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What does Emirati talent really want from an employer? And are organisations doing enough to attract, develop and retain the UAE's future workforce?

For this special episode of The HR & CQ Show, Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks take the microphones onto the exhibition floor at Ru'ya 2026, speaking directly with Emirati professionals, HR leaders and senior executives about the realities of Emiratisation in the UAE.

Moving beyond recruitment targets and policy discussions, we explore what meaningful Emiratisation looks like in practice, hearing firsthand from the people shaping national talent strategies and those experiencing them.

Across the exhibition, we uncover some fascinating perspectives on career ambitions, development opportunities, leadership expectations and the challenges organisations face in attracting and retaining Emirati talent.

In this episode, we explore:

• What Emirati professionals are really looking for when choosing an employer.
• Why career progression, learning opportunities and meaningful work are essential to attracting and retaining national talent.
• How organisations are moving beyond recruitment targets to create long-term career pathways and leadership opportunities.
• The role of managers in developing, motivating and supporting Emirati employees.
• Why understanding cultural expectations, including the influence of family on career decisions, can strengthen Emiratisation strategies.
• How employers can challenge misconceptions about Emirati talent and create more inclusive workplaces.
• Why successful Emiratisation requires collaboration between HR, senior leadership and the wider organisation.

We hear valuable insights from representatives of Seddiqi Holding, Al-Futtaim, Majid Al Futtaim, du, Emirates Rawabi and Emirates Group, alongside Emirati professionals sharing their own experiences and ambitions.

One message comes through particularly strongly: Emiratisation should not simply be about filling positions. It should be about creating meaningful careers, developing future leaders and contributing to the UAE's long-term vision.

Whether you're an HR professional, business leader, people manager or someone interested in the future of Emirati talent, this episode offers practical insights from the people working to make Emiratisation successful.

🎙️ The HR & CQ Show – Episode 24
Recorded live at Ru'ya 2026, Dubai.

🌐 Website: hrcq-edge.com
📧 Email: [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

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Pay has traditionally been one of the most private conversations in the workplace.

But could that be about to change?

With new pay transparency requirements coming into force across Europe, global organisations are facing increasing pressure to be clearer about salary ranges, pay structures and how remuneration decisions are made.

And while the legislation may originate elsewhere, its impact may not stop at Europe's borders.

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Sarah and Emma explore what the growing pay transparency movement could mean for organisations operating in the UAE and wider GCC — and whether businesses should be preparing for a very different conversation about money.

Together, they discuss:

• How European pay transparency requirements could impact global organisations operating in the UAE
• Why HR teams should start reviewing salary and benefits structures now
• What happens when employees gain greater visibility of salaries advertised to new recruits
• The importance of being able to justify differences in pay based on experience, performance, qualifications and other legitimate factors
• Why organisations need to look beyond basic salary and consider the value of the total package
• The risks created by unexplained pay disparities
• How culture influences our willingness to discuss money, challenge authority and ask questions about pay
• Why a one-size-fits-all approach to communicating pay transparency may not work in a multicultural workforce
• Practical steps HR teams can take now to identify potential issues and prepare for future conversations

The episode also explores a particularly sensitive question for the region: what happens when greater transparency exposes pay disparities that organisations may struggle to justify?

Because pay transparency isn't simply about publishing a salary range.

It's about having the structures, evidence and communication strategy to explain why people are paid what they're paid and being prepared for employees to start asking questions.

Whether you're an HR leader, business owner or senior leader responsible for people strategy, this episode will help you start thinking about the conversations your organisation may need to have before you're forced to have them.

🌐 Website: hrcq-edge.com
📧 Email: [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

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Middle managers are under pressure like never before.

They're expected to deliver results, lead teams, implement strategy, manage change and support employee wellbeing—all whilst navigating uncertainty themselves.

It's no surprise that Gallup's latest research shows manager engagement is declining at almost three times the rate of employees.

So what's really causing the "manager squeeze"?

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Sarah and Emma explore the pressures facing middle managers and why many organisations are unintentionally setting them up to struggle.

Together, they discuss:

• Why role ambiguity is one of the biggest drivers of manager disengagement
• The importance of transparency and giving managers visibility of business objectives
• How organisational culture influences decision-making and autonomy
• Why some managers speak up while others stay silent—and the role culture plays in that behaviour
• The challenges of leading multicultural teams in the UAE
• Practical ways HR can better support managers through communication, organisational design and clearer decision-making frameworks
• Why reviewing job architecture, authority levels and organisational structures has never been more important

The conversation also explores how Cultural Intelligence can help leaders better understand different communication styles, attitudes towards hierarchy and decision-making, creating environments where managers feel confident to contribute, ask questions and lead effectively.

One message sits at the heart of this episode:

If we want managers to take ownership, we must also give them the clarity, trust and support to succeed.

Whether you're a business owner, senior leader, HR professional or middle manager yourself, this episode offers practical insights to help you build stronger managers, healthier organisations and more effective teams.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

If you've ever felt like the workplace has become harder to navigate, you're not imagining it.

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, we explore why the traditional VUCA model no longer reflects the reality many organisations are facing, and why the concept of a BANI world—Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear and Incomprehensible, offers a more accurate picture of today's business environment.

Drawing on conversations from our recent HR & CQ Breakfast Bites event, we discuss what this means for leaders, HR professionals and employees working across the UAE and beyond.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why VUCA no longer tells the whole story
• What a BANI world looks like in practice
• How uncertainty and anxiety are influencing workplace culture and decision-making
• The impact of AI, global events and workforce transformation on organisations
• Why leaders need to move beyond control and focus on empathy, adaptability and communication
• How anxiety is experienced and expressed differently across cultures
• Practical ways HR teams and leaders can better support employees during periods of uncertainty
• How Cultural Intelligence provides a practical framework for navigating complexity and leading across cultures

One thing is becoming increasingly clear.

We may not be able to predict what's coming next, but we can develop the capabilities, behaviours and leadership approaches needed to respond with greater confidence.

Whether you're leading a team, shaping organisational culture, or simply trying to make sense of an increasingly unpredictable world of work, this episode offers practical insights to help you lead with clarity, confidence and compassion.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, we’re continuing the conversation from our  HR & CQ Breakfast Bites event and responding to one of the key questions raised by the audience:

How do we get wellbeing taken seriously by the C-suite?

Wellbeing is often dismissed as the “nice to have” part of HR, fruit bowls, yoga sessions, and one-off initiatives. But in reality, wellbeing has a direct impact on productivity, retention, engagement, absenteeism, psychological safety, and business performance.

In this episode, we explore what it really means to take a holistic approach to wellbeing in the workplace and why wellbeing initiatives need to be designed with culture in mind.

We discuss:

• How to build a stronger business case for wellbeing
• Why ROI matters when speaking to the C-suite
• Why wellbeing means different things across different cultures
• How to create inclusive wellbeing initiatives for a multicultural workforce
• Low-cost wellbeing ideas that still make a meaningful impact
• The role of accommodation, transport, food, financial wellbeing, and community
• Why not every initiative will work for every employee
• How HR teams can design a wellbeing calendar that feels relevant, inclusive, and practical

Because wellbeing is not just about offering initiatives.

It is about understanding what your people actually need and creating workplaces where they can feel supported, respected, and able to perform at their best.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this special episode of The HR & CQ Show, recorded live at our HR & CQ Summit 2026, we’re joined by Andrew Stotter-Brooks, Global Learning & Development Director at TGI Fridays.

Together, we explore what it really takes to lead, perform, and build high-impact teams in today’s increasingly complex world  and why the real competitive edge isn’t technology… it’s people.

In this episode, we unpack:
•Why leadership today is defined by complexity, clarity, and trust 
•What separates organisations that execute well from those that don’t 
•Why systems matter, but performance comes from how people operate within them 
•The role of trust and why once it’s broken, it’s never fully restored 
•The leadership capability most lacking today: listening and asking the right questions 
•Why psychological safety is critical to performance 
•Leadership lessons from global markets and why “people are people” 
•The human advantage in a world increasingly shaped by AI 
•Why “soft skills” are actually power skills 
•How leaders can better support teams during times of uncertainty 

We also explore the reality of leading in the GCC, one of the most diverse talent markets in the world and why connection, respect, and understanding are essential to unlocking performance.

Because in the future of work…

Technology will reshape roles, but it won’t replace human connection.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

What actually shapes culture inside an organisation?

And why does everything seem to shift when leadership changes?

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, we unpack one of the most relevant challenges facing organisations in the UAE today — navigating cross-cultural teams.

Drawing on real questions from our HR & CQ Breakfast Bites events, we explore:

•  Why individual cultural values (not just organisational values) shape workplace behaviour 
•  How leadership changes can completely shift team dynamics 
•  The reality of working across different cultural expectations around time, communication, and hierarchy 
•  Why relationship-building is critical in the UAE — and why many leaders underestimate it 
•  How remote and hybrid teams are losing trust without intentional connection 
•  Practical ways HR leaders can diagnose communication breakdowns 
•  Why most organisations mislabel communication issues instead of recognising them as cultural 
•  The role of Cultural Intelligence training, coaching, and behavioural accountability 
•  How diversity drives innovation, performance, and business outcomes 

We also explore the Cultural Intelligence lens — how assumptions, perceptions, and behaviours differ across cultures, and what leaders must do to adapt.

If you are leading a multicultural team, working across borders, or operating in the UAE’s diverse workforce — this episode will challenge how you think about culture at work.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

End-of-service benefits (gratuity) continue to be one of the most frequently asked questions at our HR & CQ Breakfast Bites and Summit events, so in this episode, we’re unpacking it properly.

Sarah, our employment law expert, breaks down:

• What UAE law actually says about gratuity (mainland, free zones, DIFC & ADGM)
• What counts as final settlement vs. end-of-service benefits
• Whether companies can legally refuse to pay
• What deductions are and are not allowed
• New alternative schemes (including DIFC’s DEWS model)
• What employees should never sign without receiving
• How to raise complaints with MOHRE or free zone authorities
• Why cultural dynamics can stop employees from asking the right questions
• The role of whistleblower policies in DIFC and ADGM

We also explore the Cultural Intelligence lens, why employees from authority-oriented cultures may hesitate to challenge calculations, and how HR leaders can create transparency and psychological safety around end-of-service processes.

If you work in HR, lead teams in the UAE, or are navigating your own employment journey here, this is essential listening.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks are joined by Niall Hughes, Talent Acquisition Director at KEO International, for an in-depth conversation on hiring, retaining, and managing talent in one of the world’s most culturally diverse regions.

Recorded at Ru'ya 25, Dubai World Trade Center, this episode explores the realities of talent acquisition in the GCC — from Emiratisation and nationalisation strategies to navigating applicant tracking systems, CV screening, and cultural integration in multinational teams.

With over 60 nationalities represented across KEO’s workforce and operations spanning the GCC and Europe, Niall shares practical, behind-the-scenes insights from the employer side of recruitment that jobseekers, HR professionals, and leaders rarely get to hear.

In this episode, we discuss:
- How KEO attracts and retains talent across 60+ nationalities
- Emiratisation and nationalisation: challenges, myths, and what’s actually working
- Graduate programmes and developing local talent sustainably
- Managing culturally diverse teams across regions, roles, and time zones
- Common CV mistakes recruiters see — and how AI & ATS really work
- Why honesty, clarity, and relevance matter more than ever in applications
- Cultural adjustment tips for professionals new to the UAE
- Cost of living expectations and the reality of job hunting in Dubai
- Why patience, adaptability, and cultural awareness are career accelerators in the region

Whether you’re:
✔️ A jobseeker considering a move to the UAE
✔️ Already applying for roles in the region
✔️ An HR or Talent Acquisition professional
✔️ A leader managing diverse, multinational teams

this episode offers grounded, practical insight from someone who sits at the heart of hiring decisions.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of The HR & CQ Show, recorded live at Ru’ya 2025 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Emma and Sarah sit down with Nashfi Qureshi, Director of Marketing at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s largest job platform.

With more than 25 years in the region, Bayt.com has transformed how organisations hire and how job seekers navigate the market. Nashfi gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how AI is reshaping recruitment—making job descriptions smarter, CV searches faster, and candidate screening more culturally aligned.

In this episode, we unpack:

🔹 How Bayt.com is using AI to streamline job posting, enhance CV searches, and power new video-based screening tools.
🔹 Why cultural values and organisational fit remain critical—and how AI attempts to interpret facial expressions, communication patterns, and values alignment.
🔹 The real challenges of Emiratisation—especially for SMEs—and how Bayt supports employers with personalised assistance, national talent pools, and government-aligned filtering tools.
🔹 How job seekers can prepare for AI-enhanced recruitment, from tailoring CVs to practising AI-driven interviews.
🔹 The growing tension between AI-generated CVs/interview answers and the need for genuine human assessment.
🔹 Whether AI might lead to more misplacements—or if new tools will actually strengthen the accuracy of hiring decisions.

This conversation blends HR insights, the future of recruitment tech, and practical guidance for both employers and job seekers navigating an evolving market.

If you’re interested in AI, talent acquisition, Emiratisation, or the future of work in the GCC, this episode is packed with value.

This episode was brought to you by Sarah Brooks and Emma Jordaan

Sarah Brooks is a CIPD-qualified HR professional and the Founder and Managing Director of Fikrah HR, a UAE-based consultancy specialising in strategic talent management, organisational development, and positive workplace cultures. With nearly three decades of HR and business experience across the UK and GCC, she supports SMEs with innovative HR solutions that drive employee engagement and organisational effectiveness and compliance. Recognised among the top 101 global HR minds at the World HR Congress in 2019 and 2020, Sarah’s expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and performance management. She is also the co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, where she discusses HR trends and cultural intelligence in the UAE. Sarah has also been featured on Dubai Eye Business Breakfast radio show discussing hot topics regarding employer health & safety obligations and remote work challenges and is currently working towards the launch of Gigit, which will connect UAE based fractional & project workers with opportunities.

Emma Jordaan is the Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy specialising in learning and development strategy and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). With over 20 years’ experience across ...