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Middle East Edition
30th May 2023
 
THE HOT STORY
UAE field workers urge digital transformation
Most field workers in the UAE's energy and manufacturing sectors report feeling hampered by inflexible daily routines, but a majority believe technology can help them alleviate their burdens, a Microsoft-sponsored IDC study has revealed. The study, titled "Empowering Field Workers in the UAE Manufacturing and Energy Industry," found that 66% of those polled said on-the-job stress was leading to workforce attrition and that the source of that stress was long working hours and rigid schedules. However, more than three-quarters of field workers interviewed believed technology would enable them to do their job more effectively and the same percentage thought it would lead to them being more engaged with their organisation. When asked to prioritise the areas of the enterprise to which digital transformation should be applied, 47% chose task and workflow management, scheduling and approvals, and the same percentage picked out automation. The report urged improvement in productivity through digital tools, coupled with extensive skilling programs to develop talent. "Manufacturing and energy field workers are currently underserved by technology, despite the fact that their challenges are growing," said Ahmad El Dandachi, Enterprise Channel Lead, Microsoft UAE.
LEGAL
Class action lawsuit settled amicably
A class action lawsuit brought by 22 workers against a company in Riyadh has been settled amicably by the Amicable Settlement Department at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's branch in Riyadh. The reconciliation included ending the labour relationship with the company and disbursement of their due financial rights. Cases received by the Amicable Settlement Departments include disputes related to labour contracts, wages, rights, work injuries, compensation, vacation allowance, and disputes over everything related to work and the terms of contracts that had been concluded between companies and employment.
HIRING
UAE to require 33k healthcare professionals by 2030
Demand for healthcare professionals in the UAE is set to grow exponentially in the coming years, with the country requiring more than 33,000 nurses and allied health professionals by 2030, according to a report by Colliers Healthcare & Education division. The report states that Abu Dhabi will have a gap of 11,000 nurses and 5,000 allied health professionals by 2030, while Dubai will require 6,000 physicians and 11,000 nurses. The demand will be driven by growth in population, medical tourism, growing burden of chronic diseases, ageing population, increasing patient expectations and rapid advances in treatment innovation and technology. The report also highlights the shift in demand from traditional skill sets to advanced medical education as the region adopts new medical technologies.
HEALTH & WELLBEING
What bosses think about the right to disconnect
The FT has spoken to several managers, including Aviva chief people officer Danny Harmer, about their own work practices and their views on legislation to protect workers’ time.
REMUNERATION
Temasek cuts pay over failed FTX investment
Global investment company Temasek Holdings has cut the pay of staff responsible for its investment in the now-collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX. In November, the Singapore state-owned investment fund wrote off all of the £222.8m it invested in FTX. It has now revealed that the investment team and senior management, “who are ultimately responsible for the investment decisions made, took collective accountability and had their compensation reduced.” Prosecutors have accused FTX's former chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried of orchestrating an "epic" fraud, saying he stole from FTX users to pay debts at another firm, Alameda Research, and to make other investments.
TECHNOLOGY
Is generative AI the key to sustaining the global balance sheet?
The McKinsey Global Institute has released a report called "The future of wealth and growth hangs in the balance" which outlines four possible scenarios for the future of the global balance sheet. The only unambiguously positive outcome is a productivity surge, which could be achieved through accelerated productivity growth and the adoption of digital tools. This scenario could lead to real wealth gains, falling balance sheet risk, and falling inequality. However, there are concerns about the potential for job losses due to automation and generative AI. Deutsche Bank strategists believe that these fears are unfounded, as new technologies have historically led to growth and employment.
AI-powered glasses can tell you what to say in a conversation
Stanford University computer science student Bryan Chiang has developed an AI chatbot called RizzGPT that uses an augmented reality eyepiece to help people with social anxiety. The eyepiece features a camera, a microphone and an internal projector screen where words are displayed in front of the user's eye. When someone talks to the user, RizzGPT monitors the conversation through the microphone, transforms it to text, and sends it via WiFi to OpenAI's artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to generate a response. The goal is to assist people who struggle with social anxiety and have difficulties talking to others. "It's merely meant as this sort of assistive aid to help you think about things that you might have forgotten," explained Chiang.
INTERNATIONAL
Record-breaking summer travel prompts companies to rethink return-to-office rules
With over 42 million Americans expecting to travel this summer, US companies are adopting hybrid work schedules with "Work from Anywhere" (WFA) weeks to accommodate employees' desire for flexibility while maintaining return-to-office mandates. WFA weeks are still relatively uncommon, but big-name companies like American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Google have adopted the policy. Employees typically have the option to use their WFA weeks when it's most convenient for them throughout the year. Offering a set number of WFA weeks may allow companies to accommodate the desire for flexibility without committing to a fully remote future. For Suzanne Rosnowski, founder and CEO of public relations firm Relevance International, two WFA weeks alongside a three-day-a-week hybrid schedule emerged as a logical compromise with her team on how to transition back into the office after the pandemic. "We demonstrated work-from-home can be productive, but we also demonstrated too much work-from-home can be counterproductive, at least for our agency," she said.
PwC suspends nine partners over Australian scandal
PwC has suspended nine partners in Australia over the scandal involving the leaking of confidential government information about changes to tax laws. Nine partners - including members of PwC’s executive and governance board - have been told to “go on leave effective immediately” pending the outcome of an investigation. PwC has pledged to publish the findings of an internal review later this year. Separately, Kristin Stubbins, acting chief executive of PwC Australia, has published an open letter in which she said the leak had highlighted a “failure of leadership and governance,” as well as a “culture of aggressive marketing in our tax business” in Australia. Meanwhile, senator Deborah O’Neill says that PwC must name all 53 partners involved in the tax advice scandal, arguing that a failure to do so would amount to a “continued obfuscation and cover-up.”
UK blue-chips to vote on the future of the CBI
Scores of UK blue-chip companies, including BP and Marks & Spencer, will be allowed to vote on the future of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) at an extraordinary general meeting next month. The poll will be conducted on a 'one member, one vote' basis, regardless of a company's size or subscription fee. Insiders said the group was drafting proposals for a slimmed-down organisation that would inevitably result in some redundancies among its workforce. The group's director-general, Tony Danker, was sacked last month amid allegations of personal misconduct. His successor, Rain Newton-Smith, has vowed to lead the CBI's rebirth, and has said it is likely to involve changing the group's name. The scandal has also ensnared the CBI's former president, John Allan, who acknowledged making an inappropriate comment to a colleague, and has since stepped down early as chair of Tesco and Barratt Developments amid allegations about his behaviour.
Uganda law to protect rights of casual workers
Parliament in Uganda has passed the Employment Amendment Bill 2022, which will see casual labourers who have served for six continuous months deemed to have a valid contract. The drafters of the bill had proposed that if one hires a casual labourer for a continuous six months, the employer should enter into a contract with the casual worker if they wish to redeploy them and provide employment benefits. Workers' representatives said this would protect casual workers who are manipulated by employers who pay them less than the agreed-upon wages. The bill also provides for the licensing of recruitment agencies, but a proposal to increase maternity leave from 60 to 90 days was rejected. 
OTHER
Rainbow Swatch watches confiscated in Malaysia
Rainbow-coloured watches made by Swatch Group that celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights have been confiscated by authorities in Malaysia. The watches belong to the Swiss watchmaker's "Pride collection," which it says was created to celebrate the pride movement and its message of equality and diversity. The company said it would take legal action to recover the goods. "We strongly contest that our collection of watches using rainbow colours and having a message of peace and love could be harmful for whomever", said Swatch chief executive Nick Hayek. 
 


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