Taqdeer Award has been created to recognise and reward excellence in labour relations, strengthening the Emirate of Dubai’s position as home to the most progressive employers in the Middle East world.
Participating companies must provide examples of their best employment practices and comprehensive use of global benchmarks including labour policies, facilities and infrastructure, health and safety, labour security, recruitment and wages, justice and transparency, communication and feedback, creativity and innovation, administration, labour perceptions and key performance indicators
Participating companies are awarded a rating ranging from One to Seven stars, based on the number of points they receive in a rigorous review and evaluation of their entry by an independent judging committee. Although the programme will expand to bring in other industries under its gamut gradually, the programme, in the first year, is open exclusively to Dubai-based companies in the construction sector that employ manual workers.
Winners of 6 and 7-star ratings will receive certificates; be given priority in some government projects and be honoured during a special ceremony. As well as getting the prestigious award, top ratings will give companies a distinct competitive advantage with regard to international opportunities. These incentives will help inspire excellence in labour relations and encourage companies to place the welfare of their workforce as one of the pillars of their business philosophy.
Making Dubai the most workforce friendly city
Positioning UAE as one of the leading countries in workforce care
Raising the level of fair practices in the protection of the workforce and their rights
Improving the relationship between companies and their workforce
Enhancing workforce quality of life and prosperity
Increasing productivity and enhancing quality
All qualifying companies (as laid out by Taqdeer Award) in the world, regardless of their classification, specialization, or nationality, can participate.
| No. | Stars | Achieved Scores | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 800+ | 3 Years |
| 2 | 6 | 700 - 799 | 3 Years |
| 3 | 5 | 600 - 699 | 3 Years |
| 4 | 4 | 500 - 599 | 3 Years |
| 5 | 3 | 400 - 499 | 3 Years |
| 6 | 2 | 300 - 399 | 3 Years |
| 7 | 1 | 200 - 299 | 3 Years |
In addition to the main Taqdeer Award, the Award committee will select three winners based on the highest scores in each of the three main criteria:
| No. | Criteria Awards |
|---|---|
| 1 | Best Score – Criteria 1: Corporate Systems Resources (350 points) |
| 2 | Best Score – Criteria 2: Culture Labor Relations (350 Points) |
| 3 | Best Score – Criteria 3: Results Impact (300 points) |
The Taqdeer Award committee recognises distinguished Engineers, Field Supervisors and Labourers, as nominated by their award-winning companies. Only companies who have achieved three, four or five stars can submit nominations, as per the below:
Stars are awarded as follows:
| No. | Individual Awards |  |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Distinguished Engineer | 1 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Distinguished Field Supervisor | 1 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Distinguished Labourer | 1 | 1 | 3 |
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Meeting all of the award criteria |
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Providing supporting documentation |
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Undertaking robust business practices |
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Demonstrating a commitment to labour protection |
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Adherence to high morals, ethics, and principles |
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Applying for another award at the same time as Taqdeer is not permitted |
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Compliance with UAE and International labour laws and regulations |
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Must be a construction, free zone, manufacturing, or service enterprise. |
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Must hold a valid business license in the country of operation |
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License must be issued by the relevant government and/or free zone authorities in its sector |
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Must have labour staff sponsored by the company and its direct payroll |
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Must have been in business for a period of two years or more. |
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Must have executed at least two projects employing their own workforce in the last two years. |
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Companies registered in Dubai with employees residing in other Emirates are eligible to participate. |
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Companies that rely on subcontractors are exempt from participating. |
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There must be no infringement of UAE labour laws. |
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Must have no employees working in the Taqdeer Award administration or part of the committee |
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Companies that have previously been awarded five stars at the Taqdeer Award must wait two years before reapplying. |
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All award entry requirements and deadlines must be met. |
The first main criterion is designed to assess the robustness of participating companies' strategic approaches, systems, and resource allocation to ensure the well-being and productivity of their invaluable workforce. It focuses on demonstrating a strong commitment to their employees by ensuring the existence of well-defined policies, a supportive working environment, adequate health and safety measures, fair recruitment and compensation practices, and opportunities for continuous learning, growth, and development.
It consists of five inter-related sub-criteria as follows:
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of developing and effectively implementing a comprehensive workforce strategy and HR policies, systems, and processes. Upholding principles of non-discrimination, equal opportunities, labor rights, and a professional code of ethics, participating companies create a nurturing workplace that values every individual's contributions. Regular internal and external assessments and analyses are utilized to continually evaluate the impact and effectiveness of these practices, enabling continuous improvements and ensuring that the workforce remains engaged, motivated, and committed to the organization's goals.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of creating a highly efficient, dynamic, and productive work environment through the provision of employee-friendly corporate facilities and state-of-the-art infrastructure equipped with cutting-edge tools and efficient resources to unlock employee potential. The participating company demonstrates its commitment to employee well-being by ensuring eligible employees have access to adequate and comfortable housing & accommodation, alongside well-equipped sports & recreation facilities, and safe and convenient travel & transportation options. The sub-criterion also evaluates the organization's capability to foster collaboration and efficiency through the sharing and utilization of partnership resources, leading to enhanced employee welfare, heightened productivity, and overall satisfaction in the workplace.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of ensuring employee well-being, security, and a culture of safety throughout the workforce by adopting a comprehensive approach to occupational health, safety, and security. It places special emphasis on the participating company's commitment to create a safe and healthy workplace environment that safeguards employee health and physical well-being; implement robust OHS systems, policies, and procedures to effectively manage risks and adhere to safety standards; foster an OHS culture and instill a safety-conscious mindset among employees; ensure the availability and appropriateness of modern OHS equipment, tools, and equipment; and implement safety and security measures in both the workplace and employee housing.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of effective recruitment and talent selection practices and compensation structures. Emphasis is placed on open and transparent recruitment procedures, equal opportunities, and competitive compensation packages aligned with industry standards to promote employee satisfaction and loyalty. It also places special emphasis on providing a comprehensive orientation and onboarding program to help new employees understand the company's culture, values, and expectations, facilitating a smooth integration into their roles. Moreover, it aims to prevent human trafficking and ensure compliance with laws related to visas and work permits.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of continuous learning and career development opportunities for the workforce. Emphasis is placed on fostering a learning culture by investing in employees' growth journeys through enhancing their current and future skills, offering coaching and mentoring programs, and providing robust career progression pathways that empower employees to grow both personally and professionally. The sub-criterion also gives special attention to the implementation of job security and retention strategies, aiming to improve employee loyalty, reduce turnover costs, and contribute to the organization's long-term success and stability
The second main criterion is designed to assess the robustness of participating companies' commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive culture while nurturing labor relations built on trust and mutual respect. This criterion focuses on recognizing exceptional efforts in creating a thriving, harmonious, and innovative workforce by championing effective communication, embracing diversity, fostering creativity, promoting work-life harmony, and enhancing employee engagement, leading to an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and inspired to contribute significantly to both lasting personal and organizational success.
It consists of five inter-related sub-criteria as follows:
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of promoting a culture of openness and trust by establishing effective communication strategies and channels that keep the workforce well-informed, foster trust, enable collaboration, reduce communication barriers, and enhance engagement among employees. The sub-criterion also encourages the free flow of information, feedback, active listening, and the inclusion of all voices in decision-making processes. It places special emphasis on seamless integration with regular and effective workforce performance reviews, feedback mechanisms, and the recognition and rewarding of high-performing employees.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of fostering a sense of belonging and pride by cultivating positive relationships across all workforce categories by promoting justice, fair treatment, trust, autonomy, and effective conflict resolution. It places special emphasis on the organization's efforts to establish an inclusive and harmonious work environment, cultivating a culture of mutual respect where employees feel respected, empowered, and assured of effective approaches to address concerns and conflicts constructively.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of the leadership's role in promoting employee engagement, motivation, and inspiration, and the extent of employee participation and collaboration within teams. It places special emphasis on the organization's commitment to embracing diversity, nurturing tolerance, and fostering inclusivity, thereby cultivating a workplace environment where every individual feels valued, accepted, and encouraged to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of fostering a culture of creativity and innovation within the workforce by providing a platform for employees to share and implement their creative ideas while cultivating a culture that values experimentation, risk-taking, and the recognition and reward of ingenuity and breakthrough ideas. It places special emphasis on the organization's commitment and capability to encourage employees to explore their potential and cultivate a culture that inherently rewards and celebrates creativity. The sub-criterion also encourages the development and implementation of innovative systems and emerging technologies, nourishing a spirit of creativity and inspiring the workforce to push boundaries and achieve extraordinary results.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of work-life harmony and employee wellbeing through the implementation of a comprehensive approach that cultivates a balanced work-life environment. It places emphasis on fostering a healthy work-life balance, promoting mental resilience and physical well-being, and empowering employees to thrive both personally and professionally. The sub-criterion also places special emphasis on the organization's efforts to engage in corporate social responsibility and volunteer initiatives to enhance employee satisfaction, improve productivity, foster loyalty, and contribute to sustainable success.
The third main criterion focuses on ensuring the design and implementation of effective corporate performance measurement and perception evaluation systems to acknowledge the exceptional achievements of participating companies in engaging and empowering their workforce.This criterion aimed to evaluate the tangible results and positive impact of companies' commitment to their employees’ happiness and wellbeing.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of workforce engagement and happiness by analyzing the results achieved from comprehensive perception surveys designed to measure employees' satisfaction, motivation, and overall well-being.
The sub-criterion also places special emphasis on the organization's efforts to cultivate a culture of trust, openness, and valuing employee feedback, actively addressing the workforce concerns, and enhancing their work experience and happiness.
To monitor and gain insights into workforce engagement, satisfaction, and happiness, the perception surveys shall concentrate on a selected set of performance dimensions, encompassing key sub-criteria elements from award Criteria 1 and 2.
This sub-criterion focuses on the importance of measuring the participating company's achievement and the impact of their people-centric strategies on overall corporate performance. It encompasses the in-depth evaluation of the interplay between workforce-related policies, systems, and practices by selecting and implementing a list of the most meaningful indicators that align with the key elements of Award Criteria 1 and 2.
To pave the way for lasting organizational success and prosperity, participating company places special emphasis on monitoring, understanding, predicting, and improving their performance related to employee relations and welfare. It assesses the organization's capability to excel in areas such as workforce strategy, facilities and resources, occupational health and safety, recruitment, compensation, training, communication, diversity, tolerance, creativity, innovation, work-life harmony, and well-being.
Assessment and judging key principles include :
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Must be a company in the construction, free zone, manufacturing, and service sectors |
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Must hold a valid business license in Dubai |
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The license must be issued by the relevant government and/or free zone authorities in its sector |
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Must have labour staff sponsored by the company and its direct payroll |
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Must have been operating for two years or more |
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Must have executed at least two projects during the past two years using their own workforce |
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Companies registered in Dubai with staff accommodation in other Emirates can participate |
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Companies that rely on employing subcontractors are exempt from participating |
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Must have no violations of UAE labour laws |
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Must have no employees working in Taqdeer Award administration or part of the committee |
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Companies already having been awarded five stars at the Taqdeer Award must wait two years before reapplying |
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Must fulfill all award submission requirements and deadlines |
| Receipt Of Applications | Award Administrators |
|---|---|
| Receipt Of Applications | Award Administrators |
| Assessment of applications | Assessment Team |
| Agreeing on strengths, areas for improvement, and initial score | Assessment Team |
| Conducting site visits and uploading the final scores and reports | Assessment Team |
| Review of final reports and scores with technical advisor and subsequently forward to the Judging Committee | Secretary General |
| Subsequently forwarding to the Judging Committee | Judging Committee |
| Approval of final results, scores, and stars forwarded to the Chairman | Chairman |
| Approval of final results, scores and stars forwarded to the Chairman | Secretary General |
The Award will help us benchmark against the industry and see where we stand. It will be a recognition
for us on what we do and help us understand where we stand in the industry. The award is in
line with the vision of our wise leadership to ensure happiness for all, promote mutual understanding and
ensure the happiness of both employers and workers. 
Daq Tanvir
Group Human Resources Manager,
Dutco Balfour Beatty Group
