Kunal Sharma provides an assessment of the challenges facing HR departments in Egypt

Kunal Sharma, North Africa, Levant & Iraq (NALI) Head of HR at Unilever provided an assessment of the challenges facing human resources departments in Egypt with the possibility of adopting remote work in Egypt, the role of human resources in companies during the Corona pandemic, and more during this interview:

• How did global economic conditions affect HR departments in Egypt?

Most of the major challenges faced by HR management are due to external factors such as economic conditions. In the last economic downturn in Egypt and due to the war, high inflation affected the financial wellbeing of all the workforce in Egypt and so all corporates did what was in their capacities to mitigate the impact of the inflation and support its employees without creating high disturbance to business performance.

• How do you assess the impact of the general situation of human resources in Egypt and their passion for business since Covid-19?

Since covid-19 hit, HR has been playing an indispensable role to the business. HR has been tirelessly focusing on supporting employees in their personal life experience and general health, by enabling agile Ways Of Working and encouraging the workforce to overcome any challenges they face. Our HR teams felt a sense of high purpose and we saw that affecting companies’ performances positively.

• How do you rate the experience of working from home? Can it be adopted in Egypt specifically, especially with the increasing economic pressures?

Working from home is already adopted in Egypt by many firms, we, at Unilever work with a hybrid model now of having employees come to office 2 days a week. Big tech companies all around the world are also now leading in full remote working and I believe it might come for all. If done right, remote working can aid improve employee work-life integration and overall wellbeing. It also can help reduce the cost of operating a big office.

• What additional benefits can human resources departments provide to workers to maintain and improve the pace of work?

HR’s main focus as in its name is always about people. From developing and nurturing talent through rigorous learning and development programs, providing benefits and support to help improve their holistic wellbeing, creating the right inclusive and diverse environment for them to grow and bring their best selves to the workplace, driving growth culture that magnifies performance and exploring future of work models to support talent in finding the work model that best suit them. All of this and more for the sake of caring for our people and supporting business performance.

• What additional benefits can human resources departments provide to workers to maintain and improve the pace of work?

HR’s main focus as in its name is always about people. From developing and nurturing talent through rigorous learning and development programs, providing benefits and support to help improve their holistic wellbeing, creating the right inclusive and diverse environment for them to grow and bring their best selves to the workplace, driving growth culture that magnifies performance and exploring future of work models to support talent in finding the work model that best suit them.  All of this and more for the sake of caring for our people and supporting business performance.