"Aswaaq" named among 'best employers' in the Middle East

“Aswaaq” a subsidiary company to Investment Corporation of Dubai, the investment arm of Dubai Government, has been revealed as one of the 15 ‘Best Employers’ in the region for 2013 by Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON).

The announcement follows Aon Hewitt’s third Best Employers Middle East survey, which this year looked at more than 130 businesses and a combined total of over 13,000 employees surveyed. This is representative of a total workforce of more than 267,000 people from around the Middle East – making it the most extensive study of it’s kind in the region.

“aswaaq” secured the second place over the UAE and the twelfths over the Middle East. aswaaq is the Only retailer listed in the top 15 Best Employers in the Region for 2013. Being recognized as one of the Best Employers is a milestone which indicates the progressive steps taken towards achieving its vision “To Be Benchmarked as a World-Class Retailer in the Region”.

The award will be presented to Mr. Affan Al Khoori, Chief Operating Officer at aswaaq at a high profile celebratory event on 13th June. “As a local UAE based brand, our business has been built on the strengths of our people from day one. We firmly believe in creating a unique environment where our people feel empowered and part of the aswaaq family - to work and be inspired - that is what enabled us to get where we are today as a business. Being recognized by the world’s leading HR consultancy reflects in our attaining the vision of being benchmarked as a world-class retailer in the region. We continuously endeavour to offer the HR best practices and employee engagement in aswaaq.” Mr. Al Khoori said.

The judging panel featured distinguished names from across the region, including: Fatma Al-Houti, HR Director at the UAE’s Federal Authority for Government Human Resources; Shorouk Al Redha, Head of HR at Commercial Bank of Dubai; and Nabil Ramadhan, Chief Operating Officer at DIFC Authority.

The panel considered a wealth of data from the independent employee opinion survey, plus an audit of HR processes as well as interviews with the CEO and leadership team. The 360-degree view of the organization’s employees, its leaders and HR practices, ensures a contextual, unbiased and credible outcome of the study in line with Aon Hewitt’s global standards.

Since the first day of operations, aswaaq has worked on involving the employees and providing them with major opportunities to be a part of the company’s development process. aswaaq is regularly conducting an employee satisfaction survey, based on which, the applicable polices & procedures are being developed and enhanced. Moreover, a suggestion a scheme was launched where the ideas and recommendations of the employees are being considered, valued and compensated. The company is committed to providing its people with opportunities to expand their knowledge, develop their skills and increase the pool of their talents.

Dr. Markus Wiesner, Chief Executive Officer at Aon Hewitt Middle East, said: “Participation in this year’s Best Employers is the highest yet, which is testament to the increasing focus that organizations across the region are placing on creating a positive work culture.” 

“We are also delighted to see our highest number of Best Employers to date, and it’s great to see aswaaq setting such a high standard for the Food Retail industry, as well as business in general. By achieving the benchmark required of a Best Employer, they have shown what it takes to engender high levels of employee engagement which puts them in a strong place to harness the discretionary efforts of their team for the benefit of the business,” continued Dr Wiesner.

Launched globally over 10 years ago, Best Employers has become an international benchmark for business, reflecting the opinions of an unprecedented number of employees and providing companies with a unique opportunity to assess and understand the level of employee engagement. 

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