By Fran McElwaine
Regional Director, Hill & Knowlton Middle East

If you have read the reports recently of the abuse of foreign workers’ human rights in the Gulf, you might justifiably question the value of advocating two-way dialogue and mutual respect, the corner-stones of Organisational Communications best practice. It’s a fair point; in a region where migrant workers (who make up over 60% of the workforce) are subject to punishing labour laws which vest all control with the employer, why would business owners chose to pay court to these workforces and engage in costly internal communications campaigns? Particularly when there is not only no moral prerogative to do so, but societal norms positively discourage the recognition of workers’ rights?

There are interesting issues at play here and one wonders about the facts behind the poor reputation of the region. There is no doubt that abuses do take place and that in some cases, such as the notorious sponsorship law (which is in place across the GCC and which limits foreign workers’ movement and ability to change jobs), it is evident that rights abuse is not only institutionalized, but ratified by law. However, it is clear that the Leadership in the all GCC countries is beginning to put in train some radical and necessary changes to these laws: Bahrain’s Labour Minister, Majeed Al Alawi, has been quoted recently as saying “Violations of [workers’] human and financial rights must not be tolerated at any level”. Similarly, in response to US criticism of the sponsorship system, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar has also been quoted in the press recently: “The system is being criticized. It is being likened to slavery” later adding at a meeting of Qatari businessmen “it cannot remain like this”.

The significance of these comments in the region cannot be underestimated as they demonstrate clearly beginnings of a sea change. Whilst the necessary legislation is taking longer than most wish as Government Leaders navigate the murky waters of vested interest and development rushes ahead of the reform process, it is becoming more and more evident to those who are looking to the future that the traditional commoditization of the workforce is as undesirable as it is inappropriate.

This, then, is the back drop that makes the role of practitioners of Change and Organisational Communications in the Middle East really quite interesting. In reality we are involved in a huge, multi-national change process that, whilst in its very tentative, early stages, is the herald of the quantum shift that will make constitutional change in the region viable.

In recognition of the trend, business leaders with vision are not waiting for the consensus that is traditionally necessary to change the laws in their countries. They are already bowing to the inevitable and beginning to implement the necessary organizational changes now. And this means that companies like Hill & Knowlton who have the capacity, deep cultural understanding and expertise to handle complex change-communication issues in the region are much in demand as they can provide the necessary sign posts to guide business leaders through what could be a complex and difficult process.

Some of the most powerful tools we can use in this region are the mechanisms to encourage employee feedback and two-way dialogue. The concepts of allowing employees to affect decisions relating to their jobs and operating transparent decision processes may be novel to most Middle Eastern business managers, but the opportunity they afford for mutual recognition and understanding is significant. Increasingly business leaders in the region are recognizing the value of this understanding as the precursor of well aligned workforces, higher productivity and the all important ability to retain talent.

However, there is still a way to go to fully close the gap between current acceptable employee relations practices in the Middle East and international best practice. If there is the beginning of a buy-in to the core principles of organizational communications amongst the business elite, there remains the risk of ‘box-ticking’ taking place in less advanced organisations. Without any clear understanding of the values behind these principles there is a danger of abusing the internal communications tool-kit to mis-inform and manipulate in a bid to falsely overcome negative employee attitudes rather than address root causes and reflect positive change.

Despite such potential risks and set-backs it is without question that the opportunity for Change and Organisational Communications in the Middle East is as exciting as it is huge. Working with those clients who really do see the light, and they are quite a few out there, we have the opportunity to bridge a huge gulf in both attitude and understanding. And we may even have the chance to improve peoples’ experiences for the better – and what could be more rewarding than that?