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Dr. Salima Hamouche, expert in HR and workplace well-being, explains why managers must go beyond task leadership to actively shape psychological safety and employee mental health. | Written by Dr. Salima Hamouche Approximately 15 percent of working-age adults globally live with a mental disorder at any given time.  In 2019, depression and anxiety alone accounted for an estimated 12 billion lost working days each year, costing the global economy nearly one trillion US dollars in productivity losses, according to the World Health Organization. Employees continue to experience high levels of work-related stress. Gallup (2023) reports that 44 percent of employees globally experience daily stress, and burnout risk continues to rise across sectors. These are not abstract statistics. They are organizational realities. Absenteeism, presenteeism, disengagement, and voluntary turnover linked to mental health issues are increasingly recognized as work-related outcomes rather than isolated incidents.  Excessive workloads, job insecurity, low job control, lack of recognition, and insufficient managerial support are consistently identified as key psychosocial risk factors. This shifts workplace mental health from being framed as an individual vulnerability to being understood as a leadership and governance responsibility. The World Health Organization defines mental health not simply as the absence of illness, but as a state in which individuals realize their abilities, cope with normal stresses, work productively, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Within this definition lies a profound implication: productive work and psychological well-being are inseparable. Yet, mental health at work is rarely managed at the level where it is most directly shaped. For decades, organizations have invested heavily in strategy, digital transformation, operational efficiency, and performance systems. What remains underestimated is the manager’s daily influence on the psychological climate of work and employees’ mental health. Expanding Task Leadership to Include Mental Health Leadership Organizations have traditionally trained and rewarded managers for task leadership, including planning, delegation, control, and performance delivery. However, task leadership is no longer sufficient on its own. Sustainable performance also depends on the human conditions that enable it, particularly the psychological climate in which work is carried out. Organizations often acknowledge the importance of employee well-being, but responsibility is frequently delegated to HR initiatives, wellness campaigns, corporate events, or employee assistance programs. While these initiatives are supportive, they do not represent the primary mechanism through which employees’ mental health is strengthened or undermined. The decisive influence lies much closer to daily operations, when work is assigned, priorities are set, feedback is delivered, and pressure is communicated. Managers are not only budget holders or performance drivers. They are designers of psychological climate.  Every interaction, meeting, deadline negotiation, and conversation contributes to either stability or strain. Through repeated micro-decisions, managers shape employees’ sense of consistency, autonomy, belonging, fairness, and support. In recent years, organizations have emphasized that workplace mental health is both a public health priority and an economic imperative. Work can protect employees’ mental health when conditions are supportive, but it can also undermine it when environments are poorly designed, insecure, or psychologically unsafe. This dual reality places responsibility not only on systems and policies, but on the managers who shape employees’ daily work experiences. A key intervention for fostering mentally healthy employees is for organizations to stop training managers only as task leaders and start developing them as mental health multipliers. Mental health at work is not driven by programs alone. It is multiplied daily through managers who shape conditions that either build stability or spread strain. What Is a Mental Health Multiplier? A mental health multiplier is not a therapist and is not responsible for diagnosing psychological conditions. That is not part of a managerial role. A mental health multiplier is a leader who intentionally shapes working conditions and supervisory practices to reduce psychosocial risk and strengthen protective factors. The influence is preventive and systemic rather than reactive. Mental health multipliers do not wait to address psychological distress after it escalates. They design environments where escalation is less likely to occur. They understand that mental health at work is influenced more by how work is structured, experienced, and led each day than by symbolic initiatives. Managers as Mental Health Multipliers Because managers lead entire teams, their behaviors affect more than just one employee. Whatever they do is repeated across their teams. That is the essence of mental health multiplication. When a manager communicates clear priorities, distributes workload realistically, provides constructive feedback, and maintains composure under pressure, multiple employees benefit simultaneously. Stability spreads. Conversely, when a manager normalizes constant urgency, changes direction unpredictably, dismisses concerns, or communicates harshly, strain spreads just as quickly. Mental health multiplication is the ripple effect of leadership, repeated daily. Five Practices That Turn Managers into Mental Health Multipliers Early detection Most declines in employees’ mental health are preceded by subtle signals such as withdrawal, irritability, missed deadlines, disengagement, or overwork. Managers need attentiveness and the willingness to act early. Clinical expertise is not required. Support conversations Managers often avoid discussions about well-being out of fear of saying the wrong thing. Effective multipliers know how to ask questions, listen appropriately, and guide employees toward relevant support when needed. Workload management Many stressors are work-related rather than personal, such as conflicting priorities and unrealistic deadlines. Effective managers reduce this pressure by prioritizing transparently, sequencing demands realistically, minimizing interruptions, and aligning expectations with actual capacity. Psychological safety Employees perform best when they can raise concerns, acknowledge mistakes, and seek help without fear. Psychological safety does not remove accountability. It enables learning. Employee recognition Recognition is not a perk. It signals value and achievement. When effort is acknowledged and fairly rewarded, employees feel respected, stay engaged, remain motivated, and experience a more supportive work environment. Beyond Training: Equipping Managers to Become Mental Health Multipliers Preparing managers as mental health multipliers requires structured development that connects knowledge to daily managerial decisions. Training is essential, but it must go beyond task leadership. Task leadership remains important, but it is incomplete without mental health awareness as a core managerial capability, supported by systems that enable action. Organizations must: Build mental health awareness and translate it into practice Awareness helps managers understand psychosocial risks and detect early signs of mental health challenges. To translate awareness into action, managers need scenario-based learning and real case discussions that build confidence in early detection and intervention. Build a supportive system and authority Organizations must embed mental health competence into leadership expectations and performance criteria. Managers should be given the authority to prioritize work, adjust expectations, and escalate unrealistic demands. Supporting managers themselves is equally important, as those operating under pressure cannot create stability for others. Set shared standards for healthy supervision Establishing shared language, routines, and leadership standards ensures that mental health multiplication is consistent across teams, rather than dependent on individual managerial styles. Mental Health Multiplication: A Winning Strategy for Employees and Organizations Making mental health multiply through managers is not a wellness initiative. It is a leadership decision about how work is designed and experienced. Policies and programs may signal commitment, but managers determine whether that commitment becomes a daily reality. When managers are equipped to reduce psychosocial risk and strengthen protective conditions, the impact spreads across teams, day after day. Mental health multiplies through supervision. The strategic choice organizations face is whether that multiplication builds stability or spreads strain.

Nancy Zakharia shares how executive coaching creates space for senior leaders to navigate disruption, make high stakes decisions, and lead with clarity in constant change. | Written by Nancy Zakharia I often hear senior leaders say, “There’s simply no room to slow down anymore.” Executive leadership today looks nothing like it did a decade ago. The pace is faster, the stakes are higher, and expectations are broader. Leaders are accountable not only for performance and profit, but also for transformation, innovation, culture, talent, and long term sustainability, all at once. And despite constant connection, leadership at the top can feel deeply lonely. I’ve worked with many senior leaders navigating major transformations. Behind the confident presence and decisive communication is often someone carrying enormous pressure. They are expected to have answers, set direction, and inspire confidence, even while managing uncertainty themselves. This is where executive coaching shifts from a nice to have to a necessity. Navigating Constant Disruption and Pressure Disruption is no longer occasional, it is constant. Digital transformation, new technologies, shifting workforce expectations, global economic changes, and evolving business models require leaders to continuously reassess their strategies. Leaders know they must move fast or risk falling behind. Yet acting quickly often means making decisions with incomplete information. That tension between urgency and certainty creates significant stress. Many leaders describe it as running at full speed while trying to predict what is coming next. What adds to the complexity is the lack of a safe space to think openly. Voicing doubt internally can be mistaken for weakness. Sharing uncertainty with peers can carry political or reputational risk. Over time, this leads to decision fatigue, isolation, and mounting pressure. The Power of Space and Perspective One of the most powerful outcomes of coaching is simple, but rare, space. Executive coaching offers a confidential environment where leaders can step away from execution and look at challenges from a strategic, helicopter view. During transformation, this shift becomes critical. It allows leaders to see patterns, connections, and risks that often remain hidden in day to day operations. Through powerful questions, reflection, and structured dialogue, coaching helps leaders examine situations from multiple perspectives. They can test assumptions, challenge biases, and explore alternatives before committing to high impact decisions. I have seen leaders enter coaching feeling overwhelmed and leave with clarity, not because someone gave them answers, but because they were given the space and structure to think differently and find solutions that work for them. Often, clarity begins with simple but powerful questions:  • What am I not seeing?  • What assumptions am I holding?  • What happens if I act now?  • What happens if I don’t?  • Who do I need to be in this situation? These moments of reflection, where the coach holds up a mirror and helps connect the dots, often lead to calmer and more balanced decisions. Many executives tell me that coaching becomes their only true sounding board, a place to think out loud, challenge their own views, and explore ideas without judgment. Executive coaching does not give leaders answers. It gives them the space, clarity, and perspective to lead through uncertainty and shape transformation with confidence. From Reactive Decisions to Deliberate Leadership At senior levels, decisions ripple across the entire organization. Leaders must weigh financial outcomes alongside culture, morale, stakeholder trust, shareholder expectations, and long term sustainability. Coaching allows leaders to explore scenarios and stress test outcomes before taking action. This shifts decision making from reactive choices to deliberate leadership. We often talk about leadership in terms of strategy and performance, but far less about the emotional weight leaders carry. Senior executives make decisions that affect livelihoods, direction, and sometimes entire industries. They are expected to remain composed, regardless of pressure. That responsibility can feel heavy and isolating. Coaching provides a psychologically safe space to process stress, reflect openly, and address concerns. This is not vulnerability for its own sake, it strengthens self awareness and emotional intelligence. Leaders with higher emotional awareness remain steadier in crises, communicate more authentically, and build trust more easily. Their calm becomes a source of stability for others. Building a Growth Mindset in Times of Change Transformation demands personal evolution. Under pressure, even experienced leaders can revert to familiar habits or defensive thinking. One of the most meaningful impacts of coaching is helping leaders build and sustain a growth mindset. Coaching reframes uncertainty not as a threat, but as an opportunity to learn, adapt, and innovate. I have seen leaders shift from asking, “What if this fails?” to “What can we learn by trying?” That shift alone can transform how an organization approaches change. A growth mindset makes leaders more open to feedback, more willing to experiment, and more resilient when setbacks occur. In fast moving environments, this adaptability often separates organizations that survive from those that truly thrive. Balancing Execution with Strategic Clarity Another pattern I often observe is how easily leaders get pulled into execution during transformation. Urgency draws them into detail, leaving little room for strategic thinking. Coaching helps leaders reconnect with long term perspective. It supports a balance between immediate demands and future vision, ensuring that transformation remains intentional rather than reactive. With renewed clarity, leaders make decisions aligned not only with current challenges, but with long term direction. Leading People Through Change Transformation is not only about strategy, it is about people. Leaders must communicate vision, build confidence, and bring others along. Through coaching, leaders deepen their awareness of how they communicate and influence. They listen more carefully, speak more intentionally, and lead change in ways that build trust instead of resistance. They become more conscious of how their behavior impacts others. This presence matters most during uncertainty, when teams are looking for direction and reassurance. Final Reflection Disruption is not slowing down. Change, technology, and evolving expectations will continue. The leaders who thrive will not be the ones with all the answers, but those who create space to think, ask better questions, and adapt continuously. Some of the most impactful coaching conversations I have witnessed were not about solving a single business problem. They were about helping leaders reconnect with purpose, find clarity in complexity, and trust their ability to lead through uncertainty. Coaching is not about fixing problems. It is about coaching the person, recognizing them as naturally creative, resourceful, and whole, so they can discover the solutions that truly fit them. When leaders have a trusted space to reflect, challenge their thinking, and explore possibilities, they do not just manage transformation, they shape it. In today’s world, that difference matters. Executive coaching does not remove challenges. It equips leaders with the mindset, perspective, and resilience to navigate them.

Dr. Louise Lambert, Head of Happiness Programming & Policy Design at HappinessMatters.org , explores how managers shape workplace wellbeing daily through behaviour, presence, and small, consistent actions. | Written by Dr. Louise Lambert Most managers don’t wake up thinking, “Today, I will influence my team’s wellbeing.” They wake up thinking about deadlines, emails, decisions, problems to solve, and meetings they don’t have time for. And yet, whether they think about wellbeing or not, they influence it every single day. Not through programs, benefits, yoga classes, or wellness webinars, but through who they are. That’s you. Your tone and availability. What you notice and what you ignore. What you tolerate and what you address. How you respond when things go wrong, and how you behave when pressure rises. This is what people mean when they talk about leading with wellbeing. It’s not an extra task. It’s a recognition of what is already true. Wellbeing at Work Is Relational When people hear the word wellbeing, they often think about individual behaviours like sleeping more, exercising, eating better, or managing stress. These things matter, but they are not the full picture. At work, wellbeing lives in the spaces between people. It shows up in how safe it feels to speak in a meeting, and whether mistakes are met with curiosity or blame. It appears in whether people feel seen or rushed, respected or dismissed, trusted or ignored. It also shows up in how people feel in your presence. Workplace wellbeing is a relational outcome, and it is where managers matter the most. Managers Shape the Daily Experience of Work Research consistently shows that the direct manager is the single biggest influence on how people experience work. Estimates vary, but it is often around 70 percent of the variance in both employee wellbeing and engagement. This does not mean you are responsible for everything. You are not expected to fix people’s lives or become a therapist. But it does mean your behaviour, words, and mindset carry disproportionate weight. You shape a large part of the emotional climate in your team, even when you are not trying to. People take cues from you constantly, often without realizing it. Through your actions, facial expressions, and tone of voice, you signal whether it is safe to switch off at the end of the day or okay to ask for help. You set the tone for whether disagreement is welcomed or exhaustion is normalized. Even the questions you ask influence whether wellbeing is something people feel comfortable talking about. This is not a burden. It is leverage. You Already Influence Wellbeing, Use It Intentionally You might be thinking, “I don’t have time for this,” or that this is yet another responsibility added to your role. That is understandable. It was probably never written in your job description. But here is the reality. You already influence how people feel at work. The question is whether you do it intentionally. When you use that influence deliberately, even in small, repeatable ways, you improve the emotional conditions for work. And that, in turn, makes your job easier. Leading with wellbeing simply means using your existing influence on purpose. You are not managing wellbeing as a program. Through your everyday behaviour, you are already shaping it. The real question is whether you do it intentionally. What Managers Often Get Wrong About Wellbeing There are three common misconceptions that quietly undermine wellbeing at work. “If people are struggling, they’ll tell me.” Often, they won’t. Not because they do not trust you, but because they do not want to burden you, appear weak, or make things uncomfortable. “If I say the right things, people will feel supported.” Words matter, but behaviour matters more. Saying “take care of yourself” while sending emails late at night sends a very different message. “Wellbeing happens outside of work.” Work is where people spend most of their waking hours. How work feels matters, whether we acknowledge it or not. The good news is that small shifts in behaviour can make a meaningful difference, and often quite quickly. The Practice of Leading with Wellbeing Leading with wellbeing does not require grand gestures. It is about small, visible behaviours that signal care, respect, and boundaries. Here are three simple practices you can start with immediately. 1. Be deliberate about after-hours signals Unless something is truly urgent, avoid sending emails or messages outside working hours. If you work late, schedule messages for the next day. When people see messages from their manager at night, they feel pressure to respond, even if you say they do not have to. This interferes with recovery, sleep, and mental shutdown. Over time, it increases stress, fatigue, and even resentment. This is not just about email management. It is about giving people permission and space to have a life. 2. Talk about wellbeing as part of normal work Wellbeing does not belong only in workshops or policies. It belongs in everyday conversations. You can start by sharing your own habits or simply checking in. For example, “I have been trying to move more lately. What about you?” or “This has been a tough week. How is everyone doing?” When you talk about wellbeing, it becomes legitimate. When you do not, people assume it does not belong. 3. Close the day, not just the task list If possible, take a moment to say goodbye to your team at the end of the day, even briefly. It signals that the workday has an end. It creates space to check in if something was difficult. And it shows people they were seen, even on ordinary days. If someone had a tough day, this is when they might mention it. If they do not, they still leave feeling acknowledged. That feeling is wellbeing. A Final Reminder You are not delivering a wellbeing strategy. You are the wellbeing strategy. Through your presence, consistency, and the small moments you shape every day, you influence how people feel, perform, and grow. That is not a burden. It is a powerful opportunity. When you implement these behaviours, you are not just supporting others. You are also strengthening your own wellbeing and making your work more sustainable over time. You are not doing people a favour. You are helping create an environment where everyone can grow into better versions of themselves, including you. See you next month for more practical actions you can implement for a better work life.

Norah Bindakhil, HRBP - West Gulf Cluster (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain), Takeda, reflects on HR’s role in steadying organizations during uncertainty, and why resilience, trust, and honest leadership design matter more than speed when the market starts shifting. | Written by Norah Bindakhil There’s a specific look leaders get when the market shifts. It’s not panic, not yet. It’s more like controlled alertness. The kind where calendars fill up, conversations become shorter, and everyone suddenly wants answers by yesterday. And almost inevitably, HR gets pulled in. Not always with a clear question, just a feeling that something human is about to wobble. This is the part of the job no one really explains when you enter HR. That moment when strategy starts moving faster than people can emotionally process it. When the market changes its mind, organizations have to pretend they did not blink. The Market Moves Fast. People Notice Faster. We talk about markets as if they are abstract forces, trends, volatility, cycles. But markets do not feel uncertainty. People do. They feel it when priorities quietly shift. When temporary becomes for now. When leaders do not have answers yet, but still need to sound confident. Across my career in healthcare and med-tech, from Medtronic to Zimmer Biomet, from NEOM to Takeda, I have learned one thing very clearly. People sense instability long before it appears in a report. And when that sensing goes unacknowledged, it turns into noise. Disengagement. Fatigue. Exit conversations that begin with, “This isn’t about the role…” It usually never is. Resilience Is Not a Trait. It Is a Design Choice. There is a popular myth that resilience is personal. That if people are strong enough, they will adapt. I have never seen that work for long. Resilience is not something you demand from people, it is something you build around them. It is designed through leaders who can sit in uncertainty without rushing to false certainty decisions that are explained, not just announced cultures where it is safe to say, “I don’t know yet,” without losing credibility. In resilient organizations, people do not need constant reassurance. They need clarity, honesty, and consistency, even when the message is not perfect. Ironically, those are the organizations that move fastest. HR as the Quiet Translator One of HR’s least glamorous, and most critical, roles is translation. We translate strategy into behavior. Pressure into priorities. Change into something people can actually live with on a Tuesday afternoon. When HR is involved late, we manage consequences. When HR is involved early, we help leaders ask better questions, the uncomfortable ones. Not Can we do this quickly? But What will this cost us if we do not slow down for five minutes and think? That pause, that five minutes, is where a lot of value hides. Resilient organizations are not built when things are calm. They are revealed in uncertainty, and HR’s real value lies in holding the centre so the business can move without losing its people. Employee Experience Is Not a Perk. It Is a Shock Absorber. I have come to think of employee experience less as a program and more as a shock absorber. Strong cultures do not eliminate pressure. They absorb it. When trust exists, people tolerate ambiguity longer. When leadership is credible, change lands softer. When belonging is real, people stay, even when the market is tempting them loudly. Yes, all of this requires investment. But so does replacing institutional knowledge, rebuilding trust, and explaining to leaders why another high performer just resigned for growth. One is proactive. The other is expensive déjà vu. A Small, Honest Truth About HR Here is something we do not say often enough. HR professionals are not immune to the same uncertainty everyone else feels. We just carry it more quietly. We sit between strategy and emotion. Between leadership intent and human impact. We absorb pressure from all sides, and are expected to remain calm, neutral, and constructive. This is where a sense of humor becomes a survival skill. Because sometimes the only way to stay grounded in a fast moving market is to remember that not every fire is urgent, and not every urgent thing is on fire. Perspective matters. So What Is the Real ROI of HR? In volatile times, HR’s return is not just measured in dashboards or engagement scores. It shows up in subtler, more valuable ways leaders who do not panic at the first sign of change teams that stay engaged even when direction evolves organizations that bend without breaking decisions that consider people as assets, not afterthoughts Resilient organizations are not built in calm seasons. They are revealed in uncertain ones. And HR, at its best, is what holds the centre while everything else moves. Final Thought The market will keep changing. That is a given. What is optional is whether organizations respond with anxiety or intention. HR does not exist to slow the business down. It exists to help it move without losing itself. And in a world that rarely pauses, that might be the most strategic contribution of all.

Fahad Rashad, CEO, HR Lines, reflects on how workplace happiness in Saudi Arabia is evolving beyond comfort to alignment, fairness, and purpose, as Vision 2030 reshapes leadership, systems, and workforce expectations. | Written by Fahad Rashad In two decades of leading HR transformations in Saudi Arabia, from global multinationals to sovereign backed ecosystems, I have witnessed the definition of Employee Happiness evolve dramatically. We are no longer in an era where employment is a simple exchange of time for compensation. In the Saudi transformation context, happiness is no longer about comfort, it is about contribution. Today’s Saudi professionals see their career as participation in a national mission. As Vision 2030 reshapes industries, leadership expectations, and workforce models, workplace happiness has shifted from temporary satisfaction to what I call ‘Integrity of Experience.’ Why Traditional Engagement Models Are Failing Many organizations still rely on legacy engagement frameworks designed for slower and more stable environments. They track Employee Satisfaction Scores, measure sentiment, and optimize comfort. But comfort is not the ambition of the modern Saudi workforce. High potential talent, the individuals driving our economic acceleration, seek alignment. They want clarity of purpose, fairness of system, and integrity of leadership. Happiness today is not the absence of pressure. It is the presence of alignment. Where personal ambition meets structural integrity, engagement becomes sustainable. Employee happiness today is not about comfort, it is about integrity of experience, where fairness, clarity, and purpose align to create workplaces that can sustain both performance and national progress. The Three Pillars of the High Integrity Workplace Through building shared services, scaling HR operating models, and advising leadership teams across public and private sectors, I have observed three defining pillars that shape a high integrity workplace. Structural Transparency Nothing erodes engagement faster than executive opacity. Salary adjustments, job grading decisions, and strategic pivots, when handled as a black box, fuel speculation and internal politics. Transparency does not mean sharing everything. It means explaining the logic behind decisions. A respected workforce is an informed workforce. The Manager as a Talent Architect One of the costliest mistakes organizations make is promoting technical experts without assessing leadership readiness. We must move from promoting tenure to designing leadership architecture. Managers should not be task supervisors. They should be talent architects. A structured leadership framework, with defined competencies, behavioural expectations, and accountability standards, ensures that employees feel developed, not merely deployed. Inconsistent leadership is the fastest way to fracture the employee experience. Managed Wellbeing, Not Recreational Wellbeing Corporate wellness programs are well intentioned but often misdirected. Yoga sessions cannot compensate for poor workload design. Healthy snacks cannot fix inefficient systems. Systemic wellbeing means balanced spans of control, clear priority alignment, digital efficiency, and reduced operational friction. When employees consistently work excessive hours due to structural inefficiencies, no engagement campaign can restore morale. True wellbeing is engineered through intelligent system design. Governance as a Tool for Stability, Not Bureaucracy There is a persistent misconception that governance reduces employee happiness. In reality, ambiguity is the primary driver of workplace anxiety. Clear Delegations of Authority, structured reporting lines, and calibrated performance systems eliminate internal politics. Compassion in HR does not mean avoiding tough decisions. It means designing a system that treats every individual with proportionate fairness. Governance, when intelligently implemented, creates psychological safety. And psychological safety drives innovation. The Vision 2030 Multiplier Saudi Arabia holds a unique advantage, a unifying national ambition. Workplace happiness reaches its highest form when corporate objectives connect directly to national transformation. When employees understand how their KPIs contribute to economic diversification, infrastructure development, and institutional modernization, they move beyond transactional motivation. Purpose becomes tangible. In this context, HR leaders are not administrators. They are custodians of alignment between corporate structure and national aspiration. Final Reflection Culture is not something you install. It is the shadow cast by your systems. If you want happiness, build fairness. If you want engagement, build integrity. If you want loyalty, build clarity. Employee happiness in the Saudi transformation era is not a perk to distribute. It is the inevitable outcome of structural excellence. And that design choice is no longer optional. It is the foundation of competitive advantage and national progress.

In this piece, Preethy Suresh, Founder & CEO, Ignition Point Ventures, reflects on why fear around AI is misplaced, and why organisations must redesign work itself instead of expecting technology alone to deliver transformation. | Written by Preethy Suresh Deloitte published something earlier this year that I keep coming back to. 84% of companies deploying AI have not redesigned jobs or the nature of work itself around it. Not small companies with no budget. Not companies that are still on the fence about AI. Companies that are actively using it and still have not changed how work actually happens. Let’s sit with that for a second, because I think we have all gotten so caught up in the debate about whether AI will take our jobs that we have completely missed what is actually going wrong. Technology is not the problem. The operating model is. FOBO Is a Symptom. The Real Problem Is Ambiguity. There is a term researchers are using now, FOBO. Fear of Becoming Obsolete. Mercer’s data shows that fear of job loss has risen sharply from 28% in 2024 to 40% in 2026, and three in four employees say they do not feel confident using AI in their day to day work. I am not surprised by any of that. But I do not think we are diagnosing it correctly. When I see those numbers, I do not see a workforce that is incapable or resistant. I see a workforce that has been handed new tools with no clarity on what they are supposed to do with them. Fear does not grow from technology. It grows from ambiguity. From walking into work every day not knowing whether the thing that makes you valuable still makes you valuable. And the ambiguity is coming from the top. I have lost count of the number of CEOs who have told me they want to implement AI across their business. My first question is always the same. “Okay, but what do you want it to do?” And I almost never get a straight answer. What I get instead is a version of the same anxiety their employees are feeling. Fear of falling behind competitors, fear of missing cost savings, fear of walking into a board meeting and being asked why they have not moved faster. FOBO is not just an employee problem. It is running all the way up the org chart, and it is shaping decisions that affect thousands of people. When fear drives your AI strategy, you do not get transformation. You get an expensive mess that nobody knows how to clean up. I am not worried about AI taking jobs. I am worried about organisations refusing to redesign work, and that is what creates fear, waste, and missed opportunity. The Job Description Was Already Dead Before we even get to AI, we need to talk about the thing AI is supposedly replacing, because it was already broken. When was the last time you looked at your job description and thought, yes, that is exactly what I do? Job descriptions have been vague by design for years. Vague enough to be flexible, specific enough to protect the business legally. What they almost never do is describe the actual work. The real tasks. The things that take up your Tuesday afternoon. That gap matters more than ever now, because you cannot redesign work you have not mapped. And most organisations have absolutely no idea what their people are actually doing at the task level. They know the role. They do not know the work. So start there. Take any role, let us use Customer Success Manager since it is a common one, and instead of thinking about it as a job, break it down into everything it actually involves. Ticket triage. Renewal calls. Escalation management. Data entry. Relationship check ins. Product feedback. Churn analysis. Somewhere between 25 and 35 distinct tasks, depending on the company. Each one is different in terms of frequency, judgment, and business impact. When you see it laid out like that, the path forward becomes obvious in a way it never is when you are looking at a job title. Three Buckets. That’s the Whole Framework. Once you can see the tasks, sorting them is not complicated. Automate. Some tasks are purely mechanical. Scheduling, data entry, status updates, generating standard reports. There is no judgment involved. No emotional nuance. These drain human energy and produce nothing that could not be done faster and more accurately by a machine. Automate them and do not feel conflicted about it. Enhance. Some tasks need a human in the loop but benefit enormously from AI doing the groundwork first. Drafting content, synthesising research, modelling financial scenarios, preparing for a difficult client conversation. The human brings judgment. The AI brings speed and a starting point. Neither alone produces the best outcome, but together they are powerful. These are your co pilot workflows. Elevate. Then there are tasks where the human presence is the point. Negotiation. Holding a difficult conversation with a client who is about to walk away. Making a strategic call when the data points in two different directions and someone has to decide. Building trust over months and years. AI is not coming for these, and even if capability was not the constraint, the value exists because a human is doing them. Here is the part that frustrates me most about how organisations are approaching this right now. That first bucket, the mechanical work, should be buying people back hours they can reinvest in the third bucket. Deeper relationships. Bigger thinking. More complex work. Instead, those hours disappear into poorly run meetings and bureaucratic noise, because nobody redesigned the operating model to capture them. The automation happened. The liberation did not. So the real question for every employee and every leader is not whether AI will take your job. It is whether your organisation is intentional enough to use the time AI frees up for something that actually matters. This Lands in HR’s Lap Whether We Like It or Not I will be honest. HR built the job descriptions. HR owns workforce architecture. If companies are deploying AI without redesigning work around it, that is partly a leadership failure, yes, but it is also a function failure. The opportunity sitting in front of HR right now is historic. Not to manage the human side of an IT rollout. Not to run change management workshops. To lead a fundamental redesign of how work gets done. That means understanding tasks at the smallest level, being honest about what machines do better, and rebuilding structures that put humans where human intelligence actually counts. That is not a support function. That is the most strategically important work HR could be doing right now, and most functions are not doing it. The organisations pulling ahead are not necessarily using better AI. They have understood that the tool is only as powerful as the system it operates in. They are rebuilding from the ground up. What work looks like, how teams form around it, and where human and machine capability meet. Everyone else is still calling it transformation while the operating model stays exactly the same. HR has a choice to make. Lead the redesign, or spend the next decade explaining why the investment did not deliver. There really is not a third option.

| Written by Aruna Saravanakumar Can a machine truly understand what makes us human? It’s a question many in HR across the Middle East and Southeast Asia are quietly asking as algorithms start making hiring decisions, predicting attrition, and even shaping engagement strategies. Some see this as progress. Others, as a paradox. As organizations accelerate digital transformation across regions where relationships, trust, and collective growth are deeply valued, leaders are witnessing both the power and the limits of technology. Because no matter how precise AI becomes, it still can’t replicate the heartbeat of an organization, its people. And that’s where the future of HR is heading: a space where technology assists, humanity leads. The Age of Smart HR Artificial Intelligence has become the backbone of modern HR systems. From predictive hiring models and talent analytics to chatbots that answer employee queries in real time, AI is redefining efficiency. Across organizations globally, AI tools are streamlining resume screening, enhancing performance tracking, and improving retention forecasts. According to a 2024 Gartner report, more than 65% of global HR leaders have already embedded AI in core HR operations. The benefits are undeniable, faster processes, reduced bias, and data-driven clarity. Yet while technology has revolutionized how organizations manage people, it cannot replace how they connect with them. The Empathy Gap in a Digital World While AI is brilliant at finding patterns, it falls short at understanding pain points. It can measure sentiment through survey data or communication tone, but it cannot interpret what lies behind those emotions. Empathy is about listening between the lines. An algorithm might flag an employee as disengaged, but it takes a human leader to understand whether they are struggling with burnout, grief, or self-doubt. In cultures like those of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia, where workplaces thrive on trust, community, and face-to-face connection, this becomes even more critical. This is the empathy gap, where machines can guide decisions but can’t replace compassion. HR leaders, therefore, must not view AI as a substitute for emotional intelligence, but as a catalyst that sharpens human awareness. Lessons from HR Transformation in the AI Era Many organizations have introduced AI-powered analytics to predict potential attrition risks and workforce trends. While these systems effectively identify patterns HR teams might previously have missed, what truly transforms outcomes is the human intervention that follows. When managers reach out personally to employees flagged as “at-risk,” opening real conversations instead of relying solely on formal surveys, deeper issues often emerge, stress, workload imbalance, and lack of recognition. What makes the difference is rarely a change in policy alone; it is the feeling of being heard. The moment people realize their voice matters, loyalty naturally follows. Technology may reveal the data, but empathy addresses the cause. Technology helps understand people better, but can never replace the need to truly care. AI + Empathy: The New Leadership Formula The most forward-thinking organizations now see empathy as a strategic advantage. A McKinsey study found that companies led by emotionally intelligent leaders outperform competitors by up to 20% in engagement and retention. Across the GCC and Asia-Pacific, governments are investing in digital transformation while simultaneously emphasizing human capital, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, Singapore’s SkillsFuture, and Malaysia’s MADANI Economy. This signals a new blueprint for leadership, one that blends analytics with awareness. AI should act as a mirror, helping HR leaders identify where empathy is missing and where it needs to be amplified. The future of HR isn’t about AI replacing humans. It’s about humans learning how to use AI to be more human. A Future Built on Humanity As workplaces evolve, the real power of HR lies not in automation, but in authentic connection. Machines can process information, but only people can build trust. In culturally diverse regions like the UAE, Singapore, and Malaysia, where teams span nationalities, beliefs, and working styles, empathy isn’t just a virtue; it’s the bridge that makes technology inclusive. Empathy isn’t an algorithm, it’s a choice. And in a world driven by data, that choice might just be the most disruptive one yet.

| Written by Aruna Saravanakumar There was a time when HR was seen as the “support function,” the department you called when someone resigned or when policies needed updating. Fast forward to 2025, and that perception is obsolete. The CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer) has officially claimed a seat not just at the leadership table, but at the strategy table. And rightly so. Because here’s the truth that the most successful organizations have already realized: people strategy is profit strategy. Every business ambition, from digital transformation to global expansion, is powered by one thing: the right people, in the right roles, with the right culture around them. And it’s the CHRO who ensures that alignment happens. From Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to Singapore’s SkillsFuture movement, CHROs are emerging as key architects of sustainable growth, bridging national workforce goals with organizational ambitions. The Evolution of HR Power The past few years have been defining for HR leaders. The pandemic, remote work, AI disruptions, every challenge reshaped the workforce narrative. While CFOs managed balance sheets and CTOs handled digital growth, CHROs were the ones recalibrating the heartbeat of the organization. Their role has evolved from operational to transformational. Today, CHROs are analyzing workforce data, forecasting talent gaps, designing agile organizational structures, and influencing every boardroom decision that affects performance and profitability. According to a Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report (2024), over 70% of CEOs now view their CHROs as the most critical partner in driving long-term business strategy. That’s not coincidence, it’s recognition. Talent as the New Currency Companies have always invested in technology, infrastructure, and marketing, but the smartest leaders know that talent is the ultimate differentiator. A strong brand can attract customers, but only strong people keep them. The CHRO’s role in this equation is no longer administrative; it’s architectural. They design the kind of culture that draws talent in, nurtures it, and keeps it growing. They connect the dots between what employees aspire to and what organizations aim to achieve. A brilliant example of this shift is Leena Nair, former CHRO of Unilever, who transformed the company’s people culture by driving diversity, inclusion, and purpose-led leadership. Under her guidance, Unilever achieved 50% gender balance among global managers and implemented progressive people policies that directly boosted brand equity and innovation. Her success proved that a strong people vision can directly elevate global business performance, a true case of HR fueling profit and purpose together. The Data-Driven HR Revolution Today’s CHRO doesn’t rely on intuition alone. With predictive analytics and AI-powered insights, they can measure the true ROI of every hire, every engagement initiative, and every leadership development program. Attrition, productivity, and even mental well-being metrics, once considered ‘soft’ data, now sit at the core of business dashboards. They’re strategic indicators. And those who understand them can anticipate trends long before they disrupt performance. This evolution isn’t just about analytics; it’s about empathy at scale. The most advanced CHROs are translating well-being, inclusion, and purpose into measurable business performance. Studies show that organisations with highly engaged employees achieve up to 147% higher earnings per share (Gallup), proving that happiness is not a soft metric but a strategic advantage. That’s why leading organizations are building People Analytics Offices under CHROs, units that decode human behavior and link it directly to profitability. When employee engagement rises, customer satisfaction follows. When learning culture deepens, innovation accelerates. The data is clear: the human experience drives the business experience. The Modern Leadership Equation In the new corporate ecosystem, the CEO may set direction, but it’s the CHRO who ensures the ship has the right crew, skilled, motivated, and resilient. The CFO may measure performance, but it’s the CHRO who enables it. And this shift is visible everywhere. More CHROs are being elevated to CEO roles than ever before. Why? Because understanding people, what drives them, what connects them, what retains them, has become the most valuable leadership trait in the world. Redefining the Table When CHROs walk into the leadership room today, they’re no longer carrying policy papers, they’re carrying blueprints for growth. They’re the voice that asks: “Do we have the people who can make this vision happen?” And more importantly, “Are we giving them an environment that lets them do their best work?” Because in the end, culture eats strategy for breakfast, but only when the right people are sitting at the table to serve it. Sources: Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report 2024, Gartner HR Leaders Future Outlook 2025, PwC Workforce of the Future Study 2024, McKinsey Global Talent Trends 2025, Unilever People & Culture Transformation Report.

For decades, the five-day (sometimes six) grind has been considered sacred, a symbol of productivity and dedication. But somewhere between burnout reports and “Sunday scaries,” organizations began asking a daring question: What if less work time could actually mean more commitment? | Written by Riya Malhotra Welcome to the 4-day workweek revolution, where productivity doesn’t shrink, loyalty doesn’t waver, and employees are, quite literally, happier to show up. Rethinking “Full-Time” When the idea first surfaced, skeptics labeled it unrealistic: “How can we get the same output in less time?” But companies that experimented soon realized that the 4-day week isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing better. According to a 2024 Gallup study, 63% of employees working a 4-day week report feeling more engaged, compared to only 48% under traditional schedules. Productivity, rather than dropping, actually improves by up to 20%, as found in a Microsoft Japan trial that implemented the model. The logic is simple: when people are rested, respected, and trusted, they give back more than just their hours, they give their energy. “It’s not about the time you put in, it’s about the focus you bring in.” A Real Example: When Iceland Tried It One of the most powerful real-world experiments took place in Iceland. Between 2015 and 2019, the country ran a large-scale trial with over 2,500 workers, nearly 1% of its total workforce. Employees worked four days a week for the same pay. The result? Productivity remained the same or improved in the majority of workplaces, while employee well-being soared. Stress levels dropped, burnout decreased, and loyalty to employers significantly strengthened. Following the trial, 86% of Iceland’s workforce either shifted to shorter hours or gained the right to negotiate them. The experiment sparked a global rethink, from New Zealand’s Perpetual Guardian to UK-based startups, all reporting one common outcome: a happier, more loyal workforce. Why Loyalty Grows When Hours Shrink The 4-day week sends a strong message that organizations trust their employees to deliver results without micromanagement. This psychological shift deepens the emotional bond between people and their employers. It’s a ripple effect, less stress leads to fewer sick leaves, higher motivation, and stronger team morale. And for HR leaders, that’s gold. Recruitment costs drop, culture strengthens, and employees turn into brand ambassadors. The Future of Work Is Human As AI and automation reshape industries, the 4-day week is proving something deeply human: people don’t just work for paychecks; they work for peace of mind. Shorter workweeks force teams to prioritize, collaborate smarter, and respect boundaries, all while rediscovering joy outside office walls. It’s not just a perk; it’s a philosophy that says, “We care about you as a person, not just as an employee.” “When people feel seen and trusted, they don’t count the days, they make the days count.” The Thought to Take Away The 4-day workweek isn’t a trend. It’s a trust exercise, one that’s redefining loyalty in modern workplaces. Because when organizations give employees the gift of time, what they get back is something money can’t buy: commitment, creativity, and genuine connection. After all, loyalty isn’t built in the extra hours you stay.It’s built in the moments you’re trusted enough not to. Sources: Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report 2024, Microsoft Japan Work-Life Choice Challenge 2024, Henley Business School 4-Day Week Study 2024, Iceland Government Trial Report 2019.

For decades, the universal truth of the workplace seemed simple: work hard, earn more, climb higher. But in 2026, that equation no longer adds up. Money matters, but it’s no longer the ultimate motivator. Today’s employees crave something far deeper: meaning, growth, belonging, and balance. | Written by Riya Malhotra As the world of work continues to evolve, HR leaders across industries are witnessing a quiet but powerful revolution, one where happiness, not hierarchy, defines success. “People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise, and purpose.” ~ Dale Carnegie Let’s start with the facts. A 2024 Gallup report revealed that only 21% of employees globally feel “engaged” at work. That means nearly four out of five people show up each day without truly connecting with what they do. What’s driving this disengagement? It’s not the pay slips. It’s the missing sense of purpose and fulfillment. A Harvard Business Review survey found that 90% of employees are willing to trade a percentage of their lifetime earnings for work that feels meaningful. Imagine that people are literally ready to earn less if it means they’ll wake up feeling inspired. And this is where the modern HR narrative shifts, from performance management to purpose management. The New Currency of Work: Meaning When an employee feels that their work matters, to their team, their company, or the world, everything changes. Productivity increases by 33%, turnover drops by 44%, and loyalty strengthens exponentially (Source: McKinsey 2024). Purpose doesn’t have to mean solving climate change or ending world hunger. It can be as simple as feeling proud of what one contributes every day. A logistics coordinator ensuring medicines reach hospitals on time or a designer creating an app that makes life easier, purpose is found in the impact, not the title. And yet, many organizations miss this point. They focus on compensation reviews instead of connection reviews. But the truth is: employees don’t leave companies that value them; they leave those that forget to. Across regions like the UAE, KSA, Singapore, and Malaysia, where rapid economic diversification and digital transformation are reshaping work cultures, purpose-driven employment is becoming a key retention factor. Younger professionals, in particular, are seeking companies that align with their social values, offer flexibility, and contribute to national visions like Saudi Vision 2030 or Singapore’s Smart Nation agenda. Beyond Paychecks: The Emotional Pay The most progressive organizations have started measuring what’s now being called “emotional pay.” This includes recognition, flexibility, trust, learning, and a healthy work culture. According to a LinkedIn Workforce Learning Report (2025), 76% of employees say they would stay longer at a company that invests in their career development. And those offered flexible work options report greater happiness levels by up to 20%, according to a Buffer Remote Work Study. Because the truth is simple: “It’s not about work-life balance anymore. It’s about life-work harmony.” This shift isn’t just generational; it’s universal. From Gen Z to Boomers, people are seeking workplaces that feel more human, where mental health isn’t a taboo topic, where appreciation flows freely, and where individuality is not a weakness but a strength. In multicultural workplaces like Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, and Riyadh, where global talent meets local values, leaders are increasingly focusing on cultural inclusion as part of emotional pay. Recognizing diverse traditions, communication styles, and well-being needs isn’t just good etiquette; it’s good HR. The Happiness Equation The happiest employees aren’t the ones with the biggest bonuses, they’re the ones with the strongest sense of belonging. When Google conducted its famous “Project Aristotle” study, the top factor driving team success wasn’t skill, tenure, or pay, it was psychological safety. Teams that felt safe to speak up, share ideas, and make mistakes outperformed others dramatically. HR leaders today are not just custodians of policy, they are architects of this environment. Every recognition program, every feedback loop, every moment of genuine listening builds the emotional architecture of a happier workplace. Because happiness at work isn’t fluff, it’s a strategic advantage. A Warwick University study found that happier employees are 12% more productive, and companies with highly engaged employees outperform their peers by 147% in earnings per share (Gallup). The Deeper Truth So what do employees really want today? They want to feel seen, feel heard, and feel valued. They want to know that their work matters and that their organization cares, not just when it’s appraisal season, but every day. Money can rent commitment, but meaning builds devotion. “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When they’re emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” ~ Simon Sinek Action for HR Leaders For HR leaders, this means rethinking engagement metrics. Instead of measuring satisfaction scores alone, measure emotional pay, through recognition frequency, learning opportunities, and sense of belonging surveys. Happiness can’t be faked, but it can be fostered deliberately. The organizations that make this shift first will not just retain talent, they’ll inspire it. A Thought to Leave You With Maybe the future of work isn’t about who earns the most or who works the hardest. Maybe it’s about who feels the most. The companies that will thrive tomorrow are those that make their employees feel human again, respected, appreciated, inspired. Because when people find happiness in what they do, their work stops being a job and starts becoming a joy. So, as HR leaders shaping the workplaces of tomorrow, ask not, “How can we pay them more?” Ask instead, “How can we make them feel more?” That, right there, is the real secret to employee happiness. Sources: Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report 2024, Harvard Business Review 2024, LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2025, University of Warwick Study 2024, McKinsey 2024

A conversation with Eva Mattheeussen, Head of HR MEA at DHL Global Forwarding . | Written by Eva Mattheeussen Eva Mattheeussen, Head of Human Resources, Middle East and Africa , DHL Global Forwarding I had a proper conversation with Eva Mattheeussen recently. She runs HR for DHL Global Forwarding across the Middle East and Africa. It is a busy patch of the world. The first thing she made clear is that her team doesn't just sit in an office pushing paper. They go to customer meetings and work on projects with the business to get their hands dirty. It sounds obvious, yet most HR departments still operate like a priesthood. They dispense wisdom from a back office where being summoned to ‘go see HR’ can still induce fear. Her point is simple: if HR doesn't understand the business, it can't help the business. You can write all the frameworks you like. If you've never sat across from a client or watched a successful sales presentation go south, you cannot really know the nuances of the business. Eva puts it plainly. Her job is to ensure her people aren't limited to their role in HR. Most functions are built to stay in their lane, but Eva's built hers to drive right across it when necessary. The payoff is credibility. Colleagues stop treating HR like a us Vs them compliance desk and start treating it like a proper partner. The Long Game Eva's been running a leadership programme for women in the region for six years. It won an award recently, but what matters is the consistency. Most of these initiatives are flash-in-the-pan workshops that everyone forgets by Tuesday. The programme follows a clear path. It starts with self-reflection before moving into business strategy and public speaking. When the formal bit ends, peer coaching circles keep the momentum alive. You cannot assume a community builds itself. It needs a bit of steering and a lot of sweat. Building With Data Eva said something during our conversation that I keep turning over. She was describing how if she was tasked with building an HR department from scratch today she would dive deep into the data. And then strip away all the speedbumps and roadblocks “You need to have the basics very right… and less is always much more,” she said. That is the conundrum in one sentence, while many organisations use employee scores to write the same annual report they wrote last year.  For Eva, good planning means understanding what the business needs, what leadership expects and what the talent is feeling on the floor. You have to get the basics right and resist the urge to make everything complicated. Empowerment creates happy workplaces, and authenticity is the leadership trait that sustains them. Sponsorship Beats Mentorship Every Day Of The Week This is where Eva gets a little serious. Mentorship is fine, but it’s just a first step. It usually involves a senior person having coffee with a junior person to offer some wisdom. It’s sweet, but it won't change a single thing. Sponsorship is different. That’s when someone with power advocates for you in a room you're not in. This is how trust is built. It happens when leaders have seen your track record and noticed your contributions and are happy to back you because of what you’ve done, not what you say you will do. You can't really shortcut it and it’s a two-way street. The more you’re trusted, the more motivated you are to prove that the trust is not misplaced. The Reality of Fairness Operating across MEA involves navigating different cultural expectations and complex legal frameworks. Eva is candid about it. Decisions can often be led by emotions in that region. You need enough emotional intelligence to know when to use your head or your heart. Or when to fall back on principles. The biggest challenge is managing perceived fairness. You can't write a policy for every single human situation. In a multicultural organisation, someone will always feel a decision was unfair. The answer isn't more guidelines. It's an honest explanation of why a decision went the way it did. And when you hire for character, there’s a trust that your people will do the right thing. She sums up a happy workplace with a word: empowerment. For leadership, she values authenticity. Her view on the future is that people will hold multiple projects rather than a single job description. Portfolio careers will become the norm. None of these are new ideas of course, people have spoken about them for years. Talking is the easy part. But it’s the way Eva talks about them that makes them sound a lot like hard-won convictions cemented into the walls of the DHL organisation. There’s a difference between talking and doing that you will recognise when you hear it. Empowerment creates happy workplaces, and authenticity is the leadership trait that sustains them.

INC Group Takes Gold for Best Place to Work (Medium) — Employee Happiness Awards 2025 | Written by Charlotte Gibbs, Marketing Lead, INC Group INC Group at Employee Happiness Awards UAE 2025 In high-pressure industries where delivery timelines are tight and competition for talent is constant, building a sustainable people-first culture is often easier said than done. Across the Middle East’s design and construction landscape, organisations are navigating multicultural teams, rapid growth, and evolving employee expectations, all while trying to maintain engagement, retention, and wellbeing. It is within this reality that INC Group  shaped a culture focused not just on performance, but on genuine employee happiness. That long-term commitment earned the organization Gold for Best Place to Work (Medium) at the 2025 Employee Happiness Awards UAE , standing out among more than 380 entries across 26 categories and competing alongside major brands from aviation, banking, logistics, retail, and real estate. For INC Group, a leading Design & Build firm operating across the Middle East and Africa, the recognition reflected a philosophy built deliberately over time: when culture is treated as strategy, it becomes a true competitive advantage. Culture Over Perks: Building Foundations That Last Rather than focusing on surface-level benefits, INC Group’s approach has centred on building trust, clarity, and connection first. In a fast-paced industry where pressure is constant, leadership prioritised sustainable workplace practices designed to support both performance and wellbeing. Structured initiatives reinforce this philosophy. A dedicated Wellbeing Committee leads programmes that promote health and balance, supported by flexible work options, mental health resources, life insurance benefits, and additional leave for long-service employees.  At the same time, internal recognition programmes celebrate everyday contributions, from peer-nominated awards such as “Employee’s Employee of the Year” to recognition for unsung heroes who go beyond their formal roles. The decision to enter the Employee Happiness Awards came as part of INC Group’s 2025 strategy to diversify its awards portfolio. While the company is widely recognised for design excellence and project delivery, leadership felt it was time to spotlight something less visible but equally vital: its people. INC Inaugural Cricket League – Final: A fantastic day filled with friendly competition and family fun, bringing together colleagues and partners to celebrate the sport we love. “So much happens beyond our projects,” the team explains. “There are colleagues who may not be on the front line, but whose contribution is critical to our success. We wanted to showcase that we see them, value them, and are committed to creating an environment where they can thrive.” “It’s a competitive industry,” the leadership team notes. “Talent is our biggest advantage.” From Recognition to Action: Listening That Drives Change Winning at the Employee Happiness Awards became a catalyst rather than a conclusion. In the months that followed, INC Group introduced a comprehensive employee wellbeing survey designed as a genuine listening exercise rather than a compliance tool. The feedback translated directly into tangible initiatives, including: A Tazizi fridge to encourage healthier eating habits Department cricket leagues that foster connection beyond daily work The opening of a new Riyadh office to better support regional teams Beyond these changes, feedback also shaped internal communication and development efforts. The organisation expanded its use of the Workvivo platform to strengthen connectivity across locations and introduced financial literacy sessions, tech talks, and personal development programmes to support both professional and personal growth. The outcome demonstrated a simple but powerful principle: when organisations listen first and act with intent, employees respond with stronger engagement and trust. INC UAE | International Women's Day 2025. Pottery and Painting An Authentic Celebration of People The awards gala itself reflected the values INC champions internally. From the organisation to the atmosphere, the evening felt purposeful and authentic. “The energy in the room was incredible,” the team shared. “It ran on time, the dinner was excellent, and most importantly, it genuinely celebrated people. There was a real sense that employee happiness wasn’t a buzzword, it was the reason everyone was there.” That alignment between the gala and INC’s own values made the recognition feel earned rather than symbolic. Leadership That Sets the Tone At INC Group, culture is not owned by HR alone; it is shaped daily by leadership across divisions. Bronwyn Thomson, Chief Human Capital Officer at INC Group, reflects on the evolution of the organisation’s approach: “I’m extremely proud of the workplace culture we have created at INC Group. During my ten-year tenure with the company, we have built stronger relationships with one another and adopted new practices to ensure we stay ahead of evolving times.” Career growth plays a central role in this culture. A strong promote-from-within philosophy enables employees to move from entry-level positions into leadership roles, reinforcing a sense of long-term opportunity. Continuous training, internal mobility, and recognition programmes support development at every stage, contributing to low staff turnover and sustained engagement. Inclusion, Wellbeing and Shared Responsibility With a workforce representing more than 25 nationalities, INC Group’s culture reflects a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Equal opportunity policies and a focus on balanced representation in leadership help ensure employees from all backgrounds can thrive. Work-life balance is reinforced through town halls, team-building initiatives, and company-wide celebrations that strengthen relationships beyond daily tasks. Sustainability also plays a role in the employee experience. Through a voluntary “green team,” employees contribute ideas and lead projects that support environmental and social responsibility within the business and broader community. Recognition Beyond the Organisation INC Group’s people-first approach is visible not only internally but also to partners and collaborators. Boyd Edmondson, Business Partner at Seven Insurance Brokers LLC, describes the organisation from an external perspective: “I have had the pleasure of working with INC as a client, and I can genuinely say they are an organisation that stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of their care and commitment to their colleagues.” He adds: “Their programmes address not only physical health, but mental and emotional wellbeing too. INC’s approach reflects a deep understanding of the holistic nature of happiness and a genuine dedication to creating a thriving, happy community.” Culture as a Long-Term Strategy Being named Best Place to Work (Medium) is both a celebration and an ongoing responsibility for INC Group. The award reinforces a broader lesson for organisations across industries: investing in people is not simply a cultural aspiration; it is a strategic driver of performance, retention, and growth. As INC Group continues to expand across markets, its people-first mindset remains central to how it operates and evolves. Culture is not treated as a campaign or short-term initiative, but as an integral part of everyday decision-making. In an industry defined by deadlines, delivery, and detail, INC Group’s journey offers a clear takeaway: when employees feel valued, heard, and supported, excellence becomes a natural outcome rather than an enforced target.