Third Middle East HR Summit to focus on effective strategies for Nationalisation of labour in GCC states

"Escalating levels of unemployment among native populations in the midst of unprecedented economic growth and development has emerged as a serious problem in most GCC countries. Despite the availability of professionally qualified and skilled National manpower, regional job markets have traditionally been swamped by better qualified, globally exposed and low-wage earning expatriates, particularly from neighbouring Arab countries, the Indian Sub-continent, South East Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe," pointed out Jackie Wilks, Summit Director of IIR Middle East, organisers of the event.

"This has resulted in a demographic and socio-economic imbalance, where the National worker gets marginalised in his own land, is subjected to prejudicial treatment by employers and ends up at the lower rung of the economic ladder, posing a complex dilemma for policy-makers and planners. Consequently, concerned governments have introduced specifically tailored initiatives to enforce nationalisation at all levels of the labour market," she added.

"The effective implementation of these initiatives, the achievement of set targets, the training of National manpower to suit employers' demands in an increasingly global and multicultural work scenario, and the integration of Nationals into the work force, are key issues that will be deliberated upon at the region's premier annual conference and exhibition for Human Resource professionals," Wilks said.

The Middle East HR Summit will draw more than 50 expert international and regional HR practitioners who will explore new approaches and ideas through talks, debate and practical case studies on Sept 18 and 19, two days of the Summit. Deliberations will also focus on trends and future of HR in the Middle East, Gulf compensation trends; recruitment strategies in a world where competitiveness demands creativity; strategies for rewarding and retaining talent; and promoting productive workplace behaviours.

Post-summit workshops will be held on the issues of 'Strategic human performance management'; 'Winning the war for talent'; and 'Compensation and benefits'. The event will also host a gala dinner where HR Excellence Awards will be announced and which will serve as an effective networking platform for the regional corps of HR professionals.