The Government of the United Arab Emirates recently reviewed its remote work experience during the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic, and the most important measures taken to limit its spread in order to ensure business continuity and provision of government services. This occurred in a joint virtual sessions with representatives of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The 2- day sessions organized by the Prime Minister's Office in the UAE, were held using live streaming tech, with the participation of a number of senior officials from the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, and more than 35 leaders, misrepresenting a number of government agencies in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
These knowledge transfer sessions come within the framework of the strategic partnership between the governments of Egypt and UAE, according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two sides in 2018, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, Ruler of Dubai.
The partnership centered around three main axes, namely government performance and excellence, government services, and government capacity building.
In this regard, HE Aisha Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of HR Policies Sector at the Authority, affirmed that the UAE's professional handling of the Coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic has greatly contributed to containing its repercussions and direct impacts on various business sectors and aspects of life in the country.
She said: “The Authority and as part of its efforts to protect the safety of Federal Government employees, especially in light of the conditions imposed by the outbreak of COVID- 19 at the global level, has taken a series of precautionary steps and measures that will help limit the epidemic spread, and ensure business continuity and smooth provision of services at the level of ministries and federal bodies in a safe work environment.
“It so important to note that the robust technological infrastructure and the smart electronic systems available at the UAE institutions, have helped the Federal Government to overcome the crisis faster than expected and turn the ordeal into opportunities. On the other hand, there are vital projects enhanced with artificial intelligence at the state level which played a vital role in the success of remote work experience over a period of three months.”
HE Aisha Al Suwaidi reviewed the Authority’s efforts in this regard: developing mechanisms for remote work in the Federal Government, through the draft Guide to Working Remotely and procedural guidelines in emergency circumstances, which was prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, as well as preparing the Guide to Office Work Environment Emergency Conditions.
Efforts included the development of a project to identify vital jobs in the Federal Government, another to develop a smart attendance and departure system, in line with remote work mechanisms, and occupational health and safety procedures, enabling Federal Government employees to register attendance electronically while working remotely, via The Federal Government's HR Information System "Bayanati" and the smart FAHR application (FAHR).
The Authority has also worked on a project to conduct a study on national opportunities for the next phase, related to government human resources, in addition to preparing a guide to measure the productivity and efficiency of employees in the Federal Government.
HE shed light on the results of the study on Remote Work In Emergency Circumstances at the Federal Government level, prepared by the Authority recently, which covered more than 6300 employees from 53 ministries and federal entities.
She said: “The results of the study showed that 91% of Federal Government employees are satisfied with introducing the remote work system under the current situations, and 96% of them confirmed that their entities are implementing remote work system under the current exceptional circumstances, while 92% of respondents said that their tasks are being documented and their accomplishments monitored on a weekly or daily basis, during remote work period.”
On the return of Federal Government employees to their workplaces to resume office work, Al Suwaidi pointed to the set of precautionary measures taken by the Authority, in coordination with concerned parties in the State, in the state. These measures were intended to ensure the safe return of employees, and a deliberate plan was developed for their return to the workplace gradually, in three stages, as the first stage included the return of 30% of the employees, then the percentage increased in the second stage to reach 50%, reaching the return of 100% of the employees.
Layla Al-Suwaidi: All our services are online
On her part, HE Laila Obaid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director Program and HR Planning Sector at the Authority, explained that the Authority has made all its services available to Federal Government employees and customers electronically through the Customer Happiness System, the HR Management Information System “Bayanati”, smart application “FAHR”, unified call center, and virtual assistant service "Hamad", which is continuously updated with work mechanisms, and the measures taken, according to developments of COVID- 19 crisis.
She said: “The Authority is keen to use the latest technologies and artificial intelligence solutions in the field of human resources. In this respect, it launched the smart recruitment platform “Istiqbal”, and is preparing in the coming period to launch the smart system for measuring productivity in the Federal Government “Enaibler”, as part of its strategic plan for artificial intelligence. The Authority also launched the psychological and moral support program for Federal Government employees "Hayat", with the aim of reducing the consequences that may result from the exceptional situation worldwide and the psychological and social pressures and challenges that may result.
HE lauded the Authority’s role in raising awareness of the governmental measures to limit the repercussions of Coronavirus crisis. The most important of these efforts was holding a series of virtual workshops to explain and clarify the manuals, work systems and circulars issued by the Authority on the measures taken to address the current developments, with the participation of tens of thousands of Federal Government employees.
She highlighted the Authority’s key initiatives in the field of training and empowering Federal Government employees, providing them with more than 600 free courses and training programs at preferential prices through the e-Learning Portal “Al-Mawrid”, attended by more than 80,000 employees, 35,000 of them receiving electronic certificates. “Al Mawrid is an advanced smart training platform that serves Federal Government employees, develops their behavioral and specialized skills, and provides them with general and specialized electronic training programs and courses,” she noted.
Among the most prominent projects launched by the Authority during the last period to develop the capabilities of employees of ministries and federal entities, is the digital fitness measurement project for Federal Government employees. The aim is assessing employees’ digital and technological skills, through the smart digital fitness application (DFA), the first phase targeting all Federal Government employees, and lasts for three months, while the second lasts for six months, and targets 250 first and second line leaders.
Laila Al Suwaidi explained that, since late 2019, the Authority has adopted Webinar technology to broadcast the sessions of Human Resources Club, one of the Authority’s strategic initiatives, launched in 2010, and the Club’s associates and those interested in human resources can attend the sessions free of charge from anywhere inside and outside the country. Since the beginning of 2020, the Club has held 9 virtual sessions, attended by 25,000 associates and those interested in human capital development, from inside and outside the country.
The recent 2-day virtual sessions, moderated by Maitha Kulthum, Head of Institutional Excellence Department at the Authority, witnessed constructive and fruitful discussions. Speakers at the sessions were Noura Al Mulla, Executive, Training and Continuing Education Policies, who reviewed the most prominent achievements of the e-Learning Portal in the Federal Government “Al Mawrid” during the COVID- 19 pandemic; and Dana Al Hammadi, Executive, Policies and Research, who shed light on the guide to office work environment and work from workplace under emergency circumstances The Guide acts as reference for institutions in general and for ministries and federal entities in particular, especially with regard to following instructions and occupational health and safety standards.
Asya Al-Balushi, Head of Policy & Research Department at the Authority, also participated in the sessions, and explained details of the remote work system in the Federal Government, as prepared by the Authority and recently approved by the Cabinet.
Remote work system represents one of the main work patterns approved by the legislator in the Federal Government, based on the results of the pilot implementation since 2017. The implementation of the system will be permanently by federal entities in normal circumstances, side-by-side with other types of traditional work systems currently applied, after completion of the measures already started to organize government work under emergency circumstances.