Tapping into Emirati “People Power”

As the UAE has turned 50, this milestone is as much about strategy and planning as it is remembering history. After all, the National Agenda aims to meet several key objectives, building a competitive economy led by knowledge and Emiratis being one. And while the country has recorded plenty of recent progress on it’s socio-economic development journey to date and the government’s vision for long-term sustainability is unfolding like intended, further opportunity undoubtedly awaits. When looking at the landscape from the private sector side, this part of the business community certainly has cause for optimism. Not only because of business or project potential, but also due to emerging talent: the value unlockable by positioning today’s and tomorrow’s workforce to achieve the best and brightest future for themselves and the country.

Advancement and opportunity?

Already, local workforce investment benefits are clear for all to see, becoming increasingly important to the way business in currently conducted while shaping how company cultures will be built moving forward. This much is clear through a plethora of initiatives visible to the public, one being the federal government program’s official platform, which recently announced that 44 private companies were offering different positions for homegrown talent. This was given the go-ahead to increase competition amongst the UAE’s rising stars and ensure they are prepared to shine in private sector positions. Moreover, another initiative focused on channeling ‘people power’ relates to ‘Project of the 50’ plans, which aims to boost human capital and increase local talent involvement in the private sector. Again, progress has been seen recently, with plans to invest USD 6.53 billion and place 75,000 national in private sector roles made public.

This is a great starting point for the private sector. These examples certainly support the leadership’s wishes to onboard and nurture homegrown talent. Yet further activities should follow in due course. It’s pleasing that the private sector is identifying the importance of people power, recognizing not just their potential, but also the impacts they can deliver for years to come. But why should local talent look at the private sector more deeply and with greater interest? And what is the true value of a talent pool which has, so far, been largely unexplored??

Well, Emiratis will firstly be incentivized to explore related careers. One way is financial, with university graduates sure to take extra encouragement from government-backed salary increases that improve the private sector's appeal. At the same time, more career choices, bigger promotion opportunities, and diverse and inclusive cultures also await. Although the UAE's private sector is mostly made up of expats right now, welcoming high numbers of local talent into the mix will be key to private sector success – whether it be overcoming risks, creating more value, or customers, partners, and employees growing in confidence.?

And while it's true that the sector is emerging as a national talent development driver, increasing efforts and investment in this area promises to open the door to new opportunities and yet-to-be explored value. There's maximizing local participation to harness human capital's full potential, attracting and retaining the best talent, nurturing future private sector leaders, and fostering various entrepreneurial projects. There are also other opportunities to consider – forming effective partnerships, safeguarding prosperity, establishing the UAE as a global leader in ease of doing business, and building a competitive knowledge economy as planned.?

Avenues for additional support?

For the private sector, these scenarios are feasible rather than fantasy. Yet this leads to other questions: What can be done to ensure they come to pass? What more can we do to ensure talent's full potential is realized? Well, providing the necessary support is certainly a strong starting point. There are several steps companies can take to strengthen the people power agenda, all of which will help unlock a brighter future for talent now and in the future.?

Take the digital divide, an area requiring urgent attention. Because of increasing digitalization, the digital skills gap continues to widen, from 5G and IOT to AI and ML. To position talent to succeed in tech-driven private sector roles, a prudent way would be to approve digital upskilling investments and provide access to STEM and ICT development platforms. Well-defined ways of working are also important, and the private sector can support talent by clearly outlining the most practical, proven workplace processes. These may include clarity on project specifics, transparent communication to ensure talent concentrates on specific areas, and explaining expectations from the beginning. It's important to note that talent and business strategy should always be aligned. Therefore, companies can also empower talent in their performance and decision-making. This can be done be clarifying strategic objectives, which will enable people to embrace workforce demands and deliver the results they are capable of.?

As the UAE continues its sustainability march, accelerating national advancement and building a knowledge-based economy rests with national talent. By laying the foundations for professional longevity and success, the private sector can ensure the above scenarios come to pass, providing the key that unlocks value potential for the country and a brighter future for its talent.