Mohammed Al Hijan: “Adaptability Is The Right Card To Promote Diversity”

One who can readily accept and adjust to new circumstances is said to be highly adaptable. It's not only about being open to new experiences in the workplace but in every aspect of our lives.  Therefore, one should be ready to embrace and adjust to change. One can't deal with it or become robust if one refuses to accept it.  Therefore, the very system needs to embrace the shift.

In 2020, especially in those first few months, no one believed that the COVID-19 pandemic could potentially wipe out humanity. Its only now that humanity has come to terms with a new normal.

Speaking out his views on the subject, Mohammed Al Hijjan, Chief Human Resources Officer, King Saud University stated, “By 2022, the United Nations has set 17 targets for eradicating miss-leading practices as part of its Sustainable Development Agenda.

“I'll list a few quickly: an end to poverty, hunger, poor health, inadequate education, lack of opportunity for women and girls, lack of access to safe drinking water, and so on. As a result, equitable distribution of resources is vital to creating sustainable cities and communities.

“Most nations are working together to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, there will be a shift, and that will have consequences for long-term stability. It's in our nature to adjust to new circumstances and forge ahead in pursuit of novel endeavours since that's what life is all about.

“Believe me, if you're living your life with a purpose, you'll have no trouble adjusting to the new circumstances. Effective communication is crucial. You can't keep yourself isolated from the group.  As a result, the quickest way to adapt to the new circumstances is to talk to people about it.”

COVID-19 Changed The World Works

The pre-COVID-19 culture is distinctly different from the post-COVID-19 culture. The way that leaders and managers think has shifted as well. They were exceedingly stringent prior to COVID-19 and were essentially making up the regulations as they went along.

They failed to include the human element of workers, which is crucial in many societies. The norm prior to the release of COVID-19 was an early morning arrival to the office, with the understanding that tardiness would not be tolerated.

Some of the groups acted like dictators. Workers are not allowed to argue, and instead must blindly carry out the inappropriate directives of upper management. The ideal culture of the present differs from that of the past.

Leaders should provide a good example for their team members. For instance, it would be inappropriate for a CEO to just internalise his company's objective and vision without ever sharing them with his staff or directing them to do so when asked. He must join in with the group. He must share their pain and show them how to persevere. Employees will naturally follow one's guidance if he takes the time to think about his actions and employs techniques.

“Call the group into your office if you have ideas for the department's primary objectives, and hear them out. You unquestionably know the solution, as you are more knowledgeable in this area than they are.

“However, if you were to ask them do you have any thoughts? Is it a good idea? Tell me what do you think; I want to get them involved. Give them time to talk it over. They'll offer their advice and help put your plan into action.

“Transparency is the second instance. You must be forthright while discussing human resources personnel. You can't keep secrets if you're in a position of power. It's important to be transparent with potential hires about income, experience required, and duties. And don't try to sneak it under the table; it needs to be posted publicly. You owe an apology to any applicant you treated rudely or passed over in favour of another.  This exemplifies the best aspects of our society” commented AlHijjan.

Remote work is a common practice these days. In addition, many businesses today have a "hybrid" structure, with employees splitting time between the workplace and their homes. So, let's find out how working from home impacts efficiency. Do we have everything we need to succeed? We do, obviously, because we learned through COVID how to be ready for anything.

“I'll use a school or university as an illustration. They are taking the courses digitally rather than physically attending the university. We initially rejected this on the grounds that it seemed to imply that the educational process was insufficient. Our offspring now know more than we ever did, and we can see that back then, like now, the process was excellent, the resources were readily available, and output was high,” said AlHijjan

“Let me give you another example: if I needed to host a meeting at a five-star hotel, I'd probably call a few of the company's directors, a close personal friend, or someone in human resources and ask them to join me for a supper lunch including European cuisine, Indian cuisine, Saudi cuisine, or any other exotic cuisine. But no longer. For the simple reason that doing so will result in higher costs and the loss of a valuable employee. 

“However, using e-learning, you may design and pinpoint the course based on their feedback. They get to decide when is convenient for them. When an employee isn't a morning person, he or she may prefer working late instead. That's why you look out for your staff as a whole,” he added further.

Women are making the change

The rapid dissemination of COVID-19 has brought gender differences into sharper focus. For instance, many women still hold the view that they are expected to do the majority of housework and childcare. As a result, many individuals have struggled to maintain boundaries between their private and professional life during COVID-19 quarantines.

Some of the most powerful women in the Gulf's financial sector got together for a recent event called "How Women Rise: Influential Women in Middle East Finance," where these and other issues were discussed. The A Fair Share initiative of the G.C.C., which promotes gender balance in the banking sector and encourages women to succeed in their careers, made it feasible for this dialogue to take place in a prominent media outlet.

The pandemic has dramatically altered the global distribution of women. Middle East correspondent and panel moderator Zainab Fattah said, "Many working mothers have been hit with the double whammy of keeping down a career and dealing with childcare and education." Despite widespread optimism that the pandemic will pass quickly, experts warn that it could have lasting effects on women's economic security and opportunities across sectors.

Shedding his views on the topic, AlHijjan said, “Women and men in Saudi Arabia are on equal footing. Even if we talk about the women in my family.

“Whether they are my mom, my sister, or my aunt, it doesn't matter. At home, you must provide accommodations for her, assist her, provide her with a means of support, and provide her with a regular source of income. Because she is now under your care and protection, you must ensure her safety.

“You are the man, so you must be able to comprehend and control her mood swings and erratic behaviour. You can't overlook this fact.  Therefore, women have a very advantageous position and a wealth of career opportunities.

“There are sizable numbers of women serving in the armed forces throughout a variety of government departments, including Defense, Interior, Education, and others. They work for the Ministry of the Interior, namely the internal police division. Therefore, they live our sisters and we work together to advance the interests of our nation.”

Challenges And Ways To Overcome

AlHijjan feels that there are certain challenges in the region and these can be fixed by various engagements through dialogues and discussion.

“Employee participation is essential. For example, we represent a wide range of countries here. This is a tremendous asset, and you should encourage them to flourish in their roles. They need a chance, and you must provide it.

“That doesn't just mean not reserving opportunities for people of a certain nationality. You need to provide people of other nationalities a voice in your company so that they can be considered for leadership roles and promoted within the company. For instance, your company's board of directors should contain strong female leaders. This is a fantastic show of leadership and support,” he opined.

“I think there are rules that can act as a buffer and that should promote tolerance and diversity. You shouldn't specify "this position is for women" and "this position is for men" while advertising a job opening, as I indicated earlier.

“You can just put up the advertisement and then choose among the applicants who respond. So, one of the issues is, obviously, how to alter the organisation's rules and regulations,” he added further.

Mohammed Al Hijjan enjoys socialising with his loved ones. “If you want to be exceptional”, he tells the younger generation, “Don’t turn down any work and make sure you're always learning by reading the latest articles”.

“You shouldn't sacrifice time with your loved ones. Spend time reading, playing, travelling, swimming, or doing anything else that brings you joy. 

“Because then you can experience the sweetness of living. But if you let yourself become preoccupied with just one aspect, it will drain you dry.

“Maintain harmony between your professional and private life,” he says.