The participants in the Sixth Sharjah Human Resources Conference, organised by Sharjah Directorate of Human Resources for two days, 19 and 20 February 2020, at Al Razi Hall, College of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Sharjah, entitled Future of Human Resources, have made their recommendations.
The recommendations cited by the Chairman of Sharjah Directorate of Human Resources, Chairman of the Higher Committee organising the Conference, Dr. Tariq Sultan Bin Khadim, emphasised the need to keep pace with the future requirements regarding human resources, by conducting advanced studies of the labour market, in cooperation with the government institutions, private sector, universities and other academic bodies.
The recommendations require the specification of the future jobs and the preparation of the graduates therefor, in cooperation with the government institutions, private sector and other academic bodies, seeking the implementation of (Artificial Intelligence) applications gradually, by developing the basic rules of institutions, which will create new careers and job opportunities, and will work on transforming the current routine careers into creative and innovative professions.
The recommendations also confirmed the importance of developing the relationship between the human resources’ authorities and the economic institutions, especially the research centres and departments, and working continuously to explore the emerging business sectors, such as: environmental economics, renewable nuclear energy, education technologies and other sectors developing in the UAE.
The recommendations called for developing the career planning departments on scientific grounds, working firmly to implement the International Labour Law that stipulates the right of every qualified national to obtain a job in his country and secure the same, and to cope with the rapid global changes in the human resources’ management, requiring focusing on experience, competencies and national skills, granting them the confidence and the decision-making power and supporting them to be able to cope with the global changes due to their capacities. Since globalisation creates open markets that attract foreign workers who compete with national human resources, this requires the government sector to address the problem in a real manner.
The recommendations emphasised on benefiting from globalisation by spreading the culture of tolerance, cooperation, perseverance and hard work, taking care of national talents, experiences and competencies, including the same in the education curricula and caring for the creation of a new generation of employees able to comprehend globalisation and understand it in a positive manner.
They also insisted on the need to support small and medium enterprises, as the support of digital economy reduces the business costs, reduces risks and accelerates the time to access the market, whether for industrial products or services or for the human resource itself when it enters the labour market having high and competitive scientific and intellectual capacities.
 
They confirmed that the UAE keeps pace with the requirements of digital economy in its business sectors at varying rates. The banking sector is advanced in this field and this sector needs permanent Emirati human resources due to its large size, in addition to the petroleum and chemicals sector that keeps pace with the changes of digital economy and needs permanent Emirati human resources, in addition to sectors that are developing in the environmental economy, transport, education and media technologies, which are sectors oriented towards digital economy.
 
They called for supporting the initiatives throughout the UAE that are being implemented in the fields of digital economy, such as the initiatives of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the conversion to digital economy, as well as the smart applications’ initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Interior and many government institutions.
 
They confirmed that the development of competitive knowledge economy is based on innovation, which is one of the pillars of the national agenda of the UAE Vision 2021. The national agenda aims at making the UAE the economic, commercial and tourist capital for more than 2 billion people. The employment opportunities of Emirati human cadres increase in this government work, provided that they are directed in an innovative and cognitive manner within the business institutions. The future of Emirati human resources is great in the business sector currently and in the future, provided that the private labour sector cooperates specifically with the government labour sector in the training, qualification and employment of nationals so that the government does not alone bear this burden but shares it with the private sector according to the principle of strategic partnership. Furthermore, the national small business projects shall also be supported.
 
It also stated that there are pioneering Arab experiences in the field of innovation at several Arab countries, such as the UAE, KSA and other Arab countries, requiring more focus on their national talents, for each country apart, so that focus is targeted towards national human resources carrying out and encouraging innovation processes and the physical and moral human resources authority thereof. The UAE is advanced on the Arab level in the 2019 Global Innovation Index. Innovation is considered one of the elements of the national themes of UAE Vision 2021, falling under the title of “United in Knowledge” and seeking to achieve knowledge, diversified and flexible economy driven by skilled Emirati competencies. There are several innovation initiatives, projects and centres in the UAE, namely, Sharjah Innovation Award, as well as institutional innovation programmes within the Government of Sharjah, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, which announced that Sharjah joined the standards of global innovative cities, Ministry of Future Affairs that studies the future in several aspects and Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, established in 2014 to motivate the culture of innovation and development of business in the private sector through an integrated system to enhance the competitiveness of the government of the UAE, to make it one of the most innovative governments in the world. There are also high committees for digital transformation in government institutions at the State and innovation documents signed in order to promote innovative initiatives and entrepreneurship, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Fund to Finance Innovation and Emirates Centre for Government Knowledge.
 
It confirmed that the UAE is in continuous progress and development as there are business sectors that thrive in the UAE, such as the oil and gas extraction, wholesale and retail trade, maintenance and repair services, real estate, companies and business services, construction and building, manufacturing, green economy, green innovation and renewable nuclear energy. All these sectors are heading towards digital economy and this requires the provision of Emirati human resources. If some of these sectors are entirely in the private sector, then this requires government initiatives within the private sector itself and in cooperation with the same, to train and employ Emirati human resources, and these business sectors are still providing great job opportunities.
 
It stated that the future of human resources is great, especially for distinguished capacities, competencies, talents and distinguished graduates and researchers, as the development of business sectors is mainly based on them and the competitive business sectors need such prominent human resources. Businesses are required, at the current stage, to focus on the success skills of their employees, focus on the aspect of enhancing various skills of employees, implement a continuous process for the human resources’ policies, review and audit all the human resources’ policies to prevent prescription, solve business dilemmas, solve crises so that they do not worsen, and take care of the businesses’ data while benefiting from the same in the development of the outputs of human resources, especially in the matter of creating jobs for nationals.
Representatives of universities, government entities, private sector and stakeholders from inside and outside the State participated in the Conference, and discussed throughout its four sessions, the future and sustainability of human resources, the impact of globalisation on human resources, social life, human resources in light of digital economic development, innovation, knowledge and foresight into the future of coming generations. Also, a group of experts and specialists in human resources, representatives of educational institutions and government and public sector entities, stakeholders and interested persons from inside and outside the State attended the conference.
The Conference affirmed, throughout its events, the importance of developing the human capital, support of innovation, application of advanced knowledge, ideas and skills, anticipation of the future as a method of work and approach developing the capacities of future planning, setting scenarios that anticipate and accompany future trends, which would guarantee the continuity of prosperity and progress of the State, well-being of coming generations and achievement of quality accomplishments that render the State at the top of global indicators in terms of human development and revival.