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| April 2026 Edition A Movement Born from a Vision In a world that is constantly redefining the meaning of work, one truth has steadily risen above the rest: organizations that prioritize people, thrive. The Employee Happiness Awards (EHA) was born at a time when this belief was beginning to take shape at a national level. In Dubai, under the forward-thinking Happiness Agenda, the idea of embedding wellbeing into governance, workplaces, and everyday life was no longer aspirational, it was actionable. It was at this moment, in 2023, that the first edition of the Employee Happiness Awards took root. What began as a regional initiative quickly became something far more powerful, a movement designed to reframe how success is measured in the workplace. From day one, the ambition was clear: to go beyond recognition and create a platform that inspires transformation. By the Numbers: A Growing Global Benchmark What started as a single-market initiative has rapidly evolved into a global benchmark for workplace excellence. Impact Metric Global Milestone Companies Participated 500+ organizations Winners Recognised 150+ winners across categories Countries Covered UAE, KSA, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa Annual Submissions 380+ submissions in UAE alone (2025) Categories 25+ evolving categories These numbers tell a story beyond scale, they reflect trust. A growing number of organizations are not just participating, but returning year after year, using the awards as a benchmark for progress and cultural evolution. The Companies That Define the Stage From emerging startups to global giants, the Employee Happiness Awards has attracted organizations that are shaping the future of work. Over the years, the platform has seen participation and recognition from companies such as Deloitte Middle East, Etihad Airways, dnata, Flyanas, Radisson Hotel Group, DHL Global Forwarding, Emirates NBD, Bacardi, Gulf International Bank, Medtronic and many more. Each of these organizations represents a different industry, a different scale, and a different approach to employee experience, yet all converge on a shared philosophy of putting people first. Their presence reinforces the awards’ credibility as a transparent and trusted recognition, defined by fairness, rigour, and a commitment to celebrating integrity-led workplaces across industries. Beyond Borders: A Truly Global Journey The expansion of the Employee Happiness Awards has been both intentional and organic. After establishing a strong foundation in the UAE, the awards extended into Saudi Arabia, where a rapidly transforming workforce landscape aligned naturally with the philosophy of employee wellbeing. This was followed by Southeast Asia, with Singapore and Malaysia emerging as dynamic ecosystems of progressive workplaces. With the launch in South Africa, the awards have now stepped confidently onto the global stage, bringing together diverse cultural perspectives under one shared purpose. Despite geographical differences, the underlying narrative remains consistent, organizations everywhere are seeking to build workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and inspired. The Power Behind the Platform: A Global Jury of Experts At the heart of the awards lies its credibility, anchored by a distinguished global jury panel. Year after year, the Employee Happiness Awards has brought together an accomplished collective of Chief Human Resources Officers, Chief People Officers, organisational psychologists, and HR industry pioneers. These are individuals who are not only observers of workplace trends but active architects of them. Their continued association with the awards creates both consistency and evolution. Companies are evaluated through a lens that is rigorous, informed, and deeply contextual, ensuring that recognition is meaningful and globally relevant. For participants, this process itself becomes a learning experience, one that often sparks internal conversations long after the awards conclude. More Than an Award: A Year-Round Cultural Checkpoint For many organizations, the Employee Happiness Awards has evolved into far more than a moment of recognition. It has become a yearly checkpoint, a structured opportunity to reflect, reassess, and realign. Organizations return not just with the intent to compete, but with a renewed commitment to improve. Over time, this repetition has led to measurable cultural shifts, where employee wellbeing is no longer treated as an initiative, but as a core business priority. Teams become more engaged, leadership becomes more empathetic, and organizations become more intentional about the environments they create. In this way, EHA do not merely celebrate excellence, they actively cultivate it. Building an Ecosystem Where Excellence Inspires Excellence One of the most powerful outcomes of the Employee Happiness Awards has been the ecosystem it has created. What began as an awards platform has grown into a thriving community of organizations and leaders who are committed to continuous improvement. This exchange of knowledge has transformed the awards into a space where learning is as valuable as winning. Today, best practices are no longer confined by geography. Insights travel across borders, allowing organizations in one part of the world to draw inspiration from another, creating a truly global dialogue around employee experience. Employee Happiness Daily: Extending the Conversation It is from this very spirit of continuous dialogue that Employee Happiness Daily was born. Recognizing that the conversation around employee happiness should extend beyond a single event, this platform was created to sustain engagement throughout the year. It brings together voices from across countries and industries, offering insights, stories, and perspectives that deepen the understanding of workplace wellbeing. Employee Happiness Daily transforms recognition into an ongoing narrative, one that informs, connects, and inspires a global audience. It ensures that the impact of the awards does not end with the gala, but continues to evolve through shared knowledge and collective progress. Beyond the scale, beyond the recognition, lies the most important outcome, the human impact. For employees, being part of a recognized organization fosters pride, belonging, and motivation. It reinforces the idea that their wellbeing is valued and that their contributions matter. For organizations, this translates into stronger engagement, higher retention, and a culture that attracts and nurtures talent. Over time, these shifts create workplaces that are not only more productive, but also more meaningful. Across borders and cultures, one truth connects us: when people feel valued, they thrive. The Gala: Where a Global Community Comes Together At the heart of the Employee Happiness Awards lies the gala, a powerful convergence of HR leaders and culture champions from across regions. With over 250 attendees at each edition, and some gatherings crossing 500, it brings together some of the most forward-thinking HR minds in the industry. More than a celebration, it is a space for meaningful exchange, where ideas are shared, perspectives evolve, and a global community of people-first leaders continues to grow. A Movement That’s Only Just Beginning From its beginnings in Dubai to its growing presence across continents, the Employee Happiness Awards represents more than growth, it represents a shift in how the world understands work. It is a reminder that while strategies, technologies, and markets will continue to evolve, the essence of work will always remain human. And when people thrive, organizations do too. As the movement continues to expand into new regions and reach new audiences, one thing remains certain. This is only the beginning.

Dr Christina Tiong, Chief Executive Officer, Home Nursing Foundation, shares how the organisation nurtures resilience, compassion, and wellbeing among teams delivering deeply personal care in community settings. | April 2026 Edition Happiness Perspective • Wellbeing support must be holistic, practical, and continuous • Compassionate care starts with emotionally supported teams • Autonomy works best when balanced with strong team connection • Purpose alone is not enough, consistent engagement sustains it • Community-based work builds deeper trust and human connection • A culture of care must include both patients and employees In home healthcare, the line between professional responsibility and human emotion is often blurred. Teams step into patients’ homes, supporting individuals and families through some of their most vulnerable moments. For Dr Christina Tiong, Chief Executive Officer at Home Nursing Foundation (HNF), this reality makes one thing clear: caring for caregivers is not optional, it is essential. She acknowledges that while the work is deeply meaningful, it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. “We recognise that this can take a toll over time,” she explains. To address this, HNF has built a holistic and preventive approach to employee wellbeing, ensuring support extends beyond the workplace. From a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme that includes life coaching, mindfulness, and financial guidance, to regular engagement touchpoints, the organisation ensures that no employee feels isolated. Peer support also plays a critical role, with staff-led wellness activities creating space for shared experiences and mutual encouragement. As Dr Tiong puts it, “We believe that caring for others begins with caring for ourselves.” It is this philosophy that enables teams to remain resilient while continuing to deliver compassionate care. Dr Christina Tiong, Chief Executive Officer, Home Nursing Foundation We believe that caring for others begins with caring for ourselves, and we actively create an environment where staff can stay resilient, compassionate, and well. A Culture Shaped by the Community Unlike traditional healthcare settings, HNF’s teams operate within patients’ homes and communities. This unique environment naturally shapes the organisation’s culture. Every home presents a different reality, requiring employees to balance clinical expertise with emotional sensitivity. Dr Tiong notes that this has led to a culture grounded in trust, respect, and adaptability. Employees are empowered to make decisions independently, yet remain connected through strong teamwork and shared initiatives. “Our staff must be both clinically competent and emotionally attuned,” she explains, highlighting the dual responsibility that defines their roles. To maintain this balance, HNF invests in wellness programmes and engagement activities that foster camaraderie across teams. The result is a workplace where autonomy does not lead to isolation, but is complemented by a strong sense of belonging. Sustaining Purpose Over Time In mission-driven organisations, purpose often attracts people, but sustaining motivation requires consistent effort. At HNF, engagement is built through a combination of flexibility, recognition, and meaningful connection. Flexible work arrangements and comprehensive benefits allow employees to manage their personal wellbeing alongside professional responsibilities. A gamified wellness system encourages participation in healthy activities, while initiatives such as Wellness Day and team bonding sessions create moments of connection. Dr Tiong emphasises that these efforts are intentional. “When employees feel cared for holistically, they stay motivated and connected to the purpose of their work,” she says. These touchpoints serve as reminders that while the work may be demanding, employees are part of a supportive and appreciative community. The HNF Experience For those considering a career in healthcare or community care, HNF offers more than just a role, it offers a sense of belonging. Dr Tiong describes the organisation as a place where care extends equally to patients and employees. From the very beginning, onboarding processes introduce mindfulness and self-care practices, setting the tone for a supportive environment. “What sets HNF apart is our strong culture of care, not just for patients, but for our people,” she shares. This commitment to psychological safety and continuous support ensures that employees feel valued, heard, and empowered throughout their journey.

Ruth Kerr, Head of People & Culture, PropertyGuru Group, shares how the organisation balances agility and purpose, helping employees stay connected, engaged, and inspired in a fast-evolving digital ecosystem. | April 2026 Edition Happiness Perspective • Purpose anchors employees through constant change • Continuous learning builds confidence in uncertain environments • Shared experiences strengthen belonging across geographies • Customer stories connect daily work to real impact • Recognition reinforces meaning and contribution • Listening-led culture drives sustained engagement Ruth Kerr, Head of People & Culture, PropertyGuru Group Leading Through Change with Purpose In a fast-moving digital and real estate landscape, change is not an occasional disruption, it is a constant. At PropertyGuru Group, this reality is embraced as a defining part of its culture. For Ruth Kerr, Head of People & Culture, the foundation lies in a simple but powerful belief. “Create What’s Next reflects that change is not only inevitable, but something we must actively harness,” she explains. Rather than viewing change as uncertainty, the organisation positions it as opportunity. This is supported by a strong sense of purpose that anchors employees, or “Gurus,” even as the business evolves. Continuous learning plays a central role, equipping teams with future-ready skills, while open communication ensures that employees feel supported and confident navigating transitions. Leadership, too, is intentionally shaped around this mindset. As Kerr shares, the focus is on developing leaders who can “encourage Gurus to embrace innovation, experiment with new ideas, and share their learnings across teams.” Small wins are celebrated, contributions are recognised, and growth opportunities are consistently created, ensuring agility never comes at the cost of connection. Create What’s Next reflects that change is not only inevitable, but something we must actively harness, while staying grounded in our shared purpose. Building Belonging Across Borders With teams spread across multiple countries and functions, fostering a shared identity requires more than communication, it requires intentional design. At PropertyGuru, this comes to life through its employee value proposition, Be More, Be A Guru, which connects people across the organisation through shared experiences and moments that matter. The company’s vision, mission, and values are not just stated, but actively reinforced through company-wide initiatives and regular touchpoints. Kerr highlights the importance of creating spaces where employees can align and engage meaningfully. “We invest in robust internal communication initiatives, including regular tentpole events that provide Gurus a venue to come together and understand their role in our direction,” she notes. Inclusive communication further strengthens this sense of belonging, ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to contribute ideas, learn from others, and celebrate success together. By recognising the unique strengths of different teams while reinforcing a shared purpose, PropertyGuru creates an environment where employees feel both valued and connected. Connecting Work to Real Impact In a business that helps people make one of life’s most important decisions, finding a home, meaning is deeply embedded in the work itself. The challenge, however, lies in making that impact visible to every employee. PropertyGuru addresses this by consistently bringing customer stories to the forefront. Through town halls, newsletters, and internal platforms, employees are reminded of how their work directly influences people and communities. “We intentionally show how what we do makes a real difference,” Kerr explains. By sharing real experiences and outcomes, employees are able to see how their contributions, whether through product, data, or insights, shape meaningful life moments. Initiatives like the Everyone Welcome feature further reinforce this connection by championing inclusivity in the home search journey. Recognition also plays a critical role. By celebrating achievements, both big and small, the organisation ensures that every Guru understands the value of their contribution and its link to the broader mission. Designing Everyday Engagement Engagement at PropertyGuru is not treated as a one-time initiative, but as an evolving experience shaped by employee feedback. Regular pulse surveys and open forums allow the organisation to stay closely aligned with the needs of its people. Flexible work arrangements, wellness programmes, and learning opportunities are continuously refined to support both personal and professional growth. One example is “Thrive Thursdays” in Singapore, where employees come together for activities such as breakfasts, sports sessions, and informal gatherings. These moments create space for connection, helping teams recharge and strengthen relationships. Equally important are platforms for dialogue. “Roundtables and fireside chats provide a safe space for Gurus to voice their opinions and concerns with our leadership,” Kerr shares. This emphasis on listening ensures that employees feel heard, supported, and empowered.

Kristina Vaneva,  Employee Experience Professional and Founder of Beyond Plus, explores how workplaces are shaped through everyday moments, shared responsibility, and intentional design across environments and experiences. | Written by Kristina Vaneva Launching my column in the first issue of Employee Happiness Daily feels like the right moment to pause and ask a fundamental question:  what does work actually feel like for the people living it every day?  Not in theory. Not in strategy presentations. But in the ordinary moments that quietly shape our experience of working life. This first column is intentionally broad. In the months ahead, I will explore specific topics in depth: leadership, wellbeing, trust, growth, culture, performance, and positive psychology. For now, however, it is important to step back and look at the whole system. Because employee happiness is the result of many small, interconnected choices that shape the experience of work over time. I know from first-hand experience that people stay in organizations because the experience of working there makes sense, feels human, and aligns with who they are and who they want to become. And sometimes, yes, simply because of a paycheck, but we will get to that another time. That experience is influenced by the environments people operate in every day. The physical, technological, and cultural environments together create the conditions in which people either thrive or slowly disengage. The physical environment is often the most obvious place to start. Offices, factories, retail spaces, hospitals, and remote setups all send signals about what is valued. Are people given spaces that support focus, collaboration, rest, and connection? Is safety taken seriously? Is flexibility designed into how and where work happens? Is the organization WELL or LEED certified? A poorly designed physical environment quietly drains energy and motivation. A thoughtful one removes friction and supports people without drawing attention to itself. Closely connected to this is the technological environment. The tools and systems people use daily shape how work feels just as much as where it happens. When systems are outdated, overly complex, or introduced without explanation, they communicate something else entirely. They suggest that productivity matters more than experience. Over time, that message erodes trust. All of this sits within the cultural environment, which is both the most powerful and the most fragile. Culture is defined by behavior. How decisions are made. How mistakes are treated. How feedback is given or avoided. How people speak to one another when there is pressure or disagreement. Culture is recreated daily, often unconsciously, through thousands of small interactions. And we are all responsible for it. Understanding these environments is important, but understanding how people move through them over time is even more critical. This is where the employee journey becomes useful. Gallup’s Employee Experience Journey outlines a series of stages that most people move through during their time with an organization: attract, hire, onboard, engage, perform, develop, and depart, with the increasing possibility of reboarding. Each stage contains moments that matter. First impressions. Expectations that are either set clearly or left ambiguous. Conversations that build confidence or slowly chip away at it. Opportunities that are offered, delayed, or quietly denied. Organizations often focus heavily on certain stages and overlook others. Attraction gets marketing budgets. Onboarding gets checklists. Engagement gets surveys. Departure gets exit interviews that come far too late to make a difference. Intentional design means thinking carefully about what people need at each stage and how those needs evolve over time, and across different personas. It also means involving employees in shaping those moments, rather than assuming leaders or HR already know what works best. Feedback should be a continuous input into how the employee journey is designed and improved. When people see their voices reflected in real changes, trust grows. When feedback disappears into reports, skepticism builds instead. Employee experience is not something organizations deliver alone. It is something we co-create every day, through the environments we design and the choices we make. At the same time, it is important to acknowledge something that is often uncomfortable. While organizations shape the conditions for experience, individuals influence it every single day. We are both experiencing work and actively creating it. The way we listen, communicate, collaborate, and respond to challenges affects not only our own experience but also the experience of those around us. Culture is not something that happens to us. It is something we participate in, whether we realize it or not. This shared responsibility does not remove accountability from leaders or organizations. Leadership still matters deeply. Systems still matter. Fairness still matters. But it does remind us that employee experience is co-created, moment by moment. Over time, certain elements consistently stand out as critical to a healthy and sustainable experience at work. In my view, these are the foundations that matter most. Trust must be intentionally built and maintained, supported by open, honest, and three-way communication. Not just top-down or bottom-up, but across teams, functions, and levels. Trust grows when people feel informed, listened to, and respected, even when decisions are difficult. Joy and recognition deserve far more attention than they often receive. Feeling appreciated, celebrated, and seen activates motivation and commitment in ways that policies never will. Growth and progression matter deeply, even when they do not come in the form of promotions. People want to learn, stretch, and feel that their future holds possibility. When growth stalls, disengagement follows. Meaning and belonging are equally essential. People want to understand why their work matters and to feel that they matter as individuals, not just as roles. Pride in one’s own work, and pride in what the organization does, contribute to authentic commitment. Metrics also play an important role when used thoughtfully. Engagement scores, wellbeing indicators, and employee turnover data tell stories. The value lies in the willingness to listen to what those stories reveal and to use them for continuous improvement. Interestingly, many of these same themes appear in broader measures of happiness and wellbeing at a societal level. Reports such as the World Happiness Report consistently highlight trust, safety, social support, and wellbeing as key drivers of happiness across countries. These are also the conditions present in highly engaged workplaces. The connection is not accidental. As the saying goes, when people feel better, they do better. Most of us will spend a significant portion of our lives working. The experiences we have at work influence how we feel about ourselves, how we treat others, and how we show up in our families and communities. Workplaces can contribute positively, or negatively, far beyond their walls. They can grow, train, and educate people. They can reward behaviors that ripple outward into homes and neighborhoods. They can model honest, transparent communication that shapes how people interact with the world around them. This brings us to an important question, my dear reader. Why does engagement matter, from the employee’s point of view? What if there was no such concept as employee engagement? What if, instead of waiting for your workplace to inspire you, you began to inspire yourself and those around you? What if, instead of waiting for your organization to enroll you in a training program or label you as a high performer, you invested your own time, energy, and resources into learning, and shared that learning with your team? What if, instead of waiting for your manager to create connection through initiatives and events, you chose to connect more intentionally with the people around you? Looking up from your phone at lunch. Speaking to someone in the elevator. Listening fully when someone speaks. What if, instead of waiting for praise, you worked in a way that made you genuinely proud, and then extended that appreciation to others? What if, instead of waiting for the next wellbeing strategy, you created your own plan for caring for your physical, mental, emotional, financial, social, and career wellbeing? At some point, many of us stopped taking responsibility for ourselves and started expecting organizations to do it for us. Of course, we want to feel that we belong, that we matter, that we are heard and appreciated. These needs are human and valid. But it is worth remembering that fulfillment does not begin with a policy or a program. It begins with us. Much like love, we cannot expect others to give us what we have not learned to give ourselves. Perhaps it is time to stop outsourcing our happiness, engagement, motivation, and wellbeing to our workplaces, and start taking them back into our own hands. That is where truly meaningful work, and truly happy workplaces, begin.

Sultana Al Amri,  Happiness General Manager, shares why employee happiness efforts fall short, and how HR leaders can shift from surface initiatives to system-level impact. | Written by Sultana Al Amri Employee happiness is no longer a side conversation. It shows up in executive discussions, engagement dashboards, and increasingly, in performance metrics. Organizations are investing in wellbeing platforms, leadership programs, listening tools, and culture initiatives. And yet, despite the attention and investment, many companies continue to face burnout, disengagement, and rising attrition. In my experience working closely with leaders and teams, the issue is rarely a lack of intent. Most HR leaders genuinely want people to thrive. The gap usually lies in how happiness is defined, measured, and embedded into the system. Here are the most common misconceptions I see, and what needs to shift. Confusing Perks with Culture One of the most visible mistakes is equating happiness with benefits. Flexible schedules, remote options, wellness weeks, office redesigns, and team celebrations can absolutely enhance the employee experience. They signal positive intent. But they do not build culture. Culture is shaped by everyday decisions. It is reflected in how leaders set priorities, handle conflict, distribute recognition, and manage pressure. An employee who feels unheard in meetings, unclear about expectations, or consistently overloaded will not feel engaged simply because there is a new wellbeing initiative. Perks create positive moments. Systems create sustained experience. When HR leaders focus more on adding programs than fixing structural friction, happiness remains superficial. Mistaking Satisfaction for Engagement Another common misunderstanding is assuming that satisfied employees are happy employees. Satisfaction is about comfort. Engagement is about commitment. An employee may appreciate their salary, value job stability, and have no major complaints. Yet they may still feel disconnected from purpose, uninspired by their work, or unclear about growth opportunities. In that state, performance becomes transactional. True workplace happiness includes meaning, progress, autonomy, recognition, and belonging. It reflects emotional investment, not just contentment. HR strategies that focus only on minimizing dissatisfaction miss a deeper opportunity: activating intrinsic motivation. When people feel their work matters and their growth is supported, they contribute with energy rather than obligation. Designing One-Size-Fits-All Solutions Happiness is personal. What motivates one employee may overwhelm another. Some individuals thrive in fast-paced, high-visibility roles. Others prefer steady contribution with flexibility. Some are energized by collaboration. Others do their best thinking independently. The role of people leadership is not to manufacture happiness. It is to create an environment where different personalities, career stages, and ambitions can thrive. Over-Relying on Surveys Without Action Listening is essential. Surveys, pulse checks, and analytics provide valuable insight. However, measurement without visible action erodes credibility. Employees disengage quickly from feedback processes when they repeatedly share concerns but see no meaningful change. True listening requires responsiveness. HR earns trust not by presenting dashboards, but by removing barriers that affect daily work. Employee happiness is not built through perks or campaigns. It emerges when work, leadership, and systems are designed with clarity, fairness, and meaning at their core. Underestimating the Manager Effect If there is one factor that shapes employee happiness more than any other, it is the direct manager. Culture is experienced in daily interactions. In how feedback is delivered. In how workload is assigned. In how mistakes are handled. Developing managers in coaching skills, emotional intelligence, clarity of communication, and balanced accountability is one of the highest-impact investments an organization can make. Ignoring Workload and Work Design No happiness strategy can sustain itself under chronic overload. When priorities constantly shift, roles remain unclear, and expectations exceed capacity, stress becomes systemic. Employees need clarity on what success looks like. They need realistic workloads. They need autonomy in how work is executed. They need confidence that expectations are fair and achievable. Treating Happiness as a Campaign Instead of a System Short-term initiatives can create temporary energy. But happiness is not built through campaigns. It is built through consistency. It shows up in transparent promotion processes, fair performance reviews, clear communication, and aligned incentives. Employee happiness is not about making people comfortable all the time. It is about creating an environment where people feel valued, capable, and connected to meaningful work. The real question is not how to make employees happier. It is how to design work, leadership, and systems in a way that allows happiness to emerge naturally. When the fundamentals are strong, happiness stops being an initiative. It becomes a reflection of a healthy organization.

Anthony Berryhill,  Founder and CEO of Elite College Hacker, reflects on how discipline, structure, and self-belief shape leadership far more than natural talent ever could. | Written by Anthony Berryhill “Not naturally persuasive. Doesn’t look the part. I’ve never seen someone so short in debate.” These words, from debate judges, stayed with me. And the reason why requires some reflection. This was in the late 1990s, when I was attending Isidore Newman High School. I was not the prototype of a typical Newman student. I was born in the pre-Katrina Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. The closest way to describe my childhood environment is a mix of The Wire , Power , and Lean on Me . My primary school, Edwards Elementary, reflected the harsh realities of a system that often felt like a pipeline rather than a pathway. Schools in my neighborhood did not emphasize student safety in the ways many do today. Discipline was enforced through intensity, both physical and psychological, with a clear message: survive, adapt, and aim for a narrow set of acceptable futures. The result was a deeply ingrained belief system. Leadership, in that context, meant having a deep voice, performing visibly, or possessing what people called a “God-given ability.” Leadership was treated as something you were born with, not something you could build. A Different Path Everything changed when the Breakthrough Collaborative found me and offered access to a program that supported my transition into a college preparatory school. That opportunity became a turning point. Then came debate. When I entered ninth grade at Isidore Newman, I was recruited by Greg Malis, a Hall of Fame debate coach. It took him nine attempts to convince me to join. The first two years were difficult. I had to work through speech impediments, shaped partly by trauma from earlier schooling and partly by the tension between formal academic language and cultural expectations. Debate became my workshop to relearn how to speak. For many, debate is like an intellectual proving ground. Students compete at high speed, engaging in complex arguments on global issues. My early results were far from impressive. The feedback was blunt. My speaker scores were average at best. At home, the reaction was just as skeptical. “Debate?” my parents asked, surprised that I was not pursuing sports or music. The feedback I received from others reinforced a familiar narrative. Leadership meant confidence, height, presence, and the so-called “gift of gab.” It was always framed as something innate. Those early judgments hurt, not just because of performance, but because they reflected a deeper assumption about what a leader should look and sound like. Leadership is not something you are born with. It is built through discipline, structure, and the courage to challenge what a leader is supposed to look like. Rewriting the Script Toward the end of my sophomore year, I made a decision. I went back and reread every piece of feedback I had received. I treated it like data. I looked for patterns. And I found one clear conclusion: I needed to become more technical. From there, I built my own system. I studied strategies for speaking with precision and clarity. I practiced “flowing,” a form of rapid note-taking used in debate. I spent hours in the library reading extensively to strengthen my content knowledge. I immersed myself in books on communication, business, and performance. This process culminated at the 1997 Barkley Forum, one of the most competitive high school debate tournaments in the United States. At that time, results were not immediately shared. You did not know if you were winning or losing. You simply kept competing. As the rounds progressed, I noticed something. Each round became more difficult, and I began recognizing my opponents as top performers I had previously watched from the sidelines. But this time felt different. The skills I had built through deliberate practice allowed me to compete with confidence. By the sixth round, I found myself in a room with three other debaters. I was the only Black student there. Later, I learned that I was undefeated and had advanced to the elimination rounds. It would be years before another sophomore achieved the same result. What Leadership Really Is That experience shaped everything that followed. Across my journey, from academia as a PhD student to corporate HR and over 25 years of coaching, one belief has remained constant: Leadership is a set of behaviors, not an identity. Debate forced me to create my own instruction manual for credibility. It taught me that leadership can be developed through discipline, structure, and intentional practice. But it also revealed a problem that still exists today. Many organizational systems, such as 9-box frameworks, performance reviews, and high-potential programs, often reinforce narrow definitions of leadership. These systems, while well-intentioned, can unintentionally exclude people who do not fit a traditional mold. Leadership potential is too often judged through visible traits like extroversion, confidence, or self-promotion. Quick wins are rewarded because they are easy to see, even when they are more about visibility than impact. Meanwhile, quieter, high-impact contributors, what Seth Godin calls “linchpins,” are often overlooked. Challenging the Default Image One practical solution is to actively challenge the unspoken assumptions of what a leader should look like. This includes questioning biases related to background, personality, appearance, and communication style. Even institutions known for rigid leadership models are evolving. Elite military units, for example, increasingly value leaders who are thoughtful, composed, and not traditionally “alpha.” This shift reflects a deeper truth. Leadership is not about fitting a predefined image. It is about creating impact. A Different Way Forward My core belief is simple. The idea that leadership is something you are born with separates it from what truly matters: vision, results, and meaningful contribution. That version of leadership is, at best, incomplete. The alternative is to invest in developing leadership as a capability. To train people. To equip them with the tools, structure, and mindset needed to lead effectively. When organizations do this, they unlock a much broader and more inclusive pool of leaders. And in today’s world, that is not just an advantage. It is a necessity.

Drawing on 15 years of HR experience, Ahmad Asseiri argues that employees don’t stay because they’re entertained, they stay when leadership helps them grow meaningfully. | Written by Riya Malhotra Ahmad Asseiri, Sr. HRBP at Ascend Solutions What 15 Years in HR Taught Me About Retention (That No Framework Mentions) If free ice cream, engagement surveys, and “Employee of the Month” programmes truly solved retention, organisations wouldn’t still be facing talent attrition as a persistent challenge. After more than 15 years in HR across different organisations, leadership teams, and transformation journeys, Ahmad Asseiri, Sr. HRBP at Ascend Solutions, has observed a simple truth rarely captured in formal frameworks: People don’t stay because they are entertained. They stay because they are growing. And in markets like Saudi Arabia, this insight carries even greater weight. Retention Is Not an Engagement Campaign One of the most common organisational missteps is treating retention as a checklist of activities rather than a leadership responsibility. Organisations launch engagement initiatives, celebrate themed days, and introduce new benefits or wellness programmes, yet high performers still leave. Why? Because most employees don’t resign from companies; they resign from stagnation. When individuals stop learning, progressing, or seeing a future version of themselves within the organisation, perks alone cannot replace the loss of purpose or direction. The Saudi Context: Why Values Matter More Than Targets As Ahmad Asseiri highlights, leadership within Saudi Arabia carries a strong cultural dimension that many global HR frameworks fail to capture. While KPIs and performance metrics remain important, long-term loyalty is often shaped by deeper values: Trust Respect Fairness Consistency Alignment with shared principles Employees don’t just ask, “What is my target?”They also ask, “What kind of leader am I working for?” and “Do I see a future here?” Organisations driven purely by numbers may achieve short-term results, but they often struggle to build enduring commitment. Leaders who combine clarity with values, especially during difficult periods, tend to retain talent more effectively. Why Most Retention Frameworks Fall Short Traditional HR retention models typically emphasise: Compensation benchmarking Engagement survey results Benefits optimisation Career frameworks on slides What they often overlook is the everyday employee experience. Employees don’t interact with frameworks, they experience HR through daily conversations with managers, feedback loops (or the absence of them), opportunities given or withheld, and the visibility they have into their future. Retention rarely collapses overnight. Instead, it erodes quietly when individuals feel invisible, underutilised, or stuck. The Real Retention Lever: Visible Growth The most powerful retention strategy Ahmad has observed is straightforward: help employees see themselves growing within the organisation. Growth does not always mean promotions. It includes: Stretch assignments Exposure to new challenges Ownership of meaningful work Honest development conversations Clear expectations and regular feedback When employees can confidently answer the question, “Am I becoming better here than I would anywhere else?” retention often follows naturally. People don’t stay because they are entertained, they stay when they are growing, learning, and becoming better versions of themselves inside the organisation Career Pathways Must Feel Real, Not Theoretical Many organisations proudly present career pathways. Yet employees don’t stay because a roadmap exists on paper. They stay when they witness real progression, when development conversations lead to tangible outcomes, and when managers actively support growth. Career frameworks lose credibility when they feel symbolic rather than actionable. Once employees perceive development as a theoretical exercise instead of a genuine commitment, trust declines, and retention soon follows. Leadership Is the Retention Strategy Ahmad Asseiri believes that retention ultimately lives or dies at the leadership level. Not in policies.Not in benefits.Not in engagement calendars. Employees remain with leaders who: Set clear expectations Demonstrate fairness in decisions Act consistently Invest time in coaching Show genuine care beyond performance reviews This leadership-driven approach is particularly significant within Saudi organisations, where relationships, respect, and integrity are deeply valued. Strong leadership can retain talent even during challenging periods. Weak leadership can lose talent even in favourable conditions. Rethinking Retention from the Inside Out One of the most effective shifts organisations can make is reframing the retention question. Instead of asking, “How do we keep people?” consider asking: Who are we helping them become? Better leaders? Stronger professionals? More confident decision-makers? More capable contributors? When organisations genuinely invest in personal and professional development, retention becomes a natural outcome rather than a constant struggle. Retention is not about making employees comfortable, it is about helping them evolve. Better at what they do. Stronger in how they think. More confident in how they lead. When employees can clearly see their growth and progression within an organisation, they are far less likely to look elsewhere. As Ahmad Asseiri reflects, this is the retention lesson no framework ever taught, but years of real HR experience continue to reinforce.

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.