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HR Club reviews the Opportunities & Challenges Facing the Profession of Human Resources

Thursday November 13, 2014

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR), recently held in Dubai the Fourth Forum of the Human Resource Club for 2014, entitled "The Opportunities & Challenges Facing the Profession of Human Resources: the Changing Nature of Work, Workforce and Workplace", under the patronage of His Excellency Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Federal Authority Government Human Resources, and the presence of HE Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Director General of the Authority and a number of the Authority officials, in addition to nearly 200 Club members and human resource professionals in the public and private sectors.

Keynote speaker at the Forum was Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), based in the United Kingdom. Mr. Cheese identified in his presentation, four major factors that directly affect the global labor market and determine its trend and needs. The economic factor such as recession and restrictions; political, such as globalization and organizational change, education and skills; social such as population structure, changing values and attitudes, and corporate and environmental social responsibility: and finally, the technological factor that has caused a significant shift in the work environment, and new methods of work in the twentieth century.

He explained that the current workforce is divided into four levels: the traditional, the old, the new, and the future generation, noting that each generation has different point of view in terms of methods or mechanisms of action.

 

Peter Cheese: UAE is the Top Destination in the MENA for Expat Jobseekers 

Mr. Cheese praised the favorable investment climate in the UAE for business and jobseekers from all over the world, who flock to the country to take advantage of the many investment privileges in the UAE market: a infrastructure, low investment costs compared to many countries world-wide, in general and the neighboring countries in particular. He pointed out that the UAE is the most preferred destination in the Middle East for foreigners seeking jobs, according to a study conducted by LinkedIn.

CIPD CEO shed light on the challenges faced by employers in the Middle Eastern countries, especially in finding skilled and qualified labor force. He cited the results of the poll conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers this year, which revealed that about 50% of companies in the Middle East, including in the UAE and Qatar have difficulty in finding and retaining skilled workforce needed for the implementation of large projects and future plans that lie ahead, such as: world Expo, to be hosted by the UAE in the year 2020, and the World Cup scheduled to take place in Qatar 2022.

He stressed, that the UAE and the Gulf states are generally experiencing significant economic mobility in the various economic sectors, especially in the hospitality and hotel industry, where the number of vacancies rose from 18,000 jobs in 2009 to 61,000 jobs in 2013, according to a report of  Catererglobal.com.   

 

 “The social networking sites have been playing an important role in bringing about a real and significant change in the nature of work, and ways to attract qualified personnel in the Arab countries, with more than 82 million subscribers in ‘Facebook’, about 82 million in ‘LinkedIn’, and 5 0.8 million in ‘Twitter’, now using the Arabic interface”, he said. 


He reviewed the global institutional model for effective talent management, which relies on certain prerequisites, including: career‐oriented employment, training, guidance and development, employee performance management, sustainable interactive of workforce, as well as the presence of an effective payroll system. He stressed the need to include a strategy for effective talent management, in institutional short or long-term plans.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of empowering the employees in their institutions by involving them in key decision-making processes, and taking their views about the work environment into account, which would contribute to increased job satisfaction, productivity and more innovation and creativity. Mr. Cheese specifically focused on the role of human resources department which is instrumental in any institution empowering the workforce, especially in preparing and developing the senior staff.


Speaking about the major leadership skills for human resource department employees, Mr. Cheese cited self-confidence, with the ability to lead, to encounter challenges and to influence others in a positive way, as well as curiosity, ability to motivate others and create a friendly atmosphere in the workplace.

Memorandum of Understanding


The Forum featured signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, represented by the  Director General HE Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, and Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), based in British capital of London, represented by Chief Executive, Peter Cheese. The MoU provides for the invitation of CIPD members in the region to attend the events and meetings organized by FAHR on a regular basis. The MoU also includes a recommendation to invite speakers at the upcoming HR Club’s events, and strengthening cooperation in the field of studies and research related to the UAE and GCC States.

The two sides agreed that the Institute offers career development and educational programs, including professional qualifications in English for the development of human resource specialists in the region, in addition to partnership in conferences, and cooperation in the development of scientific materials for the HR Echo Magazine, FAHR is working to release shortly.


Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar: "the responsibility of HR departments is growing in light of technological development”

In this regard, HE Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, FAHR Director General stressed the importance of the MoU which aims to enhance the key roles and responsibilities undertaken by HR departments in ministries and federal entities, especially in light of today’s rapid technological advances of today's world, coupled with an ever changing global labor markets.

He said: “The role of HR departments is no longer limited to recruitment of personnel and implementing routine human resources procedures, but it extends to include drawing strategic plans for institutions, employee development and empowerment, employee welfare, as well as creating work environments that promote talent attraction and retention”

Peter Cheese, CIPD CEO, welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding with FAHR, saying that it will contribute to considerable changes in human resources departments in the region as a whole, and the UAE in particular, as governments and institutions will increasingly depend on highly qualified human resources in the coming period.

The Human Resources Club, one of FAHR’s major initiatives, launched in 2010, aims to develop and enable human capital, and acts as a platform that brings together human resource professionals and practitioners in the public and private sectors under one umbrella, to exchange knowledge, ideas, experiences and solutions that would enhance the employee competencies and promote the role of human resource departments in order to bring about the desired change.

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