Government of Ras Al Khaimah: Building a digital society with innovative online and mobile public services
Explore the Government of Ras Al Khaimah’s journey with SAP
The Government of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK Government) in the United Arab Emirates is transforming society with innovative online and mobile public services. It wanted to deliver a similar experience to its government employees with a mobile-ready, cloud-based digital system. SAP SuccessFactors HCM allows RAK Government to do this.
| Industry | Region | Company Size |
| Government | Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates | 3,200 employees |
hours to develop reports, down from 24 hours.
of employees finding the digital system easy to use.
self-service options in the SAP SuccessFactors Mobile app.
Deputy Manager, Department of Human Resources, Government of Ras Al Khaimah
Launching digital services to drive a prosperous and productive society
The United Arab Emirates’ 10-year national plan, set out in “We the UAE 2031,” focuses on key social, economic, investment, and development aspects. The “forward” society, economy, diplomacy, and ecosystem pillars aim to motivate and unleash the potential of the Emirati people, attract top talent, and create an environment conducive to innovation. The developmental model also outlines the ambition to forge a dynamic and agile government with the best services in the world. Aligned with this vision, the Government of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK Government), specifically its human resources department (HRD), has prioritized integration with various entities as part of an extensive digital transformation that bridges federal entities and initiatives. These efforts aim to provide unique database access to up-to-date information. For RAK Government, the objective was to make Ras Al Khaimah, one of seven emirates comprising the UAE, an attractive place to live, work, and invest.
The main goal of the new central HR digital transformation journey is to drive the best employee experience in UAE by enhancing digitalization and improving agility. Already offering innovative digital services for its citizens and residents, RAK Government wanted to deliver the same experience for its employees. Specifically, it hoped that 24x7 access to services, a social media–like user experience, and automated workflows could create a modern, digital-first workplace culture and increase employee engagement and happiness. This would tie in with the UAE 2031 vision to support citizen prosperity and foster an inclusive and empowered society.
Previously, its HRD used on-premise HCM software from SAP. However, the software’s capabilities did not fulfill all of RAK Government’s requirements. The demand for more advanced features necessitated an upgrade to a system capable of supporting this transformation journey. Round-the-clock accessibility emerged as the most important aspect. “Our aim was to proactively enhance the experience for both staff and employees by offering digital access to HR services,” says Amna Jasem Bualsafared, digital transformation and system department director at the HR department for RAK Government.
Deputy Manager, Department of Human Resources, Government of Ras Al Khaimah
Targeting HR transformation to deliver a unified employee experience
RAK Government implemented its HR digital transformation program – called the “Mawaredna” project – based on SAP SuccessFactors HCM and the SAP SuccessFactors Mobile app.
Using the expanded edition of SAP Preferred Success for SAP SuccessFactors HCM, RAK Government replaced its existing on-premise SAP ERP Human Capital Management solution with the cloud-based SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central solution. “Having the support of a dedicated SAP customer success manager before, during, and after go-live has helped to make the project a resounding success,” adds Ahmed Abdel Hady Tohamy, technical team lead at the HR department. This dedicated product specialist also added value in enhancing and improving the quality of the solution.
SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central now serves as the master repository for RAK Government’s HR data, available 24x7 on a desktop or smartphone, in the office, at home, and on the go. As well as providing a single source of truth, the solution offers a social media–like user experience. Staff can update and personalize their employee profiles whenever they require, and they can also update photos. Uptake has been high, with positive feedback. Nineteen departments are taking advantage of the digital HR services.
With the SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics solution, RAK Government has access to an extensive catalog of HR and talent metrics. Interactive dashboards and advanced reporting capabilities provide timely workforce insights that inform smarter people-related decisions. For example, senior executives can track strategic KPIs, such as diversity and inclusion, gender balance, and Emiratization (to increase the number of Emiratis in the job market) – all at the touch of a button. The solution also enables the HR department to integrate complex data and run more comprehensive reports.
The government has also implemented the SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Service Center solution, which allows employees to raise an electronic HR ticket using their preferred channel, enabling a rapid response to their query. This has further digitalized the HR function and improved the employee experience.
Additionally, the Government plans to implement the SAP SuccessFactors Time Tracking and SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll solutions as part of its digitalization plan. It’s also considering incorporating AI technologies into its HR operations.
Supercharging the digital experience to succeed as a results-oriented government
In the past, RAK Government used two separate recruitment systems that weren’t integrated. Data had to be manually transferred from one system to the other during the hiring process, which was time-consuming and increased the likelihood of human error. Today, with the SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting solution, recruitment and hiring are managed from a single point of control. Data is automatically replicated in SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central, further streamlining and accelerating the hiring process.
RAK Government also transformed its performance management and review processes thanks to the flexibility afforded by SAP SuccessFactors solutions. While team leaders previously had to complete each employee evaluation individually, multiple people can now collaborate on each evaluation. And team leaders can delegate performance evaluation tasks to other managers.
Visibility was often an issue in the past. Many HR processes were managed outside of the core HR system using spreadsheets. RAK Government now has a clear overview of its workforce and internal talent pool, making it easier to identify high-potential employees for senior roles. Direct, real-time access to employee data enables managers to monitor everything from performance appraisals to training completion more effectively and efficiently than ever before. What’s more, biannual feature and release updates continually enhance RAK Government’s digital transformation and support its rapid growth.
Deputy Manager, Department of Human Resources, Government of Ras Al Khaimah