Best practices for Ramadan at work This year, according to astronomical reports, Ramadan 2022  is expected to begin in the UAE on the 2nd of April and finish on the 1st of May, in the UAE, however official dates will be announced depending on the sighting of the moon. Muslims throughout the UAE will be observing Ramadan by fasting from sunrise to sunset (about 12-13 hours). This involves not eating or drinking, between these hours, for the duration of the month. However, the spirit of Ramadan goes a lot further than simply not eating or drinking. Those observing the holy month will often ..read more

Updated Beneple Feature At Beneple, we are constantly working to improve our HR Platform and better serve our users, HR Managers, and Employees. We are always on the lookout for new features to develop or improvements to existing functionality that can make our customers’ lives easier.  The way we develop the system is based on key user insights and through discussions with the people that use it day in and day out. That’s why we love to receive feedback on what is working well and where we can improve. And as we’ve built Beneple with flexibility at its core, any feedback helps us further ..read more

In today’s fast-paced work environment, employee wellbeing has become a top priority for organisations across various industries. HR professionals play a crucial role in fostering employee wellbeing, and one effective approach is through preventative care. By implementing a comprehensive checklist that focuses on preventive measures, HR professionals can create a workplace culture that prioritises employee health and overall wellbeing. Why is Employee Wellbeing Important? Employee wellbeing is not just a buzzword but a crucial aspect of organisational success. When employees are well taken c ..read more

It’s been almost 18 months since the global pandemic hit and over the last month or so I’ve been reflecting on the lessons I have learnt as an HR professional during this time.  We’ve all heard the tag lines throughout recent months of this pandemic creating ‘Unprecedented times’ in both home and working life, and that statement although overused, is very true. As an HR professional, working life was turned on it’s head as offices closed and face to face interactions were taken away from us like a carpet being pulled from under our feet.  Human beings are social creatures, so ..read more

When it comes to setting up structure when in a new HR department, especially if it’s an SME, the task ahead can seem really daunting. The aim is to break it down into small manageable sections, and create what then looks like a very achievable task list and an amazing set of UAE-specific HR templates which can be used to help make your life easier! HR Templates for the UAE The first step to setting up an efficient HR department is establishing a set of HR templates and documents which you may need. Once you have those you need to create a system to manage and store those templates and docum ..read more

The global pandemic has seen many businesses drastically shift their ‘norms’ of business.  Remote working, flexi hours, and restructuring have become the new normal. Coupled with the UAE’s recent workweek changes, and the new labour law, HR Managers are having to rethink the way that their organisations are run. So how can HR Managers maximise employee performance whilst employees work from home? The usual 9-5 working environment had already been a relic of the past for many businesses, however, others are newly adapting to these changes. Many employees now expect flexibility as standar ..read more

We were extremely pleased to hear of the nation’s new visa rule that was introduced yesterday, which will benefit thousands of divorcees and widows during times of turmoil. A helping hand to those struggling with their situation The change allows those dealing with a death or divorce to remain in the UAE on a one-year residency visa, without the need for a sponsor, making life a little bit easier at a very difficult and emotionally challenging time. This move reflects the empathy and concern of the government for those struggling at a difficult time and will help families to better assess thei ..read more

We get asked new questions all of the time about maternity and over the years here are some of the most important ones that you need to know as an expecting mother: 1. You CAN extend your maternity leave by up to 100 unpaid days even as a new employee Following the 45 days of paid maternity leave, you are able to extend your leave by up to 100 days for illness related to the pregnancy as long as it has been medically diagnosed by a doctor. Obviously, this would be unpaid but it doesn’t matter at all on your length of service. 2. Your maternity leave counts towards your end-of-service gratuity ..read more

HR or HRM systems can significantly increase the efficiency of a business, saving countless hours of manual tasks, not to mention paperwork! When HR information systems first were first introduced, there was a  general reluctance to shift from a paper-based HR or excel record-keeping model (which up to 80% of businesses in the UAE still use to some degree!) to a cloud-based HR system, as they were seen as too technical, expensive and not user friendly. However, all that has changed! Modern HR systems can now automate a large majority of HR processes, enabling (1) employees to self manage ..read more

Congratulations, you’ve achieved your dream to become a leader. All that hard work and dedication has paid off, but now what? While it’s exciting to be elevated into your first time manager role, it can also be a little intimidating at the start. The good news is that being an effective manager is a skill that any person can learn. We look at a few easy to implement strategies you can use to get you on the right track in no time at all.   1- Be clear about where you are heading It’s always a good idea to take the time to inform your new team of the vision you have in mind. Communicate you ..read more