Qatar’s leading telecommunications operator Ooredoo shared a raft of new and updated human resources policies with its staff at a recent event, as part of a recently completed major HR Policy Changes exercise.
The live event was held at Ooredoo Towers and virtually via Workplace, with senior members of the company’s HR team in attendance led by chief human resources officer Eman Mubarak al-Khater.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulla al-Thani, deputy group CEO and CEO at Ooredoo Qatar, opened proceedings with a welcome speech, and the event featured insights from al-Khater and a presentation with full details of all new and updated policies from the HR team.
Sheikh Mohamed said: "This exercise is a clear evidence of the strategic commitment to investment in our people and our ongoing campaign to ensure we are an employer of choice for the brightest talents in Qatar.”
The new and updated policies have indirect financial impact on staff and relate to four key areas such as Smart Equipment Purchase, Employee Loans; Contributions for Humanitarian Cases and Leaves.
Changes and updates of particular significance include an increase in maternity leave and the addition of paternity leave; extensions to, and greater flexibility with, a number of other leaves including medical, compassionate and patient escort and leave for supporting relatives with special needs; more flexible policies for employee loans – with the addition of monthly salary deductions for the purchase of smart devices – and the addition of leave for Qataris sitting exams.
Al-Khater explained: “We embarked on this ambitious exercise to update our HR policies in order to ensure that we are operating in an agile, caring, forward-thinking environment, and that we retain our enviable position of being an employer of choice in Qatar.”
“We were proud to share details of these changes and new policies at our live event; changes that will have a positive impact on our employees, their families and the wider community,” she added. “Updating our HR policies and introducing new ones makes us more agile and receptive to changing best practices in response to market insights in an evolving, interchangeable world, and also makes for happier lives for our employees and their families, ensuring we operate in an environment worthy of our status as a Best Place to Work in Qatar, as we were named in 2021.”
As well as having a positive impact on the company’s staff, Ooredoo intends for its HR Policy Changes exercise to reflect positively on its employee value proposition and, in turn, its brand image. Ooredoo Qatar’s HR Policy Change exercise was undertaken alongside the recent Ooredoo Group brand refresh, with the tagline Upgrade Your World, reflecting the company’s commitment to ensuring an upgraded experience across its human capital and beyond.
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