GDRFA Dubai holds initiative for employees to return to the workplace

For the third year in a row, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai held the ‘You matter the most’ forum, which enhances the communication aspect between the senior leadership and the employees of the Directorate. The forum was held virtually with the participation of 3,000 employees of the Directorate in the presence of His Excellency Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai and his deputy H.E. Major General Obaid Muhair bin Surur; and assistants to the Director General and a number of senior officers and front-line employees. The forum was organized with an aim to motivate employees and encourage them to return to the workplace to continue work with high team spirits and morale in light of the pandemic circumstances. The session prepared them for the return to workplace with all precautionary measures in place, in line with the directives of the UAE’s wise government. The forum was presided over by Major Salem bin Ali, Director of Amer Happiness Customers Department at GDRFA Dubai; and began with the welcoming of the attendees and sending a message of gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency Major General Mohammed Al Marri for the opportunity to hold this meeting. A new chapter filled with hope and positive spirit Major General Mohammed Al Marri affirmed at the beginning of his speech during the meeting that the people of the UAE are fortunate to be led by our wise leadership, represented by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces; and their Highnesses, and rulers of all emirates. He said that the wise leadership's handling of the pandemic crisis enabled a quick response and the adoption of timely precautionary measures to ensure the health, social and economic security of the country. Major General Al Marri praised the efforts of the employees of all sectors of GDRFA Dubai which contributed greatly to providing the best services to customers without prejudice. He explained that the remote work system was not completely a new practice, but in fact, it was an experience which began in the year 2014, which prepared us to face the pandemic challenge with high efficiency and productivity. He also described the front-line employees as heroes, praising their distinguished efforts in dealing with travellers arriving through the land and air ports with efficiency and diligence to preserve their health and safety. The Director General of GDRFA Dubai thanked and appreciated the Permanent Committee for Labor Affairs in Dubai for its efforts, pointing out that the committee's work team headed by Major General Obaid Muhair bin Surur, Deputy Director General of GDRFA Dubai and Chairman of the Committee, is an integral part of the Directorate. Major General Mohammed Al Marri assured the GDRFA Dubai employees during the meeting, saying: “The Directorate is keen to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the decision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum to return to the workplace with all interest, and the health and safety of employees is at the top of our priorities and plans under any circumstances. It is our collective duty to be responsible and maintain our own and the health of our families by adhering to government directives and following preventive measures. " "We will start a new chapter with hope and a positive spirit, and we will not stop doing our work optimally to overcome this challenge that the world is going through," he said. Happiness of the staff Major General Awad Al Oweim, Assistant Director General for the Human and Financial Resources Sector, affirmed the keenness of GDRFA Dubai to achieve employee happiness during the remote work period and to enhance communication with them in order to identify their requirements. The results showed that the employees' satisfaction with the officials’ communication during the remote work period reached 96% thanks to the availability of modern technology and tools. He added that remote working had a positive effect on the happiness of employees because they got to be closer to their families, and people of determination because they did not need to physically travel to the workplace. Al Owaim emphasized that the GDRFA Dubai always seeks to preserve the health of its employees, noting that it had launched a medical clinic and an emergency health centre at the headquarters of the Directorate several years ago. He pointed out that the most important procedure for returning to work is to address all necessities of employees in following the precautionary measures. In terms of training, Major General Awad Al Oweim explained that the latest training programs necessary for the continuation of the training system during the period of remote work. He explained that more than 120,000 training hours have been implemented for more than 3300 employees, adding that the training programs focused on specialized areas such as security fields and service areas. They also provided direct broadcasting of distance education programs to ensure the continuation of the development and the success of the training process. He further noted that the Directorate has demonstrated its readiness to implement its plans and directions in developing its leadership and specialist roles remotely. Providing smart services and artificial intelligence remotely Brigadier General Hussain Ibrahim, Assistant Director General of the Institutional Support Sector, spoke about the efforts of GDRFA Dubai during the period of remote work, indicating that the Directorate is always a forerunner in the implementation of smart projects. He explained that during this period, the management work teams worked alongside strategic partners to provide technical support to all Directorate employees in Dubai to perform their duties efficiently. The Assistant Director General of the Institutional Support Sector revealed that the work teams provided 5,886 consultations and technical support to ensure smooth performance, and that 2,860 workshops and meetings were held virtually. Happiness of dealers Major Salem bin Ali talked about the area of customer happiness, saying, “The Amer department for customer happiness, including Amer centres and the Amer call centre, had a great role in ensuring direct communication with customers, either in person or through contact with adherence to the precautionary measures for the safety of the customer and the employee. We are keen to follow and implement government decisions in all aspects of our operations.” Major Salem added that the procedure for applying for services during the remote work period was facilitated through 67 commanding centres at the emirate-level. He pointed out the fruitful cooperation with the Dubai Economic Department through continuous efforts to inform them and ensure that all centres follow preventive measures such as social distancing, absorption rates, sterilization, and other measures to maintain the health and safety of the customer and the employee. Bin Ali talked about the provision of modern systems and devices to call centre employees, enabling them to deal with customers via phone calls and e-mails, which resulted in high rates of customer satisfaction and happiness. At the end of the forum, His Excellency Major General Mohamed Al Marri thanked and appreciated all attendees and speakers, wishing that the extraordinary distinguished forum would motivate the continuity of work under all circumstances.