Beirut Digital District Talent Development Hub In November 2021, Beirut Digital District Talent Development Hub joined forces in partnership with World Bank Group to launch ‘ Skilling Up Lebanon, a self-financed, private sector-led digital skills training program. Through the initiative in place, Lebanon’s young people workers, children, and adults will have access to better technology and better digital competencies.
Lebanon’s current workforce isn’t equipped to succeed in a modern economy. Workers across all industries are now more critical than ever to require essential abilities as the demand for digital economic opportunities grows.
The COVID-19 crisis and the economic slowdown in Lebanon have increased and showcased the importance of digitalization and the transformation of workplaces. What latest programs have reformed the procedures for managing people in Lebanon?
Let’s take a look at the HR trends to keep an eye out for in Lebanon for a map of the ongoing change.
The top 10 trends in HR to keep an eye on for in Lebanon 2023
Leadership transformation during crises: The role of a leader in a situation like the multi-faceted one that Lebanon is experiencing seems transactional rather than transformative – in which the leader is aware of the changes required to take place. Leaders in Lebanon face uncertainty by taking an active, exploratory strategy for the survival of their business and by establishing new business procedures and processes. This has led to business leaders working in large amounts of oversight, and companies are looking to develop guidelines for managing teams operating remotely.
Covid-19 also altered the focus of the leaders in organizations. In the wake of the necessity to bring employees back to work and welcome customers to the premises, the organization’s rigorous safety and health policies determined the metric of trust.
So, one of these HR trends to keep an eye on in Lebanon and the Middle East is the top leaders’ strategic focus. The primary objective is to stop strategies and shift focus toward the company’s long-term survival.
Staying connected and communicating
Communication was crucial, and a connection amid the crises was a consensus of leadership and human resource management experts in Lebanon. Many managers relied on frequent calls and meetings to stay in contact with their teams, either personally or on an organizational level. Technology facilitating communication between internal and external sources attracted abundant interest (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, and Social Media channels, among others).
Communication was crucial for leaders and managers to ensure that employees worked together. This was a way to reduce the confusion and helped them continually assess an ever-changing situation within a controlled environment.
Communication plays a crucial role in motivating and involving employees, partly because it’s the only method to understand what concerns them and builds trust between employees and employers.
Alongside introducing new communications tools, such as social media networks, these HR trends to keep an eye on in Lebanon, the communication with employees was changing more positively. Employees calculate their concerns more frequently than they do, and managers respond to crises with empathy and compassion.
Engagement as a method to show empathy
It was evident that the quality of discussions leaders had with their team members had significantly improved, the content was deep, and conversations were characterized by higher interpersonal respect and greater team engagement.
In line with the previous statement, “listening” was adopted by managers who could devote time to staff members to encourage them to use their active listening abilities.
Engagement was also used to show compassion. Leaders sought to understand their team members’ moods and acknowledged the apparent uncertainty. The HR trends to be watched in Lebanon are the introduction of HR policy, procedure changes, tools that facilitate remote work and work-life balance, and increased flexibility.
Engaging with employees on an individual level
While Lebanon focused on the continuity of business and a pure business perspective, HR managers were focused on the importance of empathy as a crucial factor in understanding employees’ emotional y, physical, and mental well-being.
Employees are encouraged and urged to talk about their issues to feel an impression of belonging and feel secure at work. In some cases, employers also showed awareness of employees’ preferences, needs, and situations concerning work schedules.
Remaining positive in workplace relationships
Motivation strategies of managers were heavily influenced by hygiene issues such as the security of their jobs, salaries, working conditions, and paid insurance.
The purchasing power of employees had been drastically reduced due to high inflation and the decline of the Lebanese currency, and the rate of poverty was rising across the country. Managers in this circumstance believed that giving employees employment continuity and stability in their salaries was the most effective way to motivate employees.
The workplaces and leaders were attuned to the economic saga and the plight of their employees. Hence, the assurance of job stability took the center of their motivation methods during the crisis. With these trends in HR to look out for during the crisis in Lebanon.
Efficiency and continuity of business
The leadership and management of HR in Lebanon reflect the current situation in Lebanon, which is characterized by ongoing social and economic decline further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The leadership of this situation put a lot of emphasis on the efficiency of business and continuity.
Concerns about continuity of business and fears of effectiveness and efficiency drove HR strategies and formed the trends in HR to look out for this year in Lebanon.
Care for the well-being of employees
The main objective of the strict Covid-19 guidelines adopted across all companies was to provide a safe environment that would protect the communities and individuals. Investments were made in Covid-related equipment and systems, including Sanitizers, facial masks, social distancing, PCR, and temperature tests. Most organizations also sought to ensure vaccinations were provided for their employees to allow them to return to regular operations.
Some employers offer yoga classes and sporting events, and others allow women who work and suffer from chronic illnesses to perform their entire work from home.
In response to the recommendations by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, new safety regulations were followed for dealing with consumers.