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The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently hosted a seminar at its premises which aimed to raise awareness among companies about the benefits of improving employee happiness.
The event, organised by the Chamber’s Centre for Responsible Business, brought together more than 100 representatives from the local business community, as well as several members from the organisation’s Sustainability Network.
During his opening remarks, Essa Al Zaabi, Senior Vice President of Institutional Support Sector, Dubai Chamber, spoke about key strategies that the Chamber has put into place to increase happiness among its employees by providing an encouraging work environment, and paying particular attention to their health and wellness.
“By hosting these type of events, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of creating a positive work environment and encourage businesses to look at employee happiness as an effective way to drive business sustainability and growth,” said Al Zaabi.
He noted that several Sustainability Network Task Forces had been formed by the Chamber over the years, which have made significant achievements in improving employee health, promoting gender quality, and supporting workers’ welfare.
For his part, Major General Obaid Muhair bin Surour, Chairman of the Taqdeer Award and Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), spoke about the annual Taqdeer Award, held under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.
The Taqdeer Award is the world’s first-of-its kind points based reward system for recognising excellence in labour welfare practices and promoting international best practices in labour welfare. The award, currently in its second cycle this year, includes companies in construction sector, factories and free zones in Dubai, raising the number of workers targeted by the award to 1 million. In its first cycle, the award focused on construction companies and included over 280 companies employing more than half a million workers.
Major General Obaid highlighted some of the main benefits for participating companies, including the ability to increase labour satisfaction, productivity, and trust within their organisations, and benefit from valuable feedback that can improve their policies, practices, and labour relations. In addition, companies which achieve four and five-star ratings under the award are given priority in the awarding government projects.
The event featured presentations and speeches from other company executives who showcased the benefits associated with improving employee happiness, including Mahdi Mohammed, Director – Business Support Services, Dulsco, Dr. Ahmad Al Hashimi, Advisor PCLA, Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs, Vinod Mehram, SmartLife President SmartLife Foundation, and Anand Kolappa Pillai, Vice President of Green Bridge.
The companies representing the Sustainability Network Task Force on Worker’s Welfare are: Dulsco, Eros Group, UAE Exchange, Farnek, QBG, Empower, Majid Al Futtaim, ABB, CCC, Drydocks World, Tristar, Tecom Group, Blue, Al Futtaim Carillion and Intercoil.
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