The extinction of the expat HR Director?
The extinction of the expat HR Director?
Let me put this in context, the end of the role of HRD for expats? In 2010 it became mandatory for Saudi Nationals to be considered for HR role in advance of expats. This has been relatively successful and now the majority of HR in KSA are Nationals. Will this start to happen in the UAE?
The new UAE (ministerial resolution no.(279) of 2022) ?ruling means establishments registered with the Ministry employing more than 50 workers, have to increase their current Emiratisation rate from high-skilled jobs by 2 percent annually gradually raising the said rate to 10 percent by 2026. So, what does this mean for experienced HRD’s in the region.
At Mackenzie Jones, our HR Team have already seen an impact with the last 4 HRD roles being focused on UAE Nationals only. Now these have been multinationals and local family groups. I must admit the candidates we placed were exceptionally well qualified and the quality of UAE National HRD’s in the market place is very good.
So, is that it? Are the expat HRDs role soon to go the way of the dodo? Unlikely. In KSA the population is over 30m and in the UAE we have a much small pool to draw from. My prediction is that over the next 5 years we are going to see a preference for UAE Nationals and HR is one of the areas that they excel at. So, what will happen to the expat talent here? We will need the decades of experience, knowledge and expertise still and I suspect that the ‘HR advisor” role will become more and more of our everyday working life.
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So how can you make yourself more relevant and future proof for the coming years. If you are an HRM, BP or new HRD then make sure you specialize. There will always be a need for expertise in C&B, Talent, HR Ops and Transformation. Brush up on these skills and define a niche for yourself.
As the economy continues to grow and more and more startups appear in the UAE there will be an increasing demand for highly flexible HR professionals that can operate as true business partners in model where they can real add value to the bottom line coupled with attracting the best talent to those companies.
As Finance professionals moved into CEO roles it is likely we will see HRD’s adopt a more business generalist role where their skills will be of real value, Chief of Staff or more into the general management side as a GM or COO.
In summary for HR the landscape will change and you need to prepare for it now. It may not happen this year but it will happen.
Forewarned is forearmed…….
Fractional HR Senior Leader | Award Winning HR Solutions | Organisational Psychologist | Standardising HR | Two Published Books | CliftonStrengths Facilitator
2 年I like that angle and it does make sense. Countries should prioritise their qualified nationals and fill positions with expats where they have skill shortages within the population. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. In fact, that’s how it should be.
Well said!
| Founder | AI & Enterprise Transformation Strategist | Leadership Psychologist | ?? Author: Nexus Intelligence | I live at the Adventurous Intersection of AI, Leadership, Human Transformation & The World of Work |
2 年Good post David. Yes, the nationalising programmes are “booming” and rightlfully so. I have been at the heart of that for several years in helping manage that change and transition, particularly in KSA. Adaptation as an expat is key, as you note. Expertise, specialism and wisdom will bode well for the future.
Group Vice President | Org Design & Development | Restructuring & Org Efficiency | Talent Management | HR Strategy & Org Analytics | Workforce Planning & Optimization | Merger, Acquisition & Integration
2 年Well articulated David. We have seen highly qualified and capable national talent pool for HRBP, HR Manager and HR Director roles along with the PR/ER senior roles. Given the scope of Nafiz program and dedicated leadership programs, for sure there will be less demand for HR Management roles for expat in the future.