Eisa bin Saad Al Nuaimi, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs

Interview: Eisa bin Saad Al Nuaimi

How is the new ministry pursuing optimal use of human resources in the public sector?

EISA BIN SAAD AL NUAIMI: We consider optimal use of human resources one of the key roles for which the ministry was created. Among the most important projects in this area is job nationalisation at government entities, which aims to fill all supervisory and specialised posts, as well as technical and clerical ones, with Qataris so that they reach up to 90% of the workforce in these jobs over the next 10 years. In the process, these entities need the distinctive expertise of non-Qataris, who should transfer that expertise to Qatari employees.

The ministry, having carried out a study and analysed public sector needs in various disciplines, is coordinating with the Supreme Council of Education to build the specialisations and paths required to guide students onto those tracks. We are also collaborating with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development to prepare for the Qatar Exhibition on vocational orientation. The aim of this is to provide guidance and instruction to Qatari pupils at the preparatory and secondary levels, as well as undergraduates, to show them the needs of the national labour market, help them discover their abilities and wishes, and then assist them in choosing careers that balance their personal aspirations with labour market needs in order to achieve the goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.

What place does training and development of human capital hold in the ministry's strategy?

AL NUAIMI: The optimal use of human resources is crucial to our strategy and requires the adoption of several integrated policies to guarantee sustainable development, ensure workforce motivation and help us meet labour requirements. Consequently, the ministry has devised a project that links training with career paths with public entities. The project aims to develop the skills necessary for those working in state agencies, and to equip them with the tools to build a career in the public sector. In light of this, the ministry prepares an annual training plan for public sector employees, according to identified training needs for specialised tracks.

The ministry’s plan for 2015/16 aims to build capacities for modernising the public sector, increasing its efficiency and effectiveness, and building national professional values. It also provides training in line with the needs of state agencies and links training with career paths. With the aim of empowering Qatari public sector leaders to manage their units efficiently and providing them with the skills to devise strategies that will guarantee quality and boost productivity, the ministry is cooperating with the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies in Doha to plan and implement a training programme for executive leaders. Lasting for 10 months, it includes more than 40 training days, with courses in strategic management, creative leadership, and budgeting, among other subjects.

Given comparatively high public sector pay, how is the ministry developing policy to encourage employees to consider private sector jobs?

AL NUAIMI: Legislation and human resource policies require the ministry to persuade and keep staff in their public sector jobs, but given Qatar’s overall human resource needs, the ministry also coordinates with private sector parties to develop laws pertaining to pension schemes for private sector staff and to guarantee attractive incentives for working in the private sector, such as access to plots of land for homes, loans for home construction and pension benefits.

What is the ministry doing to provide efficient and user-friendly public services?

AL NUAIMI: The ministry has launched a project to improve service capabilities and deliver effective government services to the public by establishing a single bureau, backed up by simplified IT procedures and modern systems and techniques to deliver public services quickly and efficiently. So far, six government services complexes have been launched across the country.