that the UAE has
about 40 million date palms. While
fronds are reserved for companies
We want to recycle and reuse paper. Recycling
one ton of paper can save around 682.5 gallons
of oil, 26,500 litres of water, and 17 trees.
26
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
ton of paper can save around 682.5
gallons of oil, 26,500 litres of water,
and 17 trees.”
Muna Al Tamimi, an MBA student at ADSM
to make products out of, fibres are
usually burnt, which heavily pollutes
the air,” explained team member Dalal
Al Qubaisi.
“We want to recycle date palm fibre
and utilize it, thereby reducing this
pollution. In India, there is a machine
that can produce ropes out of coconut
palm, so we could use it in the same
way but for date palm. We can also
provide the material to entities
such as the Family Development
Foundation in the UAE, who could
then give it to elderly women to create
handmade products and make profit.”
Al Qubaisi’s team estimates the
project would require Dh500,000 to
cover the costs of a farm, machinery,
and about 10 workers. Agreements
would then have to be secured with
the municipality in order to provide
them with the palm trees.
“At first, we didn’t even realize
we could make products out of this
material, but through the SLE, we
carried out research and visited the
UAE’s older generation, who informed
us that they used to make many
things out of date palm fibre.” The
team also visited several relevant
events and exhibitions, such as Al
Dhafra Festival, which is dedicated
to the protection of the country’s
historical heritage.
A PLACE FOR PAPER WASTE
For Hamad Dalmook, an MBA
student at ADSM, the SLE was a
journey that helped him understand
how to turn an idea into a promising
endeavour. “Our project proposes the
collection of paper waste from firms,
schools, and universities, recycling
it, and then using it to manufacture
things like home accessories,
handbags, artwork and even small
furniture,” he said.
The four-member team, which
included Nisreen Ahnish, Arar Ateeq,
and Saoud Ateeq, found that 50%
of waste generated by businesses
consisted of paper. “We want to
recycle and reuse paper. Recycling one
What I learnt from the Signature Learning
Experience is that the more you plan and
research, the higher your chances of success
will be.
At first, Dalbook’s team was
interested in reusing plastic, but
through the SLE, they discovered that
commercial plastic recycling was far
too common; hence their switch to
paper. They also reconsidered the
logistics– while initially the idea was
to collect the paper waste themselves,
they eventually concluded it would be
more cost-effective for businesses to
drop off their unwanted paper.
“To start the project, we would
require Dh740,000, which would cover
marketing, labour and machinery. We
expect to break even in the second
year if things go as planned,” explained
Dalbook. “Through the SLE, we’ve
learnt how to start our own business,
from shaping an idea and identifying
market demand, to transforming
the concept into something you can
actually do.”
HEALTH-CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY
Similar dedication was shown by
Muna Al Tamimi, who led a team
of four to develop a concept for
a holistic wellbeing centre in Abu
Dhabi. According to her, the late
Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, the first UAE
president, tasked his government
with building capabilities in health and
social welfare, seeing UAE citizens as
instrumental to the nation’s collective
success. “
“That’s why he established Zayed
Sports City,” she said. “But today,
it has become more of a leisurely
destination than a health-oriented
one. Our project – Aura Wellbeing
Centre – aims to nurture the mind,
body and soul. I I have undertaken
numerous courses in meditation, yoga,
reiki, and hypnotherapy throughout
India, Malaysia and Dubai, and
feel confident about this project’s
success.”
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
I was very distant from financial planning; now
I know how to prepare a feasibility study.
As part of the SLE, the team
interviewed therapists in the UAE
and overseas, gathered information
about the approvals they would need,
and worked out ways to market the
new venue. Their research revealed
that the majority of today’s physical
problems stem from psychological
issues, including obesity and
addictions. Moreover, they found that
the local medical tourism industry was
worth around $100 billion, indicating
huge potential for their project.
Al Tamimi admitted that the concept
was initially much larger and perhaps
unrealistic. “About one year ago, we
envisioned it as a complete island,
but that would require a significant
investment. So we changed the idea
to a centre, which led to a massive
reduction in capital costs, from Dh25
million to Dh620,000,” she explained.
“We will still give the island proposal
and associated feasibility study to the
government as a social contribution.”
An entrepreneur at heart, Al Tamimi
already runs her own fashion and
beauty businesses, yet her commercial
awareness remarkably improved after
the SLE. “I was distant from financial
planning; now I know how to prepare
a feasibility study. Even the modules
we covered in the MBA helped,
because we had to think about how
Whichever project
the student decides
to do in their MBA,
they have to explain
how sustainability
is going to be
addressed.
to apply every subject to our project,
be it accounting, strategy, or decision
analysis.”
FOOD DEHYDRATION
Another health-conscious project
invited attendants to sample a
colourful selection of snacks, including
potatoes and orange slices, which had
been dried using a food dehydrator.
This device uses a heat source –
electric, solar or biomass – and air flow
to reduce the water content of food
and aid in its preservation.
Removing moisture restrains
various bacteria from growing and
spoiling food, thereby extending
their shelf life. However, the biggest
advantage of food dehydration is
that it retains nearly 100% of the
vitamins and minerals in fresh food
in a remarkable array of concentrated
flavours, while inhibiting the growth of
bacteria.
“Food dehydrators exist in places
such as the UK and the U.S. but
mostly in India. We want to establish
a local project, by UAE nationals, using
a larger version of this device,” said
Sarah Al Matrooshi, one of the team
members behind the project. “We
conducted a survey of 100 people
and found that oranges, apples and
berries were the most popular dried
foods. There is also high demand for
nutritious food because people have
become more health conscious.”
Dehydrated potatoes seemed like
a bizarre choice for a healthy snack.
However, Hilal Al Junaibi, another team
member, explained that the product
would be used in a different way, by
adding water onto it to create instant
mashed potatoes.
27
“We experimented with a variety
of fruits and vegetables, and tried
to dehydrate kiwi but it didn’t work.
Although you can find it on the market,
they apparently retain its shape by
using preservatives,” said Al Junaibi.
“On the other hand, we succeeded
in dehydrating jalapenos. The end
product can live up to 30 years and
is very nutritious; we found scientific
evidence to support that.”
To get the idea off the ground,
the team would need to purchase a
large-scale food dehydrator, available
on western markets. They estimate
the start-up capital to be Dh7 million,
of which Dh1.5 million would be
invested in machinery and the rest in
infrastructure and labour. “The SLE
took us through the entire project step
by step,” commented Al Matrooshi.
“For example, we initially wanted to
market the products in magazines,
but were advised to use social media
channels as they would be faster. We
were also advised to create a strategy
for manufacturing and distribution.”
ADSM’s graduate students
represent a variety of industries from
both the private and government
sector, and the MBA approach is
helping them develop entrepreneurial
skills that they can use whether they
continue in their current occupations
or set up their businesses one day.
“Our vision is to become the hub
for entrepreneurship and innovation
in the UAE and the Middle East,”
concludes Dr. Abonamah. “The
majority of our students at ADSM are
Emirati, nearly 99 percent, so we are
committed to Emiratization and will
continue to be a major contributor to
the development of UAE nationals.
- Heba Hashem
28
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Fast-Track Employment
Attracts Top Talents
There’s no quicker way for a fresh graduate to join a leading organisation
than by enrolling in a fast-track programme.
T
hese employment schemes,
which have been sprouting
up in the UAE in recent
years, are drawing a large
number of candidates and
enabling companies such as Etihad, du
and Microsoft to identify and recruit
the very best performers.
Let’s face it. Competition in today’s
job market is inevitable. Multinationals
and large organisations in general
receive hundreds, if not thousands,
of applications every month. But not
all doors are closed. Straightforward
recruitment programmes are being
launched on a regular basis to take
students on board, train them and
potentially hire them, depending on
their performance.
AWARD-WINNING INITIATIVE
One of the largest such schemes
in the UAE is Etihad Airways’ Future
Leaders, which was awarded the
“Nationalisation Initiative of the Year”
at the MENA HR Excellence Awards
last year. The program graduated
280 students in October 2015, mainly
Ibrahim Nassir, Chief Human Resources at du
Emiratis, and placed them into 200
different careers with the airline.
It was the biggest number to pass
through the airline’s fast-track
programme.
The graduating class consisted of
86 cadet pilots, 82 technical engineers,
37 graduate managers, 13 airport
operations managers, five sales
managers, 53 graduates from Fursati
Foundation and four from Etihad’s
graduate management programme,
Sabre. Fursati, operated in partnership
with Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council,
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
29
Etihad Airways team at the MENA HR Excellence Awards 2015, including Fatma Al Ali,
Head of UAE National Development, Ray Gammell, Chief People and Performance Officer,
and Wissam Hachem, VP Learning and Development.
is looking to recruit more than 500
Emiratis in the next two years for
entry-level positions with the airline.
“As a political science graduate,
I chose to expand my experience
by working in a politically oriented
department within Etihad Airways
and I joined the Department of
Government and Aeropolitical Affairs,”
says Ahmed Al Jeneibi, one of the
graduates sponsored by Etihad. “I
am grateful to Etihad Airways for
investing in me and look forward to
progressing even further among the
airline ranks.”
Etihad already employs more
than 2,700 Emiratis across its global
operations, and they are currently
the number one nationality group in
the airline. However, the carrier aims
to speed up its employment over the
next four years to recruit more than
6,000 nationals by 2020.
“Etihad Airways is a people business
and we need dedicated, hardworking
and passionate employees to
maintain our position as the world’s
leading airline,” says Ray Gammell,
Etihad Airways’ chief people and
Telecom operator du gives the opportunity
for UAE nationals every year to continue their
education free of charge.
30
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Mohamed Al Mansoori celebrated as Etihad Airways’ 2000th Emirati employee
by the airline’s Emirati workforce
performance officer. “Emiratisation
is fundamental to this process and
remains the number one priority of
the HR division.”
A SCHOLARSHIP ROUTE
In the telecommunications industry,
du is a role model for fast-track
employment, having partnered with
the American University in Dubai
(AUD) to offer full-time scholarships
to Emirati high school graduates and
potential jobs thereafter.
Under the Dh5 million agreement
that was sealed in 2013, du gives the
opportunity for UAE nationals every
year to continue their education free
of charge, with priority given to high
performers without funds, disabled
people, and single parents. The
scholarship supports seven bachelor
majors, including communications
and information studies, interior
design, civil engineering, and computer
engineering.
“At du, we believe that students
are the bedrock for a sustainable
knowledge based economy, and
providing them with the tools to
succeed allows us to make a positive
contribution to our country and its
people,” says Ibrahim Nassir, chief
human capital and administration
officer at du. “This scholarship offers
Emiratis a workplace advantage by
refining their career path, knowledge
and skills,” he added.
Etihad Airways aims to to recruit more than
6,000 nationals by 2020
And there’s another incentive –
those who excel in their grades could
be eligible to join du’s Masar Graduate
Trainee Programme, where they
would receive coaching, a personal
development plan, and training to
allow them to progress within the
company. To be eligible for one of
these limited scholarships, however, a
student must have an 80% minimum
pass rate in their final exams.
In 2015, the scholarship was
initially made available to 20 Emirati
high school graduates, before being
expanded to accept 22, of which
59 percent were females. Nassir
explains that du was so overwhelmed
with the sheer talent of applicants
and the turnout, that they had “no
choice but to extend the scope of the
scholarship” that year. “Once again,
we are setting the benchmark and we
hope to inspire entities throughout the
UAE to take a similar approach.”
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
At du, we believe that students are the bedrock
for a sustainable knowledge based economy.
31
After this period, ADSIC and
Microsoft will work together to
handpick a shortlist of the best
candidates, who will be invited to
apply for the Microsoft Academy for
College Hires. This two-year program
aims to hire university graduates into
full-time positions within marketing,
sales, services, IT and operations.
“At Microsoft, we believe that
building human capacity is central
to sustaining economies around the
world. With more than 28 percent of
the population in the Middle East aged
between 15 and 29, the potential of
this generation can be harnessed by
empowering all young people with the
necessary entrepreneurial skills,” says
Samer Abu-Ltaif, general manager for
Microsoft’s Gulf subsidiary.
(L-R) Hamed Alredha and Ahmed Haisan,
Etihad Airways’ Emirati graduate trainee engineers.
A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT
Indeed, Etihad and du’s programs
seem to have galvanized other UAE
institutions. During the Tawdheef
career fair of 2015, Abu Dhabi
Transmission & Despatch Company
(TRANSCO) launched an 18-month
work readiness programme to help
develop trainees’ skills and provide
them with accreditation upon
completion.
The initiative is expected to “provide
a solid technical foundation for
aspiring young Emiratis who wish
to build successful careers in energy
and water sectors”, according to
TRANSCO’s human resource and
administration manager Hayyah Al Ali.
Meanwhile, a select group of
science, technology, engineering
and mathematics students in
Abu Dhabi will be expediting their
career paths through Microsoft’s
Developer Experience. Thanks to
a recent agreement between Abu
Dhabi Systems and Information
Centre (ADSIC) and Microsoft, the
multinational technology company
will train 50 UAE nationals for three
months.
Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Company
launched an 18-month work readiness
programme during Tawdheef job fair.
“Our collaboration with ADSIC is
a significant step toward this, as it
provides young UAE nationals with
skills that are in line with current
market trends and gives them
the competence to become selfemployed."
Fast-track employment programs
are evidently delivering value to both
sides. On one hand, they’re providing
fresh graduates access to quality
training and careers with pioneering
firms, and on the other, they’re
enabling employers to recruit the best
talents in their fields.
With the UAE Vision 2021 aspiring
to increase the number of Emiratis in
the private sector by tenfold, and with
the Expo 2020 approaching, it is very
likely that we will see more companies
adopt such schemes in the next five
years.
- Heba Hashem
32
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
The Rise Of The
Freelance Economy
Making the switch from full time to freelance can be a daunting experience.
But with everything from start-up incubators to diverse trade licensing
options being established, the UAE offers the glowing opportunity you
have been waiting for.
W
aking up at noon.
Sending out official
emails in your
comfiest pajamas.
Hitting the usually
hectic gym while everyone else is at
the office. Being your own boss. This
is the dream that many people believe
is a freelance professional's reality.
With websites like Nabbesh dedicated
to exclusively helping the freelance
economy progress, maybe the
traditional nine to five is about to face
an impending extinction. Or maybe
freelancing is just the current flavor of
the month, with another career trend
looming around the corner.
UPGRADING TO OFFICE 2.0
While industries like journalism
and design seem to commonly boast
a freelance status, it isn't restricted
to just that. You'll increasingly notice
business cards from fitness trainers
to bakers with “freelancer” stamped
on them. With the internet having
skyrocketed, working as a company
made of one is becoming a popular
Gone are the days
when the youth
fantasized about an
office with a view on
the executive floor.
choice of lifestyle. A traditional
receptionist can now be replaced
with a smart office – a service that
streamlines calls and portrays
professionalism, a secretary's
responsibilities can now be juggled by
a virtual assistant and your cubicle can
be updated to a virtual office – a chic
meeting room and desk that's yours
whenever you need it.
Gone are the days when the youth
fantasized about an office with a view
on the executive floor. The millennials
of today have different ambitions
on their bucket list. According to a
study reported in Forbes, only 13% of
interviewed candidates claimed they
wanted to climb the corporate ladder
to becoming CEO.
The “you can be whoever you want
to be” belief that parents instill in
their young children is massively
conspicuous in Generation Y. And this
drive is further fueled by the success
stories of Mark Zuckerberg and Steve
Jobs. A mortgage, steady job and
picket fence have now been replaced
by travel the world, obtain financial
freedom and launch own business.
“I got sick of the nine to five rat race
and the nature of office work. I just
don’t think it’s for everyone and feel
that model might be dying anyway. I
wanted the freedom to work on varied
projects, work my own hours, and get
some work-life balance,” comments
Emma Procter – a freelance journalist
and editor in Dubai. She is also
co-founder of Blowfish Media, a
company that offers a fresh twist on
Ibrahim Hanif, Freelance Comedian in the UAE
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
33
With great freedom
comes great
responsibility, one of
them is getting your
bills paid on time.
Emma Procter,
Freelance Journalist and
Editor in the UAE
how businesses are developed and
promoted in the region.
“Plus, freelancing as a writer allows
you the time to work on more inspiring
projects. One day a client could be a
cosmetic company, next day a security
consultant, the next day you’re writing
for travel magazine! Plus, if you want
to go to the beach in the day and work
in the evening you can.”
FROM ACORN TO OAK TREE
Recognizing the growing number of
start-up concepts in the region, Silicon
Oasis in Dubai and Flat6Labs in Abu
Dhabi have established incubators
that give these ideas a foundation.
Upon analyzing a candidate's business
plan and team, they receive everything
from funding to training to help
make their start up successful. Some
companies offer additional perks
like expert mentoring, networking
opportunities and office space. As
for positive outcomes, the regionally
renowned Bayt.com was once a startup concept nestled under Flat6Labs'
wing.
With great freedom
comes great
responsibility, one of
them is getting your
bills paid on time.
Ibrahim Hanif,
Freelance Comedian in the UAE
TwoFour54, the commercial arm of
Abu Dhabi’s Media Zone Authority, is
taking this to the next level with its
entrepreneurship scheme. Primarily
targeting Emirati professionals, this
scheme allows young thinkers to
launch their ideas at a minimal cost.
Dodging the need to rent an office
space of your own, the scheme
offers a media zone license, shared
work station, staff visas and
help with business development.
Freelancers are invited to apply for
six to 12-month sole-proprietor
business licenses. TwoFour54 is
keen on encouraging entrepreneurial
enthusiasm. For freelancers who
want to run a single-person company,
a trade license needs to be on your
checklist. Those who aren't residents
may become one through these
licenses.
DRAWBACKS OF THE DREAM
With great freedom comes great
responsibility, one of them is
getting your bills paid on time. The
regional freelance industry is in its
adolescence, and this comes with a
batch of teething problems. Securing
regular work and getting paid in a
timely manner, if at all, being some of
the issues.
“Making people laugh at my jokes
as opposed to my income and
freelance licensing complications that
slow down our bookings” are some
challenges that comedian, Ibrahim
Hanif, describes as part of being a
freelancer in the region. He claims
the local comedy scene has some
maturing to do, and that comedians
like himself are just getting started.
While he mostly gets repeated
booking, Hanif offers fellow
freelancers a nugget of advice,
“Sometimes comedians refer you to
paid gigs. Free open mics are where
you hone your sets. The structured
path is through agents. But always
remember, you cannot rely on one
source for bookings”.
Procter sheds some light on the
financial side of freelancing, “The
downside [of freelancing] is billing
people and getting them to pay on
time – but I find a payment upfront
system, or at least part payment,
is the best answer – and trying to
develop relationships with ongoing
clients for a bit of security”.
When it comes to imparting wisdom
on the subject, she says “My big
advice for those wanting to start on
this path is do your research of your
particular market first and see what’s
missing. Go and meet clients when
you can face to face as they’ll build a
relationship with you, and finally be a
bit flexible – you may have to expand
your offering to get work in”.
With tools like LinkedIn, business
incubators, freelance networking
hubs, and versatile trading options;
the UAE will remain a goldmine of
opportunities for anyone looking to
escape the nine to five.
- Nichole Charles Miranda
34
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
One Door With Many Keys
A degree from a prestigious university might not be the only ticket to your
dream career. Modern employers are on the lookout for everything, from
a sense of humor to lateral thinkers.
S
tudents around the world
are motivated to pine for
the best grades in order to
obtain the best job when
they're out of school. Back
in the day, your choice of university
decided the company you would work
at. Now it could be anything from
having an amusing Twitter feed to
being able to write with both hands.
While the employment industry
hasn't lost its professional edge, it has
started taking itself less seriously and
its candidates more seriously.
McKinsey and Company, a global
management consulting firm, recently
reported on an unusual imbalance
– fresh graduates are struggling to
find jobs while companies can't seem
to find skilled employees. Now that
every office is equipped with super
computers, human employees need
to specialize in being...human. This
means being able to perform one's job
properly while also being conducive
to a healthy office environment. Does
a sterling GPA determine your future
career, or does it take more than that?
Steven Rothberg, President & Founder of College Recruiter
GET HIRED FOR BEING YOURSELF
When asked about the company
of their dreams, students and recent
graduates mentioned household
names like Google, Apple, Walt
Disney - Pixar and Merrill Lynch. But
most of them feel they currently lack
the sufficient experience to land a
position at these firms. With globally
renowned companies like Buzzfeed
hiring someone new every single
day, employer expectations have
diversified.
The Emirates Nationals Development Program
plans to lower the number of job seekers in
Dubai to less than one percent by 2021.
“I don't need people to come in
having memorized every article, list,
and quiz we've done in the last 30
days. However, I do think it's important
to know about BuzzFeed's story and a
little bit about our growth. But rather
than having knowledge about us, I
want you to have experience with
us. Talk about if you've posted in the
community, what quiz really spoke to
you and made you want to share it,
or tell me about a story that you read
that surprised you”, Joel Greengrass,
senior vice president of talent,
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
shares in a digital conversation with
Cosmopolitan.
While he does admit to occasionally
glancing at college grades, the subject
has never surfaced in an interview.
What Greengrass looks for in an ideal
candidate is creativity, individuality
and passion for the company.
Similarly, Google dodges the classic
“Tell us a little about yourself” and
challenges potential employees with
mind boggling riddles. With no correct
answer, the company aims to analyze
a person's unique thought process
when encountered with a puzzle.
EDUCATION ARBITRAGE
Entrepreneur and CEO, Dusty
Wunderlich, feels hiring strategies
that focus solely on degrees are
archaic and should be extinct in the
modern age. As he fosters success
and culture at his rapidly growing
alternative consumer financing startup, education merit is one of the final
indicators to influence his decision
making in team building. He explains
the concept of education arbitrage.
“The term education arbitrage
means different things to different
people. For employers, it refers to the
inefficiency in value between higher
education and work productivity in the
marketplace. But for the student, it’s
about the disparity between higher
education and earning potential. Most
recently, education arbitrage has
been used to describe the imbalance
between supply and demand in our
labor markets”, he elaborates. “If
The truth is that
education can either
be a deal maker or
breaker, depending
on the industry.
Hiring strategies
that focus solely
on degrees are
archaic and should
be extinct in the
modern age.
we don’t take action to correct this
imbalance soon, the negative effects
of arbitrage will plague us for decades
or more”, he continues.
Wunderlich believes that education
might ironically be making people
less intelligent. In the fifth grade, his
teacher considered placing him in the
remedial unit because he didn't meet
the rigid institutional standards. This
placed education as a pseudo-priority
in his hiring process. He also believes
the most valuable education can be
acquired outside the classroom and
inside a cubicle. Practical experience
ranks high on his list of enjoyability
tips and tricks.
POSITIVE NUMBERS IN THE UAE
As a leading platform for events
associated with technology, the
region is evolving into a bustling
hub renowned for technology. The
rapid germination of start-ups and
entrepreneurial endeavors leaves
the UAE with better employment
statistics than the rest of the world.
The number of female graduates in
the country outnumber the male, but
they still find themselves unemployed.
This has been the topic of heated
debates for years, and is now changing
with the integration of women in the
industry.
The glass ceiling has a crack in it and
will soon be completely shattered as
women emerge in prominent roles.
Incubators and young companies are
looking to hire in their immediate
community, which introduces greater
opportunities for local candidates.
35
The Emirates Nationals Development
Program has also announced plans
to lower the number of job seekers
in Dubai to less than one percent by
2021. Industry investigators predict a
spike of 80 million and 100 million jobs
in the following decade. The numbers
only get more optimistic with the Expo
2020.
STAY IN SCHOOL
The truth is that education can
either be a deal maker or breaker,
depending on the industry. President
and founder of College Recruiter,
Steven Rothberg, explains “There are
some who say that a college degree
today is as important as a high school
degree was decades ago. There are
others, largely within the tech and
entrepreneurial ranks, who argue that
a college degree is vastly overrated.”
“The reality is college is critical for
some and detrimental to others,”
Rothberg adds. “Most of the majors
at the vast majority of colleges and
universities deliver the skills to
their students that they need to be
successful in their careers. But that
doesn't mean that every student
receives the skills they need. Many,
unfortunately, attend great schools
but are in the wrong majors.”
Education has adopted diverse
forms in the age of information
explosion. A classroom desk and
chair is no longer the only medium
that can produce a graduate. Current
students have access to an array of
options ranging from distance learning
to autodidact education via openlearning. While this offers a doorway
to exciting possibilities, a pragmatic
outlook is recommended. For instance,
an online crash course in human
anatomy won't lead to a blooming
career in healthcare. Similarly, creative
coding applications may offer cuttingedge practice that enhances your
related skill set. An enthusiastic blend
of academic and practical experience is
thus a winning combination.
- Nichole Charles Miranda
36
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
The Power of Coaching
C
orporate coaching is a
dynamic tool to accelerate
leadership development
at all levels. Extensively
used across western
organisations, the practice only
started to be adopted in the Middle
East recently as multinationals
sourced coaches for their senior
managements. Nic WoodthorpeWright, managing director of the UAE
based WWA Corporate Coaching and
former president of the International
Coach Federation’s Dubai Chapter,
shares his insights on the executive
coaching and the value it can deliver
for regional firms.
Can you explain in a nutshell what
does WWA Coaching do and with
whom do you work?
As an organisation we currently
have more than 30 certified executive
coaches in the GCC region; most of
whom have lived here for many years.
We’re aligned with the International
Coach Federation (ICF), which is the
largest governing body of coaching in
the world with 27,000 members. We
work across the region and are the
preferred supplier for companies like
HSBC, Siemens, and Intercontinental
Hotels Group. They were among the
first companies to recognize coaching
as an important tool in their leadership
development process. We also work
with semi-government and privatesector organisations.
Nic Woodthorpe-Wright, Managing Director of WWA Corporate Coaching
Based on your experience, would
you say that the concept of coaching
has taken off in the region?
The Middle East is not completely
different from the rest of the world,
but there are some subtleties in the
culture. A coach with that knowledge
and awareness can provide more
effective coaching. In the last four
or five years, multinationals with
experience in Europe and the U.S. have
been bringing their understanding of
coaching into the region. The systems
are now starting to absorb this and
organisations are looking to integrate
coaching into their HR development
strategies.
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
conservative culture in the region, and
people are finding massive value in
the coaching process.
Some coaches without experience
are reportedly failing their clients.
Why do you think this is happening?
First of all, coaching is not built on
experience, it is built on process. A
coach can work in industries they’ve
never worked in before. For example,
I may have never worked in the
financial arena, but I can work with
very senior people in the financial
industry.
As a coach, I’m effective not because
I bring in my technical expertise; in
fact, you don’t want my technical
expertise, it will ruin your business.
What I bring is an ability to work with
you as a leader and to draw out your
experience, knowledge and wisdom
into the workspace, which you can
then use more effectively. I don’t do
that with experience, I do that with
coaching skills.
Are there any cultural barriers
preventing GCC companies from
hiring coaches?
I’ve found Arab cultures to be very
curious and intrigued by the coaching
process. We work many GCC nationals;
they make up about 50 percent of
the people we work with and I think
that number is going to climb. We
also work in Saudi Arabia, the most
Experience is valuable in the GCC
region for a different reason. We have
a very hierarchal culture, one that
respects authority and experience. But
at the end of the day, organisations
are realizing that if they continue to
work with that hierarchy as it has
been traditionally, they’re going to
have a challenge as the world starts
to change. Coaching is a very powerful
cultural shift that helps people access
much more of the knowledge that sits
within the organisation and to do that
naturally with their processes.
37
Is coaching better suited for top
management then?
Coaching is for every part of an
organisation. When people are
starting to step in to the coaching
space, however, it’s better that they
sample it at the highest level possible,
because they’ll be sending the right
message that coaching is not just for
the junior levels. If seniors have got
it, it becomes an aspirational process
and a lot easier to sell internally.
Also, when the most senior people
have already experienced coaching
and talked about the outcomes
positively, that’s when coaching get
the greatest value. Coaching works
best when people feel excited and
engaged. You put in 100% in, you get
100% out. You put 10% in, and you get
the same out. You have to put in your
own commitment into the process.
How would you advise an
organisation that wants to hire a
quality coach?
As an organisation, when you hire
a coach you’re taking a risk. And you
want to minimize that risk. The best
way to do that is to tick a number
of boxes before you select a coach.
Make sure your coach is certified in a
recognized coaching model; there is a
number of governing bodies out there,
but the ICF is the largest and most
prevalent in the GCC region. From
an ICF point of view, find out their
credentials, such as the number of
hours that they’ve coached for. Then
it’s about chemistry, we’re human
beings so that’s important.
- Heba Hashem
38
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Your Best Employee Role
Model? It’s When You Have
Active, Engaged Managers
“I love this job. The work I do is so interesting and I am finally in a job that I am
learning so much. My problem is that this manager of mine is totally out of control.
Everybody knows it, even her boss, but he just looks the other way. That is why I
am beginning my search. We have lost so many good people over the year I have
been here because they just will not tolerate it.”
T
hat was an interesting
insight I was given the
other day. It caused me
to think of a seminar on
employee engagement I
ran in Cairo a few months back where
one of the participants gave another
interesting insight. They said, “Fire
all the bad managers since that is
where engagement begins.” Applause
erupted.
Whatever your views on bad
managers, and/or engagement for
that matter, it comes down to two
people in the room. The relationship
that managers create with their
team will determine the level of
engagement within your organization.
It starts one connection at a time.
Does your department resemble a
wake?
During my career in corporate HR,
I always noticed departments that
seemed such a good place to be.
You know what I mean — everyone
Ron Thomas, Managing Director of Strategy Focused HR Group
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
laughing, crowded into the manager’s
office, having lunch or coffee together,
having drinks at the end of the day.
On the other hand, you notice
from afar other departments and
the distance of team members,
with everybody going their own way
whether it be to lunch, coffee or
after dinner hanging out. It almost
resembles a wake. Everybody walks
around with their head down trying to
stay below the radar.
You tell me which department you
would want to work in.
In a lot of cases, the managers are
not totally to blame. People were, at
one time, promoted into management
based on their technical skill set.
Top salespeople became the sales
manager.
However, today the ability to
collaborate, mentor, coach, and guide
will have to be the competencies
that determine the selection of your
future managers. The lone wolf whose
mantra is “my way or the highway”
should never be put in charge of
managing a group of people. It is a
recipe for disaster.
As my friend said to me, it can have
a disastrous effect. The new manager
has to understand their importance
in creating an environment where
everyone is connected and, for the
most part, “wants” to be there.
A new style of leadership
development
Going forward, there needs to be a
new style of development to create a
culturally aware manager. This level
of training should start with first level
or new managers and continue up the
leadership food chain. Every person in
charge has to understand their role in
building a culture of engagement
39
Why does one organization, or
department for that matter, get a
reputation as a great place to work,
while another struggles to retain
its employees? You may attract
people, but that does not connect
an individual personally to an
organization.
Needless to say, I did not move any
further along in the selection process.
I was told that HR belongs to the
organization and is the driving force
for the organization’s missions.
The level of commitment and
the willingness of an employee to
recommend their employer to others
is what engagement is all about. The
manager plays the most important
role in that equation. But, those same
managers can make or break an
organization.
My thought then, and has always
been, that our employees are
our internal customers. They are
the key assets in implementing
and maintaining the culture of
engagement that leads to an
organization’s success.
The importance of the engaged
managers
Engaged managers should act as a
positive role model for all employees,
and this strengthens engaged
teams. Engaged managers are more
likely to have an engaged team;
disengaged employees probably have
a disengaged manager, too.
Each team or department needs to
understand how its roles and tasks
fit into the organizational vision.
Remember — each department ties
into the overall organizational vision.
• Engaged managers use a
diversity of skills, experiences, and
backgrounds within the team to
create an enthusiastic and innovative
environment.
• Engaged managers build a climate
of trust within the team.
• Engaged managers see the
individual members of the team and
their skills, and care about them on a
personal level.
I was asked on a job interview
years ago about who did I think was
my customer as head of HR? My
answer was: the employees, and the
organization, with the main focus on
the employee.
Become the maestro of your own
symphony
The driving force behind that prized
asset is the team member in charge of
producing the organization’s results.
That is, it is the supervisor, manager or
executive that leads.
It is their job to become the maestro
of their symphony. The primary duties
of this maestro are to unify each team
member, set the tone and tempo,
listen, and finally, prepare to shape the
sound of their department.
That is not a skill that everyone
has, but it CAN be developed so that
you too can earn your baton and
begin directing your own musical
performance.
Ron Thomas is managing director of
Strategy Focused HR Group, a Dubai
based HR consultancy, and senior
faculty member and representative
of the Human Capital Institute in the
MENA region. He was formerly the
CEO of Great Place to Work-Gulf and
has held senior HR positions with
Xerox HR services, IBM, and Martha
Stewart Living. Thomas received the
Outstanding Leadership Award for
Global HR Excellence at the World
Human Resources Development
Congress in Mumbai, where he was
named as one of the 50 Most Talented
Global HR Leaders in Asia.
40
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
Emiratization
& Youth Employment:
A Legal Perspective
T
he youth of today is
a nation’s strength
of tomorrow; global
growth relies on their
development. Being
employed not only enhances their
financial situation but it teaches
them responsibility, organization,
and time management.
Despite these facts, the crisis
of youth unemployment has been
resonant in our society for a long
time. According to the International
Labour Organisation (ILO), the
unemployment rate is defined as
the “number of unemployed youth
(typically 15 to 24 years old) divided
by the youth labour force (employed
+ unemployed). The unemployment
rate is one of the best known and
most used labour market indicators.
Compared to 2012, the youth
unemployment rate has decreased
by 1.4 percentage points in
Developed Economies and the
European Union in 2015, according
to ILO, and by half a percentage
point or less in Central and SouthEastern Europe (non-EU) and CIS,
Latin America and the Caribbean,
and Sub-Saharan Africa. The
remaining regions – East Asia,
South-East Asia and the Pacific,
the Middle East, and North Africa
– saw an increase in the youth
unemployment rate since 2012 and
a slight dip in 2014, or no change in
the case of South Asia.
Moving to the GCC, the issue
of youth unemployment in the
region must not be overlooked.
Saudi Arabia’s largest bank, National
Commercial Bank (NCB), reported that
unemployment among citizens in the
six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC), the richest in the Arab world,
has remained far higher than the rate
among expatriates. On the other hand,
the economic ramifications of the
worldwide recession and Arab Spring
are stimulating youth unemployment
figures at an alarmingly high rate
in the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA). ILO predicts that youth
unemployment in the Middle East
could increase to 29 percent by 2016,
a rate they have labelled “disturbingly
high”.
In the UAE, the Ministry of
Economy’s Labour Force Survey 2009
estimated that around 200,000 UAE
nationals would reach the working
age by 2020 and at least half of them
were expected to enter the labour
market. This issue should be dealt
with through long- and short-term
intervention programs.
Short-term schemes can include
nationwide programs targeting the
employment of a fixed number of
individuals annually, and can provide
incentives to the employer such as
financial benefits (a percentage of the
salary) for a limited duration. A fund
could also be set up for Emiratization
empowerment, thereby increasing
the demand for the national
labour force and activating related
program. Measures could also be
introduced to reduce foreign labour
fees for companies committed to
Emiratization initiatives. In the longterm, policies can be implemented to
encourage the participation of UAE
nationals in the private sector by
guaranteeing them comprehensive
social protection.
When it comes to Emiratization, the
UAE aims to increase the number of
citizens employed in the private sector
by tenfold by 2021. Indeed, the country
is striving to create a knowledgebased economy pioneered by Emiratis.
In order to move into this direction,
there has to be a shift of employment
from the public to the private
sector, which in turn would enhance
productivity in the public sector itself.
Towards this, the Absher initiative
was launched. The program is based
on four pillars which are: creation of
employment opportunities for UAE
nationals, vocational guidance and
counselling, training and development,
and motivating Emiratis to work in the
private sector. Complementing Absher
are other initiatives and entities
such as Tanmia, the National Human
Resources Employment Authority,
Abu Dhabi Tawteen Counsel, and
the Emirates National Development
Program.
Under the UAE Labour Law, foreign
nationals can be employed only after
getting approval from the Ministry
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
41
Althea Edwina Rozario, Partner and Legal Consultant at The Legal Group
of Labour and if no qualified Emiratis
were found to fill in the vacancy.
Moreover, several Ministerial Orders
have been passed to increase the
employment of citizens, especially
in the private sector. The Ministerial
Orders No. 41, No. 42 and No. 43
impose a quota system on privatesector employers, under which a
company is obliged to recruit a specific
number of citizens to ensure that it
meets the required national workforce
percentage of the total number of
staff.
Currently, the Emiratization quotas
are 2% for commercial entities, 5%
for insurance companies if they
have more than 50 employees, and
4% for banks. The Central Bank and
Insurance Authority have the authority
to decide on the increase every year
for banks and insurance companies
respectively.
The Cabinet Resolution No. (635) of
2008 states that a company with more
than 100 employees should employ
an Emirati public relations officer.
Furthermore, the Council of Ministers
Order No .26 and Ministerial Order
No. 1187 of August and November
2010 respectively offers incentives to
companies adhering to the principles
of Emiratization. These Laws are
not applicable in free zones as such
areas have their own set of rules and
regulations.
The Ministry of Labour could also
block a work permit or residence visa
application from a private company if
it finds that there are UAE nationals
qualified for the post yet unemployed.
Nevertheless, such measures are
seldom enforced. Some authorities,
however, such as the Insurance
Authority, reject the renewal of
commercial licenses when they find
that a company has not met the
Emiratization quota.
In conclusion, the UAE enacts a set
of efficient laws that promote the
employment of citizens as well as
Emirati youth. If UAE nationals utilize
them well, the issue of unemployment
could be largely reduced.
By Althea Edwina Rozario, Partner
and Legal Consultant at The Legal
Group
42
INSIGHT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER
JANUARY - FEBRUARY
- OCTOBER2016
2015
Excellent Sheep
The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life
Author: William Deresiewicz
Publisher: Free Press, 2014
ISBN: 9781476702711
Review
Author William Deresiewicz grew up in a household that valued education, science, the Ivy
League and a brilliant career. He became a professor at Yale University while still in his 30s
(he later quit to become a writer). His fierce indictment of elite colleges, overbearing parents
and driven students comes from firsthand experience. Deresiewicz portrays a system of
higher education in which top colleges pursue only money and prestige, parents push children
mercilessly – largely to bolster their own self-worth – and students (the titular sheep) care
only about the obscene salaries they’ll command on graduation. However, these are not
opinions to take literally. Reflect instead on Deresiewicz’s message; he is passionate and
pushes his arguments to the extreme. He speaks to the rule, not the many exceptions. With
that caveat, getAbstract recommends his call for better values and real learning to parents,
students, employers, professors and those governed by his educated herd.
Overall Rating
8/10
Applicability
7/10
Innovation
8/10
Style
9/10
Learning to Succeed
Rethinking Corporate Education in a World of Unrelenting Change
Author: Jason Wingard
Publisher: AMACOM, 2015
ISBN: 9780814434130
Review
Practices and products that once put your organization at the top of your industry might
now provide for only its basic survival. Global and virtual competition, rapid innovation and
relentless change mean leaders and employees need to learn constantly. Learning requires
curated access to information and knowledge about emerging practices, new technologies,
and political, economic and environmental happenings around the globe. Goldman Sachs
Chief Learning Officer Jason Wingard explains that companies need experts to collect,
process, analyze and disseminate information through training, events, social media and
“learning portals.” Though his arguments slide in spots of muddled writing, getAbstract
recommends Wingard’s valuable eye-opener on learning to executives, CLOs, managers,
start-ups, entrepreneurs and business students.
Overall Rating
8/10
Applicability
8/10
Innovation
7/10
Style
7/10
INSIGHT
INSIGHTMAGAZINE
MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER
JANUARY - -FEBRUARY
OCTOBER 2015
2016
43
The One World School House
Education Reimagined
Authors: Salman Khan
Publisher: Twelve, 2012
ISBN: 9781455508389
Review
Improving schools is one of modern society’s most vexing challenges. Khan Academy founder
Salman Khan, something of a rock star in education, offers a compelling set of instructions.
Test less and demand more. Drop summer vacation. Stop wasting time in useless lectures.
End tracking. Prove that with the right instruction, even slow kids can excel. While Khan’s
prescriptions are intriguing, at times he seems to overestimate school systems’ abilities to
change. Still, given his pioneering role as founder of Khan Academy – a nonprofit offering
free online lessons – his fascinating analysis, if somewhat radical in parts, provides many
possible solutions. getAbstract recommends his discussion to teachers, students, parents
and policy makers seeking a fresh look at educational reform.
Overall Rating
8/10
Applicability
8/10
Innovation
8/10
Style
8/10
Leading the Learning Revolution
The Expert’s Guide to Capitalizing on the Exploding Lifelong Education Market
Authors: Jeff Cobb
Publisher: AMACOM, 2013
ISBN: 9780814432259
Review
E-learning expert Jeff Cobb details how to plan, develop and promote a profitable Internet
curriculum for adult learners. This expert, comprehensive guide covers how to sell learning
products and services online, how to use a variety of web tools to conduct market research,
and how to vend almost any products and services via the Internet. Leaving no aspect of
monetizing online education uncovered, Cobb also explains overall Internet marketing more
effectively than most specialized sales guides. getAbstract recommends his knowledgeable,
accessible manual to anyone who is seeking to sell products or services online – educational
or otherwise.
Overall Rating
8/10
Applicability
9/10
Developed in collaboration with :
Innovation
7/10
Style
7/10
44
INSIGHT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER
JANUARY - FEBRUARY
- OCTOBER2016
2015
The Business of Learning
How to Manage Corporate Training to Improve Your Bottom Line
Author: David L. Vance
Publisher: Poudre River Press, 2010
ISBN: 9780984585373
Review
Caterpillar University, rated 2004’s best corporate university, is one of the world’s leading
business learning institutions. When CAT U first began operations in 2001, David Vance was
its primary architect, guiding light and visionary – a business-oriented leader who served
as its president to 2007. In this “MBA in a box” for chief learning officers (CLOs), he draws
on his valuable experience in planning, setting up and running CAT U. Vance discusses the
importance of establishing a strong business case for corporate learning and shows how to
make such education a strategic contributor to any organization. He details how CLOs can
maximize the return for every dollar spent on their corporate learning activities. getAbstract
predicts that Vance’s big (500-plus pages) book is certain to be a lasting standard in the
learning industry.
Overall Rating
8/10
Applicability
9/10
Innovation
8/10
Style
6/10
Revolutionize Learning & Development
Performance and Innovation Strategy for the Information Age
Author: Clark N. Quinn
Publisher: Pfeiffer, 2014
ISBN: 9781118863619
Review
Clark N. Quinn, an expert on corporate learning, proposes a total revamp of the learning and
development (L&D) industry. He identifies recent technological and social changes, and blasts
the field for ignoring them. Calling for L&D to transform into “Performance & Development”
(P&D), Quinn both outlines an idealized model and discusses practical issues in P&D
implementation. Though at times wordy and wandering, his message is an alarm clock for
the industry, a challenge to awaken and update where necessary, but without undermining
learning that works. getAbstract recommends his change guidebook to corporate learning
professionals.
Overall Rating
8/10
Applicability
8/10
Developed in collaboration with :
Innovation
8/10
Style
7/10
INSIGHT MAGAZINE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
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INSIGHT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER
JANUARY - FEBRUARY
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2015
Helpful
Resources
Style
8/10
Listings of Tenders in Abu Dhabi Emirate
Abu Dhabi Government Tenders: http://bit.ly/adgovtenders
Department of Transport Tenders (DoT): http://bit.ly/dottenders
Department of Municipal Affair - Municipality of Abu Dhabi City (ADM): http://bit.ly/admtenders
Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC): http://bit.ly/tdictenders
Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA): http://bit.ly/adweatenders
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC): http://bit.ly/adpctenders
Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC): http://bit.ly/adectenders
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC): http://bit.ly/adnoctenders
Abu Dhabi Police (ADP): http://bit.ly/adptenders
Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI): http://bit.ly/adccitenders
Emirates Tenders: http://bit.ly/emiratestenders
Tenders Info: http://bit.ly/tendersinfo
Event and Conference Listings
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Yas Island Events: http://bit.ly/yaseventlist
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