In his statement, HE Ibrahim Fikri, Executive Director of Support Services Sector, said that the Authority honored 86 employees (62% of the total Federal Government employees) under different types of Incentives and Rewards Program’s categories, during the first seven months of 2019.

Ibrahim Fikri stressed the Authority’s keenness to reward high-performing employees and outstanding teams, recognizing that this kind of appreciation will have a positive impact on the Authority’s work environment and employee productivity at large.

He said: “The Authority has launched a lot of key incentive initiatives at the Federal Government level, in order to create an ideal government work system that could motivate employees to work harder, and enhance a healthy competitive spirit among them. The ultimate goal is to increase workplace happiness and harmony, through rewarding outstanding employees, with  remarkable achievements.”

He added: “The breakout of rewards were as follows: 40 employees were honored under ‘Tastahal Program’ category, 10 employees under ‘Exceptional Employee’ category, 5 employees under ‘Unknown Soldier’ category, 12 employees as Customer Happiness Heroes and 18 employees as providers of useful suggestions.”

3 Mechanisms to nominate Federal Government employees under Incentives & Rewards Program

HE Ibrahim Fikri, Executive Director of Support Services Sector in the Authority pointed out that in 2018, the Authority introduced three new mechanisms for nomination of employees working with ministries and federal bodies to compete for the awards under Rewards & Incentives Program operated via the Federal Government's Human Resources Management Information System (BAYANATI). The Authority also added a feature allowing nomination through its smart application (FAHR), he said.

"Line managers can nominate their outstanding employees electronically to win the award, through self-service function within BAYANATI System”, he added, pointing out that the Authority has added a function to the system for nominating colleagues, whereby any employee can nominate his colleague. Moreover, he added that another feature for self-nomination has been introduced to allow the employee to nominate himself for the electronic  system, attaching evidence to prove fulfillment of their tasks and responsibilities, which  deserve recognition.

Ali Ahly, Director of HR and Services,  Chief Executive Officer of Happiness and Quality of Life in the Authority said that the Federal Government’s Rewards and Incentives system is a unified mechanism at the Federal Government level that  helps create a stimulating work environment for employees and attract top talents.

He said: “The system recognizes the employees' efforts and is aimed at developing the government system, enhancing institutional loyalty and encouraging teamwork. It also creates a unified approach for the ministries and federal entities in rewarding their outstanding human resources and encouraging employees to improve their performance and create an atmosphere conducive to workplace happiness and fair competition.”

Rewards & incentives Program in brief

Rewards & incentives Program applies to all Federal Government employees working for ministries or federal entities of the Federal employees, who meet eligibility criteria regardless of their employment status. It constitutes part of an integrated system of HR regulations, initiatives and programs that enhance performance and increase productivity to create a happier working environment for the employees and customers alike.

The program also comes as an integral part employee performance management system in the Federal Government, which is based on rewarding innovation, achievement and outstanding performance, and provides an opportunity for ministries and federal agencies to invest in their financial resources in recognizing the staff for their efforts thus contributing to enhance the Federal Government’s competitiveness to be an attractive environment for national talents.

Types of Rewards

A.  Monetary Reward

This reward is granted to an employee for outstanding proposals that contribute to improved performance and work system in general, or help in achievement of strategic objectives, and add new creative ideas and value to the entity.

Criteria and Conditions of Monetary Reward

1. The employee must have passed the probation period successfully 2. The value of the reward should be commensurate with the employee’s achievement and performance as per the provisions of this system. 3. Availability of funds in accordance with the suggestions system applicable in the ministry or federal entity 4. An employee may be granted more than one cash bonus during the year, provided the total value of these bonuses does not exceed two basic salaries.

Categories of Monetary Reward

The reward is granted following categories: Exceptional Employee, Creative Employee, ‘Testahal’ Employee, Distinguished Employee, Social Employee, Unknown Soldier, Service and Assistance Employees, and External Partners.

1.   Exceptional Employee

It is awarded to an employee who demonstrates exceptional efforts and performance beyond the scope of his job objectives defined in Performance Management System. Examples of exceptional efforts include contribution to simplification of procedures and increasing productivity in the ministry or federal entity. These efforts should not be part of the employee’s job duties and individual goals planned for within the system. The efforts should contribute to the achievement of the entity’s goals at the operational and strategic levels.

The value of reward in this category varies based on the evaluation of the ministry or the federal entity to the employee’s efforts. However, the maximum amount should not exceed two basic salaries per year.

2.   Creative Employee

The reward is granted to an employee who provides creative proposals and ideas as per the suggestions scheme within the ministry or federal entity. This means submitting creative suggestions that include new ideas not planned for, provided these creative proposals are adopted, implemented and evaluated. The proposal must meet the criteria of the suggestions scheme adopted by the ministry or federal entity. The employee must not have been awarded any bonus for the same proposal before.

The value of reward in this category varies according to the nature of suggestion provided, and shall not exceed one basic salary per year, as per the suggestions scheme in place at the ministry or federal entity.

3.   ‘Testahal’ Employee

An award granted to the employee who wins ‘Testahal” (You deserve it) competition, one of the innovative motivational programs launched by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources to encourage the staff to pursue creativity. Winners to be honored are divided into four major categories: administrative, educational, medical and professional, and any other categories that may be specified by the program.

The employee must meet the criteria specified for the program in his ministry or federal entity to win “All-Round Employee”, provided the award does not exceed one basic salaries per year.

4.   Distinguished Employee

The employee must:

• Be winner of an award allocated to one of the categories under institutional excellence in the ministry, federal entity or at the Federal Government level
• Be shortlisted to compete for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Awards or any of excellence awards at the federal level or similar official awards, OR
• Be winner of one of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Awards or any of excellence awards at the federal level or similar official awards, OR
• Be member of a team or organizational unit winning one of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Awards or any of excellence awards at the federal level or similar official awards, OR
• Be member of an outstanding team or organizational unit shortlisted to complete for one of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Awards or any of excellence awards at the federal level or similar official awards.

The award value should not exceed two basic salaries per year.

5.   Social Employee

It is awarded to employees who promote the role of the ministry or the federal entity in the field of community service through volunteer work or membership in community service organizations. The employee must have performed an outstanding voluntary work outside official working hours to help community development and present evidence of his contribution, provided the social work performed must be voluntary without pay from any source.

6.   Unknown Soldier

An award allocated for service employees who demonstrate excellence in the job tasks entrusted to them, abide by code of conduct for public servants, preserve public property and maintains positive attitude towards work.

To be eligible for the reward, the employee must demonstrate good conduct, abide by official working hours, initiates additional activities and efforts that impress his supervisors and co-workers and be cooperative and helpful to all workers within the ministry or federal entity.

7.   External Partners

Competitors for the reward in this category must have jointly contributed to achievement of tasks towards realization of the federal entity’s objectives and improvement of its performance. His participation and efforts should add value to the ministry or federal entity and impress his supervisors and co-workers. He must be cooperative, positive and helpful in achieving the objectives of the ministry or federal entity, and meet any of the conditions or criteria set by the ministry or the federal entity that suit  the nature of its work. Winners will be granted a lump sum amount up to AED 3000 per year.

B.  Annual Bonuses

The award is granted to employees who put outstanding efforts to accomplish the tasks assigned to them using smart methods, leading to simplification of procedures and increased productivity with the least amount of resources, and based on the results of Performance Management System for Federal Government employees. - The bonus is awarded to eligible employees at the end of the Performance Management System cycle (Annual Performance Review) each year, based on the assessment of Moderation Committee to the final evaluation result.

The employee must have at least one year's continuous service in the entity, outstanding performance rating as per the Performance Management System (Significantly Exceeds Expectations or Exceeds Expectations). No employee may combine annual bonus with any type of promotions, nor be entitled to a bonus before at least 12 months from the last bonus granted.

An employee with "Significantly Exceeds Expectations" rating shall be granted a bonus not exceeding three basic salaries, while that who attains an overall rating "Exceeds Expectations", shall be granted a bonus equivalent to two basic salaries.

C.  Other Rewards

These include symbolic awards to employees with exceptional achievements that would contribute to the development of work system. The employee must have scored an outstanding performance rating as per the Performance Management System (Significantly Exceeds Expectations or Exceeds Expectations), and demonstrated exceptional performance with positive impact as per the conditions set by the ministry or federal entity. Winners are entitled to a certificate of appreciation issued by the minister or his authorized representative at a special ceremony, in addition to gifts in-kind at a value up to AED 5000.