Bio:
Alaa has been a practicing HR management professional with around 20 years of hands-on experience in industries such as hospitality, aviation, business administration, oil & gas, construction, facilities management and EPCM. Having worked in different countries and being exposed to diverse cultures, he is highly aware and attuned to the staffing needs of clients in different regions. He also has to his credit the opportunity of re-engineering HR departments in several well-known organizations.
Questions:
1. How do you like living and working in Kuwait?
Although there are strict rules and regulations like any other gulf country, it is yet a peaceful place to live in. It is the way you lead your life I feel; make it beautiful in your own way, provided you abide by the laws of the land.
2. What is your average day at work like?
In a single word it is “Hectic!”. It involves meetings, catering to staff’s needs, responding to pressing and urgent requirements; updating HR policies & procedures and many other daily tasks. The day flies quite fast. My average day at work last for about 10 hours, keeping in mind the responsibilities and tasks on hand.
3. What is your biggest professional challenge?
Developing and coaching a professional HR team; making things work together to accomplish my assigned tasks; passing-on my experience to all my colleagues in a way that makes a difference to the organization. Also fulfilling some difficult recruitment assignments such as senior or key management positions.
4. What is the most important thing you look for in new hires?
Positive attitude, candidates who fit in smoothly in our organization culture; willingness to learn, and to be a proactive team member.
5. What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring talent?
Identifying talented candidates with the right caliber never is an easy task. Managing candidates’ salary expectations is also a challenge in such a fluctuating job-market. There are many candidates in the market, but selection of the right fit is of great concern to our organization.
6. What is your favorite part of your role?
Coaching & mentoring the HR team to achieve set goals. As well as helping employees and addressing their grievances and complaints.
7. What has been the highlight of your career in HR?
Managing complex and diverse cross-border nationalities. Creating and managing a young multinational team and watching all of them grow during the process.
8. What do you read to keep abreast of industry developments?
I adhere to professional HR groups such as SHRM. Surfing several HR related websites.
9. What is your advice to someone looking to enter the field of HR? To be open minded for different point of views, to be ready to adapt to various situations/ cultures and to be a team player with a can-do attitude. Also the person should be willing to look at the big picture without missing the important minor details.
10. How do you see the Middle East evolve as a place to practice HR? More emphasis should be given to core HR practices such as rewards and recognition, fostering and supporting the creation of future leaders in the Middle East, as well as retention of existing talent.
11. If you could wave your magic stick and make a significant development in one specific area of HR practices worldwide, where would that fall?
I would introduce an HR operating system that can be applicable to all countries in the world with a simple customization process. Something like the MS Windows system, which it is used in almost all countries but everyone can customize it according to their region. The HR system could allow one to just choose the country you are in and the system will pull out all the applicable rules/ regulations/ labor law and best practices in that specific country. This will make it easy for all HR professionals, especially for organizations having operations in several countries. Also, this would help standardize the HR practices throughout the world.
12. Anything else you'd like to share with the community of Bayt.com Employers?
I wish to thank Bayt for its initiatives and for actively evolving the literacy of Human Resources in the region.
