Human Resource Modernization

This article discusses the need for human resource modernization in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and the efforts being made to align education and labor laws with the future job market. It also explores the role of technology in shaping the workforce and the challenges faced by other UAE countries in achieving modernization. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing women's contribution to the workforce and highlights the prospects for HR modernization in Abu Dhabi.

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Human Resource Modernization
Name
Institution

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Human Resource Modernization
HR Modernization in Abu Dhabi
At UAE annual GOV Human Resource Summit at Abu Dhabi, it was observed that UAE
job market has not been growing and the skill gap has continued to widen (Ta’Amnha, Sayce, &
Tregaskis, 2016). At the summit, the delegate noted that there is a need for a corrective measure
in planning and reforming the workforce. Proper planning requires reforms in education so that
graduates align with job market skills. It was found that in one decade to come, 10 percent of the
current jobs in UAE will cease to exist. The disappearance of current jobs will be replaced by
new jobs that align with the modern market. Regardless of this, the UAE has been accustomed to
exceeding ambitious milestones it has set. At its 50th anniversary which will end in 2021, will
market the end of its vision 2021 and mark the continuation of vision 2030. The vision embeds
economic and social prosperity beyond the current oil economy. Such an ambitious move will
require the availability of a globally competitive workforce that is equipped with skills of the
future.
The break-neck pace in the evolution of technology uses in businesses in UAE has left
most CEOs grasping at straws not to be overtaken. It is not only the managers but also the whole
job market has been affected as workers try to fit. UAE has found that more than 75 percent of
the technology used in all countries have an impact on human resource and more so the business
model. The effect of technology is not likely to bow down in the future but will accelerate. UAE
is heading to the path of the United States where transactions are done online and hence saving
on costs and fees. Therefore, as UAE focus to modernize work operations, employees are
required to be tech savvies. As such, the future jobs in UAE will focus on technology

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proficiency, work flexibility, and collaborations as well as the ability to work in agile teams, as
shown in figure 2 below.
Figure 2: How technology affect employees work. (Source:
https://www.britishcouncil.ae/sites/default/files/bc_futureskills_english_1mar18_3.pdf)
Therefore, there are identifiable trends in UAE countries in the bid to adopt the paradigm
shift in creating efficiency in human labor. According to Afolabi (2018), the main trends in
human resource technologies include people analytics, fitness and wellness, cloud HRMS, and
intelligent service tools. These technologies are slowly taking shape in UAE countries, and most
aim to achieve fully Tech-managed human resource by 2030. However, the application of new
trends needs skilled labor, which most UAE countries lack (Waxin & Bateman, 2016).
Therefore, the countries have targeted to grow local talents and skills through better education.
On the other hand, human resource development represents one of the eminent pillars
towards achieving other policies and initiatives in Abu Dhabi, as shown in figure 1 below. A
major step towards achieving a modernized human resource is by offering high-quality education
to all citizens. The aim is to have enough and skilled human resources to take the economy jobs
and ensure full employment in the vision 2020-2030. At the same time, Abu Dhabi has

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committed to maintaining ethical and safer jobs by enacting the Federal labor laws as per the
UAE’s agreement international labor regulations.
Figure 1: Source The Emirates of Abu Dhabi Policy Agenda 200/08
Compared to other UAE countries, Abu Dhabi is reigning ahead in education reforms and
labor laws that are up to the international standards. Saudi Arabia, for instance, is maligned poor
labor relations with expatriates who are mostly youths (Syed, Hazboun, & Murray, 2014). The
country lacks enough workforce to sustain its economy and hence resort to the international labor
force (Budhwar, Pereira, Mellahi, & Singh, 2018). The country still uses traditional labor laws
that do not recognize foreign workers, disregard multiple religion, and has rooms for labor
relation malpractices. As such, the country is barely on its trajectory to attaining human resource
modernization the vision 2030 notwithstanding. Similar case happens with the Gulf countries,

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UAE, and the Middle East except for Dubai, which is an international hub. These countries are
not able to provide the required labor market. The counties continue to use traditional labor laws,
which are based on religion and hence makes it unfavorable to expatriates (Varma et al., 2016).
Unlike Abu Dhabi, that is committed to realigning the education system with economic and
social development, other UAE countries have lagged.
Human resource modernization is not only the aspect of education and labor laws. It also
constitutes the capacity to adopt new technologies. Human is more productive when
complemented with effective and appropriate technologies. Abu Dhabi is leading, followed by
Dubai in the implementation of human resource. However, the application of these technologies
is dependent on the human capacity to handle them. The capacity is enhanced by having proper
skills and education in the workforce. As such, those countries leading highly skilled labor like
the United Kingdom and the United States also have higher rates of inventions and the adoption
of modern technologies in the labor market. In essence, the vision 2020-2030 for Abu Dhabi is to
have a human resource that is responsive to contemporary trends in terms of technologies,
relations, laws, and regulations. The prospects will see Abu Dhabi ahead of countries like Saudi
Arabia, Gulf, and the Middle East, which is slow-paced in implementing proper education
system that will lay the foundation for the adoption of human resource modern technologies.
Besides building a better foundation for future human labor, Abu Dhabi also target to
replace humans with technology in some roles. The modern ways of doing business are emerging
and replacing tradition ones. A report by economist has predicted that telemarketers,
accountants, and auditors, retail attendants, technical writers, among others are some of the jobs
likely to be affected by changing Abu Dhabi. The country is among those in the world who have
replaced traditional jobs with automation by use of Artificial Intelligence (Rise Smart Team,

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2015). In essence, the use of technology as a replacement of some human jobs is the future in
manufacturing and service industry. Nevertheless, the shift is in line with the country’s aspiration
to produce a workforce that will be on demand when the technology revolution takes shape by
the year 2030. However, it is unlikely that any other country in the UAE will achieve
mechanization of production without a crisis at the current trend. The use of technology-driven
production results to lay-down of workers if no appropriate measures are taken. The measures
include policy, laws, and relations changes, which are far to be achieved in the Gulf, Saudi
Arabia, Middle East, and Dubai.
However, all countries in the UAE have not recognized women and their contribution to
the workforce (Tlaiss, 2015; Marmenout & Lirio, 2014). The world had changed from traditional
and patriarchal ways when women were not given equal opportunities with men. For the HR
modernization to be a reality in Arab countries, women roles in the economy have to be
recognized. Fortunately, with various countries in UAE implementing modern versions of 2030
policy goals, women in those countries are going to be liberalized.
Looking forward, the future of HR in Abu Dhabi can only be brighter. The country has
realized, unlike other countries in the region, that HR modernization is multi-facet of proper
education, good international relations, internationally recognized labor laws and regulations,
and application of modern perspectives labor like the involvement of women.

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References
Afolabi, R. (2018). Ten HR technologies trend 2018. Retrieved from
https://www.netatwork.com/ten-hr-technology-trends-2018/
Budhwar, P., Pereira, V., Mellahi, K., & Singh, S. K. (2018). The state of HRM in the Middle
East: Challenges and future research agenda. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 1-29.
Marmenout, K., & Lirio, P. (2014). Local female talent retention in the Gulf: Emirati women
bending with the wind. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,
25(2), 144-166.
Rise Smart Team. (2015). The modernization of traditional HR services. Retrieved from
https://www.risesmart.com/blog/modernization-traditional-hr-services
Syed, J., Hazboun, N. G., & Murray, P. A. (2014). What locals want: Jordanian employees'
views on expatriate managers. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 25(2), 212-233.
Tlaiss, H., 2015. Neither-nor: Career success of women in an Arab Middle Eastern context.
Employee Relations, 37(5): 525–546.
Tlaiss, H. (2015). Neither-nor: career success of women in an Arab Middle Eastern context.
Employee Relations, 37(5), 525-546.
Ta’Amnha, M., Sayce, S., & Tregaskis, O. (2016). Wasta in the Jordanian context. In Handbook
of human resource management in the Middle East. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Varma, A., Aycan, Z., Budhwar, P., Pichler, S., Uygur, U., & Paluch, R. (2016). Host country
nationals' support to expatriates: an investigation in Turkey. European Journal of
International Management, 10(6), 605-623.

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Waxin, M. F., & Bateman, R. (2016). Labour localization and human resource management
practices in the Gulf countries. Edwar Elgar.