Dubai Properties Group's Afaaq initiative generates nearly 800 employee suggestions

With the purpose of generating innovative improvements in DPG's core focus areas, including its people, customers, community and the business, the Afaaq suggestions and rewards programme helps increase the extent of employee involvement in organizational operations.

Since its launch in 2007, the scheme has been enhanced to include an online automation system that has led to nearly 20% of DPG employees in one month offering valuable recommendations.

Afaaq adopts a systemized, fair and transparent evaluation process of all suggestions received, of which over 44% have already been implemented and 56% in the process of being implemented in 2009. The scheme has been automated to ease, streamline and activate the implementation of select employee responses from initiation to the completion stage.

Fareda Abdullah, Executive Director, Human Capital at Dubai Properties Group, said:

"Since the time of its launch, Afaaq has evoked a positive response from a majority of the employees. To match the enthusiasm that the scheme generated during its initial phase, we took a strategic decision to automate the process. The introduction of the online system has not only ensured an effective and user friendly processing platform, but also seen a significant rise in employee feedback."

"Effectively, the realigned procedure has ensured our capacity to process and implement best practices as well as sustain continuous improvement," Fareda added.

The Afaaq initiative includes an orientation process to familiarise each DPG staff member with the scheme. Campaigns are also organized throughout the year to encourage the development and implementation of innovative ideas. The best suggestions among five categories are recognized and nominated every quarter for the grand annual prize.

The online scheme allows DPG employees to submit their suggestions that are thereafter meticulously screened for applicability and function. The suggestions are processed at various levels - by evaluators, area experts, and project managers for the purpose of implementation, as well as by the top management for rewarding the suggestion provider.

One of the most outstanding suggestions that is currently under implementation is the development of a sewage treatment plant at one of DPG's developments in Al Quoz. The suggestion provided by an employee of Salwan LLC, a subsidiary of DPG, resulted in significant cost savings.

Implementing a one-stop service scheme and innovative communication strategies for customers, as well as introducing cost saving initiatives on irrigation techniques at specific DPG developments around Dubai, are some of the other award winning suggestions received through Afaaq.

Fareda Abdullah added, "Afaaq is proving extremely popular with our employees. In a short time, we have been able to implement several ideas that have improved customer service, increased productivity, cut costs, as well as delivered environmental awareness. Their enthusiasm to bettering the day-to-day processes is a clear indication of the collaborative milieu cultivated within DPG, while contributing to a mechanism that works towards systematically overcoming operational glitches."