The hidden workforce is a treasure trove of opportunities in the world of HR management. Hidden workforce refers to the list of unemployed or underemployed resources who can deliver professional value to an organization or industry. The concept simply refers to the possibility of untapped potential with quality skills/abilities exclusive to members in this category.
Do not confuse the hidden workforce with related terms like hidden employment (workforce with negligible productivity), disguised unemployment (employees working below their potential), or open unemployment (lack of work despite consistent efforts to launch some).
This article aims to create essential awareness on the topic of the hidden workforce and how HRs can tap into this relatively new concept in the UAE marketplace.
All About Hidden Workforce
There is no one specific segment that portrays the hidden workforce management in an organization. It could mean any class of the population that may be hired and utilized for optimum use. They could emerge from veterans, immigrants, people with disabilities, the ones who lack ideal credentials, those without traditional marketplace qualifications, or special categories.
It is the market’s responsibility to leverage and channel this fragmented section of the workforce and enable them with a positive work culture/environment. The obvious benefit of offering such an opportunity is that mutual growth happens where parties on either side can gain intangible and tangible results.
It is time to depart from the scenario where some of these people cannot work due to trivial reasons like resume gaps or lack of interview and orientation skills. A hidden workforce is not to be seen as a liability to society but as a boon to the economic factors that influence our times. It is time to represent them and the requirements that suitably work with them.
The primary factor that acts as a barrier to the efficient use of the hidden workforce is prejudices and biases. This mostly applies to senior citizens, people with disabilities, incarcerated individuals, and resources who are starved of a task that matches their identity due to irrelevant reasons.
Facts About Hidden Workforce in The UAE
- For the UAE region, women’s workforce is yet to be untapped in large quantities. This is a large sector of unexplored skills and talents.
- Expat culture in the UAE is high. It has caused issues in the area of hidden workforce. This can be explained two-fold – the number of expatriates being high, resulting in workforce diminishment on the part of regular citizens, and the problem with ex-pats themselves being criminally underused.
- The part of the global hidden workforce is present in the UAE, too. Like other regions, this amounts to veterans, refugees, incarcerated ones, resources with resume gaps, and personnel with unmatched skills to existing work conditions.
- The percentage numbers among the hidden workforce categories who are planning to contribute to the job sector are significantly higher than the ones willingly staying away from the domain.
- Since the relevant authorities and law-making bodies have created a collective conscience on everything that matters in the professional segments, it is not feasible to achieve maximum personalized support for each member of the hidden workforce.
- Mindful steps are in place to expose and reduce the insurmountable number of hidden workforce planning resources. Global supply chains and operations have got a hold on this situation.
- A niche-focused distribution channel for hidden workforce resources is slowly being built up. The ideal sectors leading human capital assistance are healthcare, digital domains, and the events industry.
- Gender equity and hidden workforce factors are proportional to each other in the bigger scheme of resource management in the UAE. A specified solution here is to move on from the traditional methods and stick to the changing times around the planet.
5 Top UAE Opportunities: Hidden Workforce
You will be surprised to learn about the opportunities galore for hidden workforce resources in the UAE. Here, we take a look at the top five that HR workforce solutions can leverage for optimum results.
- Job filters supporting gender equity
The foremost technique to clear the problem of a hidden workforce in the UAE is to promote efficient job filters from the human resources level. An ideal measure is to go for gender equity that is resonant with equitable distribution of the workforce among the genders.
Many nations in the Middle East, like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Emirates countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, etc., are taking active steps to deliver in the gender equity department. Still, there is a long way to go, and it is feasible with automated HR system solutions, enabling the journey forward in the right direction.
- CSR efforts from organizations
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an active function that organizations across the world have implemented successfully over the years. It has helped multiple causes, and tapping the hidden workforce is no exception. If corporate brands come forward to promote these goals, it will help the resources in the segment.
CSR initiatives possess the power to develop workshops and training modules that can help discover members of the hidden workforce. If the power of global organizations and businesses in the UAE is a sign, then this step alone would uncover the special opportunities and challenges.
- Stimulus packages from Governments
If there is one body that is more powerful than the various organizations in the region, it is the solid Government in administration. In the UAE, Government schemes can easily ensure the introduction of stimulus packages to help such communities.
This would be like an initial step that is to be followed by proper distribution of the hidden workforce to different sectors of the economy. Society can easily utilize these resources for their advantage and industrial growth. With Government support, the public viewpoint in the Middle East countries would be less hesitant and biased.
- Introduction of sustenance measures
Another optimum way of introducing the hidden workforce and their unexplored potential to existing marketplaces is to choose sustenance measures. They are the steps that enable a functional approach towards qualities like inclusion, workforce diversity, equal rights groups activation, etc.
Sustainability practices, if properly executed in a nation, will give space to unique opportunities that can be leveraged by multiple sectors of society. This applies to the hidden workforce resources as well. Here, the trick is to foster a positive work culture and then add matching resources of all types to the harmonious environment.
- Supporting communities and groups
Support groups and community gatherings are another way to explore the opportunities for hidden workforce resources. They can either blend in with existing occupational groups or create fresher groups to voice their concerns and suggestions.
It is recommended for these groups to function in association with Governments and large-scale organizations to receive the best benefit. Remember to stay active after the creation of support groups, as the whole thing takes time to come to fruition. With an array of online choices available, the sky is the limit for this step.
How Can Artify 360 Help You with Exploring & Recruiting Hidden Workforce
Artify 360 HR payroll software is an essential HRMS tool that serves the function of delivering automated HR tasks and operations to organizations. It is one of the best in the UAE and with expert experience. The software suite offers streamlined HR processes that get converted to actionable insights and seamlessly integrated databases for your advantage.
In the UAE, the Artify 360 HR software system can essentially serve as a flourishing pointer to the recording, reporting, analysis, and dedicated usage of the hidden workforce. Since the category is tied to a digitized cloud HR software solution, there is no need to change lanes during the introduction of system upgrades or innovative organizational strategies.
