From Good to Great: The Transformative Power of Organizational Culture

Rima Mlaiki

Nakheel’s journey with Great Place to Work is a testament to the power of employee engagement. By actively listening to their employees, implementing their feedback, and fostering a collaborative and engaging work culture, Nakheel has become an organization where employees feel valued, motivated, and inspired.

Khalid Aburahima, Associate Director & head of the Performance & Training team at Nakheel, takes us through this journey on our latest podcast episode of ‘Behind the Greatness’ and reminds us that once again the key to greatness lies in the greatness of your people.

The Challenging Yet Rewarding Journey of Nakheel

Nakheel has always believed that employees are the core asset of every organization. Thus, over the years, they have implemented several initiatives to improve employee well-being and engagement. However, they wanted a clearer channel to measure the effectiveness of these initiatives and ensure that they were heading towards the right direction.

This is when they decided to partner up with an exterior third party like Great Place to Work, that provided them not only with the right tools but also with a comprehensive and reliable platform to measure the effectiveness of these initiatives and enable employees to express their thoughts and valuable feedback directly.

Embarking on this Great Place to Work journey was not without its apprehensions. Nakheel was still worried about receiving negative feedback and the potential challenges of that process. Nevertheless, they embraced the opportunity to actively listen to their employees and understand their needs better, strongly believing that the insights they’d gain from the Trust Index survey would be valuable and would drive meaningful changes within the organization.

Achieving Greatness and Going Beyond!

Nakheel’s efforts paid off when they received their certification as a Great Place to Work in the Middle East. This prestigious recognition not only reaffirmed the effectiveness of their existing initiatives but also elevated their brand image. It highlighted their commitment to not just being a great master developer but also a Master of Human Development, reflecting their profound care for employee well-being.

Rather than stopping here, Nakheel saw the certification as an invitation to raise the bar higher. They embarked on newer initiatives that fostered collaboration between departments, emphasized employee well-being (regular work health checks for example), and introduced flexibility in their workplace. Additionally, they empowered employees to lead social clubs, fostering a sense of camaraderie and enthusiasm among colleagues.

The Power of Active Listening & Employee Engagement

After going through several culture coaching and focus group sessions with Great Place To Work’s coaching team, Nakheel monitored continuously the impact of the newly launched initiatives.

They realized the impact of employee engagement on the success of their business and decided that, going forward, nurturing their employees’ potential will be at the heart of their new strategy.

One of the other most crucial lessons Nakheel learned on this journey was the power of actively listening to their employees. By involving employees in decision-making processes and acting quickly on their feedback, they nurtured a culture of trust and engagement. This culture has become the driving force behind their continued success.

Conclusion

Nakheel’s story serves as an inspiration for other companies looking to enhance their work culture and unlock the true potential of their employees. As they move forward, they are excited to keep leveraging on Emprising as a benchmark tool to evaluate their progress continually. They’d also be setting clearer standards and introducing furthermore surveys that will help them track and measure their workplace culture’s evolution.