People

Extensive review and benchmarking of people-related processes and strategies was carried out in early 2017. Subsequently, a transformation roadmap for talent management was developed for the Group, with a focus on leveraging best practice to harness talent potential for ENOC’s future success.

Several initiatives developed and implemented in 2017 have resulted in a high level of employee satisfaction in areas related to leadership, performance and empowerment. We have also had another record year in minimising employee turnover – less than 3 percent – which reflects employees’ pride in being associated with the ENOC brand and an increasing desire to maintain long-term careers within the organisation.

ENOC has established a work culture that encourages employees to take risks, think big, and grow along with the business. Line managers create an environment of openness, where new ideas are appreciated and employees are supported on a continuous path of learning and development. These efforts have created an organisational climate that fosters performance excellence. Our focus is to provide employees with the necessary tools, align their individual goals with those of the organisation, and recognise their achievements.

UAE national development

Several initiatives aligned to the UAE National Agenda that were launched in late 2016 have started to yield results. In 2017, ENOC succeeded in attracting the highest number of UAE nationals through various forums such as career fairs, university associations and in-house programmes. The Group welcomed a total of 154 UAE nationals in various roles and responsibilities.

Our employer branding efforts have not only been successful in attracting talent, but also in ensuring our employed nationals are actively engaged. They recognise that ENOC is an organisation that cares about UAE nationals and that Emiratisation is a key leadership agenda, which has resulted in a 14 percent net reduction in employee turnover from 2016. Thus, the net increase in UAE national headcount over 2016 is at 16 percent, one of the highest so far. This brings us closer to achieving the ENOC Emiratisation Strategy 2017-21, capitalising on our access to the local talent pool, and aligning the strategic direction of the Group with the Dubai Plan 2021.

Initiatives successfully implemented include the Technical Training Programme (TTP) – a work-readiness programme for oil and gas technicians in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training and the Higher Colleges of Technology. A total of 30 aspiring Emiratis have begun their journey, with some successfully completing certification and taking up full-time operational jobs.

Through the Graduate Development Programme (GDP), 20 UAE nationals were inducted, providing on-the-job exposure in non-technical areas of work to help them develop expertise in corporate and support specialisations. After an assessment of acquired competencies and job knowledge, they are now performing roles of their preference in various parts of the business.

In 2017 we also introduced new initiatives such as our Secondment Programme, Summer Internship Programme, and Work Placement Programme. These initiatives provided a platform for young and aspiring Emiratis to experience the working environment at ENOC, and to use the diverse opportunities, offered in various businesses across the Group, to develop their own unique career paths.

Fostering leadership through strategic initiatives

To achieve the transformation roadmap on the talent management front.

The ENOC Leadership Culture diagnostic survey was implemented in 2017. The results provided insight into the prevailing and desirable leadership culture, allowing for open discussions at the management-level workshops conducted to understand the framework and results.

While the Leadership Culture survey built readiness for change at Group level, we also initiated a Leadership Circle Profile 360 instrument to provide in-depth feedback for individual leadership development and establish the ENOC Leadership Index. The Leadership Circle Profile 360 is directly aligned to the Leadership Culture Survey and can be mapped, thus ensuring consistency in process and feedback.

Coaching is now a key component of the national development plan and leadership development approach. We have recently partnered with leading coaching organisations in the UAE to provide one-to-one coaching for participants, and build coaching for managers and mentoring programmes. This will help ENOC build a coaching and mentoring culture to support leadership effectiveness, stimulate engagement, and unlock greater potential.

Leveraging technology

Taking into consideration the diverse ways that people consume information today and the evolving nature of the ENOC employer brand, we now have a presence across a wide range of platforms from the more traditional ENOC Career Portal, to active social media interactions, industry forums, university visits and career fairs. We continue to receive more than 40,000 applications every year from prospective job seekers, indicating our status as an employer of choice.

With extensive automation in employee services and administrative matters, employees can fulfil almost all their requirements online. These enhancements will deliver significant cost benefits and enhance resource efficiency across the Group’s activities. Process improvement and overall governance are always primary goals, and we are fully compliant with our internal and external quality management standards and other regulatory requirements.

Performance and innovation

Establishing a performance culture is vital for ENOC, and our continuously evolving Performance Management Programme is another example of our commitment to improving systems. We have further refined our reward management programme to better align business goals and individual performance, rewarding employees for their direct contribution to key operational deliverables. But performance appraisal systems can only be effective if they differentiate performance between staff, so that companies can identify their strongest and weakest performers. This approach applies equally to reward systems, which must acknowledge outstanding performance more than average performance. Customised job-based incentive programmes further help to establish a healthy competitive environment for improved performance.

Employee happiness

The 2017 ENOC Employee Engagement Programme, implemented in the last quarter of that year, set another record with 91 percent employee participation. This outstanding level of participation is testimony to the trust employees have in the confidentiality of the process and the certainty that their feedback will result in actions for improvement.

Results from the programme indicated that our major strengths lie in the confidence that employees have in ENOC’s leadership to successfully face challenges ahead; that our leadership promotes a culture of performance and improvement; and that our managers fully empower employees to perform to the best of their ability. We believe these are the foundations for a successful organisation, and we will begin with employee-led discussions during the coming year to identify further areas of improvement.

Our Wellness and Social Affairs Department implements an annual schedule of activities that promote a common culture and support the strategic objective of employee happiness. These activities enhance team spirit, encourage camaraderie, and promote an environment of friendship and trust. Hundreds of employees and their families participate in events such as the ENOC Olympics, Family Day, Golf Championship, paintball tournaments, women’s events, and learning events for employees’ children.