By Usha Wagle Gautam


Nasser Ali al-Ali, the chairman of Nasser Al Ali Enterprise, started with 12 Nepali workers in 2005 and has grown the company to 1,600 workers, picking an ISO certification along the way.
About 1,200 of his employees are Nepalis, with the remaining force being made up by workers from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. In the company’s 10 years, Nasser has found himself impressed by the work ethics and humility of Nepalese workers, so much so that 30 of his 35 senior staff members are from Nepal, working in human resources, as site supervisors and senior accountants.
Nasser has gone to Nepal four times during this time period, to personally conduct interviews with his future employees. He has instructed manpower agencies in Kathmandu to not collect airfare from workers they hire. He funds the airfare and other associated costs, charging recruits only the government fees of QR600.  
He is also the custodian of 200 orphaned kids in Nepal. In 2010, he built Madarasa Islamiya Faizool-Uloom in Ghyalchowk, Gorkha in west of Nepal, where disadvantaged children get food, shelter and free education.
He sends QR5,000 per month to the school every month. Every three months, the school principal comes to Qatar and Nasser sends stationery materials and clothes for the children with him.
Nasser believes that every child has a right to get education. “Education can change lives,” he says, “I feel pleasure in taking responsibility of these children, who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to change their lives.”
One of his workers died of an illness in Qatar six years back. Nasser continues to send his family a pension of Nepali Rs8,000 to this day, which helps them with their monthly expenses. “He died during the time he was my employee. So it is my responsibility to support his family members.”
Nasser values his workers highly. Twice a month, he visits his workers’ hostel and takes note of the condition they are living in and the food and shelter they are being provided. He meets with them and gets feedback on any problems they are facing, solving any issue that is brought to his notice.
Once in a while, he dines with his workers. “They (workers) share their stories and problems whenever I mingle with them.” He has instructed his workers to come to his office whenever they have a problem. “My door is always open for my workers, I am not their boss, I am their guardian.”
In Nasser’s company, there is no objection to workers who wish to leave the company and go home without fulfilling their initial contract of two years. “Any of my workers can quit and go home if he wants to, even after a month,” Nasser says, “And I pay their [return] airfares too.”
Employees who complete two years with the company can take an extended leave of up to 10 months. “I talk frankly with my workers, and I want them to take good memories of Qatar to their homes. More than revenue, I value the satisfaction of my workers.”
He has hired a doctor for the workers’ dorm. “I take those with more serious health problems to a private hospital, and I allow them to rest as per doctor’s advice.”
Nasser is very conscious of providing newcomers with appropriate training. In 2013, he spent about QR45,000 on scaffolding training for his labourers. In 2014, he spent QR22,500 on rigger training and QR22,200 on scaffolding training. He wants his workers to be properly trained, so that they can accomplish their assignments safely.
He also takes care of education and health of many of his employees’ family members. He has provided educational and medical help to more than 100 children and 50 family members, respectively. “I can’t ignore my workers’ problems if they come to me.”
Every year he organises a celebration for the company’s anniversary, where employees get honoured for their services to the company. In 2015, Nepalese nationals Prakash Chandra Acharya, Khem Raj Khanal, Bal Krishna Rai were given QR15,000 for being named the Employees of the Year. There are also two cash awards — worth QR1,000 each — for Employees of the Month. There are several other awards for the workers as well, such as coins made of gold for workers who abide by Qatar’s rules and regulations. Nasser also provides gifts to the families of his employees who go back for vacation.
The workers are also given holidays on their festivals — Hindus during Dashain and Tihar, Muslims on Eid, and Christians on Christmas.
Nasser says the recent earthquake in Nepal that killed over 8,000 people rattled him and filled him with worry for his workers. “I talked with each and every employee and inquired about the condition of their families. The communication system in Nepal during the disaster was failing, and the workers were scared.”
Even though none of his employees lost family members, about three executives and 30 workers lost their homes. He helped them out financially.
Mukesh Baral, who has been working as a senior accountant in Nasser’s company, says he lost two houses in the earthquake. “My employer has told me not to worry about the house.” Nasser gave Baral a cheque of QR20,000 to help rebuild his house. “More than an employer, he is like a guardian to me.”
Anand Thapa, who also lost his house, has been working in Nasser’s company as a site supervisor for two years.
His home is in Dolakha district, one of the most devastated zones in Nepal. Nasser gave him QR15, 000 to rebuild his house. “[Nasser] is highly flexible and treats us as friends,” said Anand.
Taj Mohammed Miya, working as a public relations officer for five years in the company, was also given QR15,000 to rebuild his house. “In my five years here, I have never heard [Nasser] shouting at anyone.”
Eight of his employees had to go home after the earthquake. All were given free air tickets and QR2,000 to take back home.
Som Bahadur Shrestha has been working with Nasser for eight years as a welder. Before Qatar, he worked for two years in Malaysia. “This is the only place where I have been satisfied with my work, pay, employer, and the facilities,” Shrestha says. “Once, I stayed at home for longer than the approved leaves, but [I wasn’t reprimanded].” He also got QR2,500 to rebuild his house that was damaged in the recent earthquake.  
Kamal Bahadur Thapa came to Qatar five years ago to work for Nasser as a labourer. But when Nasser saw his work experience, he appointed him as a foreman. Kamal says he got QR1,500 to rebuild his home, for which he is very grateful.  
Raj Kumar Pahari, Rameshwor BK, Rajan Thapa Magar, Dharma Raj Rana Magar, Kishori Khatwe, Bhoril Mandal, Tetar Chowdhary, Ram Saran Sunar, Jagat Bahadur Thapa, Ram Narayan Chamar, Dip Bahadur Puri, Man Kaji Nagarkoti, Ram Kumar Sunar, and Suk Bahadur Thing are some of the other workers who were given cheques to help with the rebuilding of their houses in Nepal.
In all, Nasser gave over QR113,000 to his employees affected in the recent earthquake. “I don’t look at them (the workers) as a boss, I am more like a friend.”