Dubai-A Happiest place to work: Business case for HR Heads & CEO/Business Owners/Government: Series 2 - Promoting Ethical hiring of Workers/Labour's.

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Well began is half done, a robust, ethical and healthy hiring practices with close synergy between UAE Government, Expat Countries worker hiring guidelines, equally supported by Corporate houses, Certified HR Professionals and Recruitment Agencies will trigger a great beginning to promote a healthy work culture practice in making Dubai, UAE the Happiest Place to work on the Earth. The initiative needs to be a collective effort of Government, educational institutions, Business Owners/Board Members/CEO's, Embassies, Authorized Recruitment Agencies of various countries and HR Professionals of the companies. A regular audit of HR professionals and their Hiring Process by the business owners will keep strong check on flouting of Government rules/Embassy Rules/Norms, minimise labour disputes, incorporate healthy best practices which will promote a culture of vibrant hiring process and a healthy Human Capital wealth of UAE Nation.

UAE is possibly only place on Earth where you will find most free flow of highest number of unskilled/semiskilled/skilled workers and labours arriving, transiting or seeking better opportunities in both Private Sector, Semi Government and Government Sector with least restrictions, which is phenomenal, never such opportunity exists across the globe. UAE Government is constantly promoting healthy hiring policies and encourage empowerment to labour/workers through its Labour Courts & labour Laws. It is rightly said that UAE is a melting pot and convergence of various religion, ethnicity and culture of the world. Some sections of media, years ago reported labour hiring in some Middle East countries in negative perspective. Government of UAE has taken some stringent measures to check on the legal rights of workers arriving at UAE or seeking opportunities in various geographical locations of the country. Expat countries Government through their Embassies have revisited their policies on hiring and redesigned new systems, Federal Laws UAE are continuously checking Human Trafficking, UAE Government Wage Protection Program checks and ensures wages are paid to the workers on time and Labour courts are open to the labours/workers to raise their concerns. These measures have greatly ensured that the workers rights are preserved and protected.

To make happiness of workers a reality, a collective initiative where in we all ensure that UAE should not only be the happiest place to work for Executives, but it should be equally safe and happy place to work for the labours/workers/Non-Executives, most of these workers/Non Executives are leaving their country for the first time in their life in search of their livelihoods. These workers/labour with their tireless efforts/commitment are contributing to the landmark construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure for years in UAE, these iconic towers and buildings makes the country shine even above worlds most sought after country of the world for which we all are proud of as a resident. The least thing that a employer can do is to promote a healthy hiring practices, which will further strengthen Governments efforts to make UAE the happiest place to work. A healthy hiring practice is a precursor to an employees healthy well-being psychologically & physically. Only if every worker, labour and non executive employee feels safe and well looked after for his employment, its rights and well being, we won't be able to create an environment of a healthy & happy work place which will in turn will contribute to the Human Capital wealth of UAE nation as a whole.

What Employers/Business Owners/Management, Government, Embassies, Authorised Recruitment Agents, Certified HR Professionals, Educational Institutions, could do to ensure that their hired workers/labours are looked after so that they too contribute to Dubai, UAE in becoming a happiest place to work in the world;

1. Follow Government Recruitment Guidelines of Expat countries: Little knowledge is dangerous, CEO's/Chairperson/Board of Directors/Business Owners must make an effort to go through the expat or workers countries embassy website on hiring policy of workers/labours. Try taking out time to read their 3-4 pager document that gives guidelines on wages, process of recruitment and identify authorised Recruitment Agent with valid licences. Don't let your potential workers get cheated by the unauthorized Recruitment Agents, who induce workers to travel to UAE on false hope on visit visa as tourist and abandon them here in UAE, do not encourage local hiring through Visit Visa, its illegal, always hire through your Demand Letter given to your Authorized Recruitment Agents registered with various countries Ministry of External Affairs/Labour/Foreign Affairs. This brings accountability on Authorized Recruitment Agents and HR function. Avoid future litigation and labour disputes, do follow salary bands and benefits as enshrined in the Government web portal of the Recruitment/Hiring country. Lots of companies give demand letter as per the countries labour hiring system, on the contrary on ground their salary is way lesser then the actual salary of demand letter, discourage such practices. In case if the labour Inspectors of UAE and Embassy official discover during labour dispute such practices it will be very detrimental to the company & its future business in the country. Hold your HR Manager/Recruitment Manager accountable for any future disputes on labour, inject the same in their contract. Do not undertake overseas hiring without issuing proper Demand letter attested from relevant authorities like Chamber of commerce & respective Embassy. When company try to save on these small documentation and few amount on labour per hire, they damage the over all reputation of the UAE as a country. Each business person/entity is responsible/accountable to ensure that their HR team upholds ethical Recruitment process for workers hiring. Ensure that your labour/workers that are being hired get their dues like joining air ticket, salary, benefit, food, accomodation, insurance and medical as per their Government or Embassy portal or as per the legal demand letter. Do contact their Labour Attaches or Labour counsellors of the countries to seek advise they are available 24x7.
2. Empanel only Ethical hiring Recruitment Agency: Devil is in detail, whenever awarding Recruitment contract to a Authorized Recruitment Agencies ensure that the Recruitment Agent owner has Certification and Experience in Human Resource Practices. Check their past credentials and do make reference checks, do check their record in Expat country if they have been black listed by their Government, information is always avilable. Keep a constant check that the Authorized Recruitment Agency business owner should not drive their Recruitment Business just as a profit centre, he/she must act as an advisor to the Business Owners/Board Members/CEO's/HR Heads. These RA's must acquire HR Practice Certifications from HR institutions of the world like; HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute), USA ask them to acquire Certifications like GPHR, SPHRi, PHRi or from SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) ask them to acquire Certifications like SHRM-SCP and SHRM-CP or CIPD. Such Recruitment Agents are readily available in the market, do not compromise on the quality of Authorised Recruitment Agents/suppliers. Once you will push them to acquire these Certifications they will be exposed to the HR best Practices, which will enable them to follow the ethical practices. The acquired knowledge will enable them to add significant value to the business and to the Human Capital wealth of UAE Nation as a whole.
3. Hire HR Professionals only with HR Certification: As you sow, so you reap, if your HR professionals are not Certified in Global HR Certifications then you are ensuring a sure short recipe of disaster for HR Practices in your organisation for mid and long term. Hire HR professionals with HR Certifications from any of these HR Certification Institutions like, HRCI, SHRM or CIPD. These HR Professionals are readily available in the job market, you just have to include the same in your hiring criteria and you must stand tall and fat during hiring process and accept no nonsense. Please personally check that their professional licences are valid. CEO must take personal interest to select their Human Capital Team as they will be accountable to develop and manage and future Talent Pools. These HR professionals will establish healthy foundation of your healthy human capital workforce. Understand that, each of these HR professional Certified from these institutions are awarded with Lisence No or Registration no, they must maintain minimum course credit for them to keep their license valid. You can check the validity of their Certification from their Certification Institutions website. Don't just trust their academic qualifications like Master Degree or MBA or Bachelor Degree. If your current HR Team do not have HR Certification give them 6-8 months timelines to get them selves Certified. Ask them to go for Certification from HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute), USA ask them to acquire Certifications like GPHR, SPHRi, PHRi or from SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) ask them to acquire Certifications like SHRM-SCP and SHRM-CP or CIPD ask them to get at least Associate CIPD or Chartered MCIPD or Chartered FCIPD Certification levels. Once they clear their Certification do validate it personally, they should not present you just certificate of attendance but a Professional Certification which has validity generally year or three year. Once you do this, you are establishing a right base for the culture of ethical HR practices leading to Dubai, UAE being happiest workplace.
4. Government Compliance on hiring HR Professionals Certification: A culture of happiness at the workplace comes with collective efforts, many a times Government guidelines promotes ensures & healthy workplace practice. Human Resource/Human Capital/People Practice/Talent Management functions of the organisation should have HR professionals duly Certified to build a culture of good HR/HC/People practices which is a percussor to a healthy happiest work place. Its time that a guidelines to hire HR professionals be designed or rolled out by the HRD function of Dubai, UAE Government with compliance tag. Like Doctors, Nurses, Medical Technicians, Finance and Audit professionals, HR professionals must be hired unless they have right Certification qualifications, like a Government compliance notification will ensure that only Certified HR Professionals from Predefined HR Institutions of the world are capable and versatile HR professionals are hired who will build a ethical and professional working environment at the work place. This will build a cornerstone on which Dubai, UAE the happiest place to work will rest.
5. Audit of Recruitment by Dubai, UAE Government Labour Inspectors & Embassy Labour Counsellor/Attache's: A close synergy is needed between the UAE Government Labour Inspectors and Embassy Labour counsellor/Attache's teams. The teams must conduct at least half yearly audit of the Busines entity who employ expat workers/labours at least 50 and above this will ensure that both the Business Entity and Authorised Recruitment Agents are following the compliance norms of Labour Department, UAE and Embassies Labour functions. It will force the business entity to follow both the norms and those violating of flouting the laws or regulations should be duly penalised or should be given appropriate financial penalties. The same should be done across the economy without any prejudice or wasta, it will set examples and will force the business entity follow the HR compliance. The audit must check the Certifications of the HR Professionals employed by the organisation including pseudo HR employees like HR Consultants, HR Advisors, HR Administrators, HR Assistant or Administrator. Any person who's is dealing with people hiring, managing workforce or developing workforce should have the requisite HR Certifications. Such Audits shall lay a strong foundation for a good, highly professional and ethical workplace practice which will itself promote Dubai, UAE as a Happiest Place to work on earth.
6. Certification from IRIS (International Recruitment Integrity System): Recruitment companies involved in Blue collar hiring must get themselves certified from Ethical Recruitment watchdog and Certification Agency IRIS, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Recruitment company must undergo rigorous process of audit & process check and credential documentations. They Certification company ensures identifying & weaning of unethical practices and if found they de register or decertify the Recruitment company. Ethical hiring organization must seek this certification from Recruitment company involved in Recruitment of Blue collar & workers Recruitment.

Building a culture of Happiest work place is a prolong and sustained effort, it has to be a collective efforts where in Government, Business owners, Embassy workers, Authorized Recruitment Agents and HR Professionals must work as a contributing partners at a converging common grounds. Creating best Human Capital wealth of a nation is a arduous task, its a continuous effort to build as well as incorporate best practices which in turn will drive Dubai, UAE in next one decade to be the best and most happiest place to work.

(MESHRM) Middle East Society for Human Resource Professional, a Non Government & Not for Profit initiative Human Capital Networking & Knowledge sharing platform promoted by AfriGulf HR Consultancy a KHDA Approved Training Company which is tirelessly working to promote & build a culture of Ethical Human Capital Best practices in the region. We wish to create a synergy between Business houses, Government functions, Embassy Professionals, Academic Institutions and Human Capital Professionals for the promotion of Human Capital Ethical Best Practices which will be a percussior to building Dubai, UAE the Happiest Place to work on earth.

Sandeep Thapa, Chartered FCIPD, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, FAHRI, SPHRi is Chief Training Officer of Boston International Institute of Certifications & Assessments - a concern of AfriGulf HR Consultancy a KHDA, Govt of Dubai approved & certified company and CEO of AfriGulf Group. He is a leading Trust around HR Professional, HR Coach and HR Mentor to leading HR professionals and CEO's of GCC & Africa Region. He brings over 25 years of Human Capital & HR Transformation experience and has led assignments as Exec Director HR Strategy & Transformation for Etisalat - UAE, Head of Talent Management for EMAL now EGA - UAE, HR Director for Dr. Suleiman Habib Medical Group - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sandeep was also International Professional Membership Assessor for CIPD-UK and has earned notable HR Awards. He is also Board Member and founding member of MESHRM - Middle East Society for Human Resource Management- UAE.