The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) launched today the second edition of the Emirates Labour Market Award, recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the labor market in the country.
The nominations were officially opened by HE Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Emirates Labour Market Award.
The prestigious award aims to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE labour market, improve the well-being and quality of life of the private sector companies’ workforce, honor leading practices in the work environment and protect employees’ rights, and increase the productivity and efficiency of the country’s labour market.
The first edition featured three main categories such as the Establishments Category, the Workforce Category, and the Business Service Partners Category. It recorded a total of 3,500 nominations, 66 winners, and an AED9 million total prize value.
This year, the Emirates Labour Market Award comprises five main categories including Companies, Business Service Partners, Workforce, Labour Accommodations, and Special Recognitions. A total of 90 winners will be recognized for their remarkable work, with an increased total prize value worth AED37 million.
In the 2023 edition, two outstanding Filipinos were honored with the sought-after award. One of them is Maria Lacerda, a Filipina mother, caretaker, and worker, who won an AED 100,000 prize money for her 22-year dedication and creativity working in the UAE.
Another recipient of the Emirates Labour Market Award is Ricardo Rias, who won AED 11,000 and other benefits from the award. He was recognized for his exceptional work as a general maintenance at the Greenwood International School.
During the Media Briefing event held at The Great Ballroom of the Le Meridien Hotel, The Filipino Times asked MoHRE how it monitors the award’s impact on the winners. HE Eng. Shayma Alawadhi, Assistant Undersecretary for Communications & International Relations of MoHRE, said that they often post on their social media pages the stories of winners to inspire other people to join.
“The stories of the winners of the labor market awards have been published since the awarding ceremony in November. We’ve even partnered with international news agencies such as The Filipino Times and many others and made sure that these very inspirational stories reach the target audience, which is everybody,” HE Alawadhi said.
“If you visit the Labor Market Observatory, which is available on our website, you will notice that the UAE has scored the sixth best country in the world to live and work. Creating that balance between living and working is something that we aspire to achieve through this award,” she added.
When asked if the awards are quantifiable to the economy, she said that the Labor Market Observatory can give actual indicators of how the UAE’s labor market is performing throughout the years.
In 2023, the workforce in the UAE has demonstrated a 10.53% surge in growth over 2023 compared to last year. There is also remarkable growth in the number of companies established in 2023, showing a 9.14% growth in 2023 compared to 2022.
“This is a good indicator that shows you how our labor market is doing in terms of the growth of the economy, workforce, and company,” she stated.
For more information about the awards and nominations, you can visit www.riyada.mohre.gov.ae.
