When it comes to setting up structure when in a new HR department, especially if it’s an SME, the task ahead can seem really daunting. The aim is to break it down into small manageable sections, and create what then looks like a very achievable task list and an amazing set of UAE-specific HR templates which can be used to help make your life easier!
HR Templates for the UAE
The first step to setting up an efficient HR department is establishing a set of HR templates and documents which you may need. Once you have those you need to create a system to manage and store those templates and documents, which will then evolve into tracking each of these items for each employee as the business grows to create a career timeline for each member of staff.
Many HR systems may also include a set of readymade HR templates and documents that you can use. For example, Beneple is a free HR system, developed especially for the UAE, and enables you to create HR documents such as salary certificates, employment letters, NOC letters, etc at the touch of a button using a ready-made template.
If you’re starting from scratch, you may not even have a marketing team to help. In this instance you can use an amazing free design system called Canva, www.canva.com to create logos, letterhead, and any template you need for branding. However, for HR purposes, it’s important to ensure that any template for an HR-specific need contains the information needed for that specific document. This is where an HR system built for the UAE which includes templates can come in handy.
All of your templates should be uniform so whether it’s an offer letter, salary certificate, or employment contract, all the documents are branded and professional.
Make each template editable so you don’t have to write every document request from scratch.
When it comes to building a team of staff, sending out offer letters, and handing out employment contracts, the professional layout formally issued documents will give the new additions to the team, a sense of security that they are joining a well-run company with systems and process in place to help support and develop their career within the business.
Once you’ve got these templates in a basic form designed and set up you will then need to think about how you’re going to store them. You can use something as easy and simple as Google Drive. Google Drive is a downloadable app that allows users to store files in the cloud, synchronize files across devices, and share files with other people within your business. Alternatively, if you have an HR system, these should be stored on your HR system on your employee files also to ensure accurate record keeping.
Below is a suggested list of the 5 most popularly used templates for UAE start-up SME’s:
Offer Letter
- The offer letter needs to state your business name, the employee’s full name, and their ID document, like their passport number.
- The offer should ALWAYS INCLUDE;- their offered pay broke down into Basic Salary, housing, and transport, start date, start time, working hours, address of the office they will report to, annual leave entitlement. (This is as a minimum).
- You can also include, codes of conduct, probationary period, appraisal system information, Medical cover breakdown, company overview.
- If you can not be clear in what you are offering, you are not ready to hire.
*It is advised that all offer letters are ‘conditional’ ie they are subject to the chosen candidate being able to provide all necessary documents required to process their visa, as well as at least one reference from a previous employer being received.
Bank details, personal details
- Make sure you take down the basic information of all of your staff. This should include as a minimum;- Bank details to make sure they are paid asap once they start, Next of Kin so you have a point of contact if they are sick, home address in Dubai, Address in Home country, personal mobile number, and email address.
Employment Contract
- You should always have your own branded Employment contract that is the counterpart to the offer letter. It should also always be in line with the ministry of Labour contract or your Freezone portal contract.
- It should include as a minimum;- Agreement Date, Employee Start Date, Job Duties, Job Title, Name of Employees Line Manager, working address, working hours, Dress Code, probation period, full salary breakdown, pay date, annual Leave entitlement, along with sick leave, and maternity leave, flight ticket entitlement to the home country if applicable, Health insurance information, Data protection, disciplinary & grievance procedure, Codes of conduct and KPI’s if applicable.
- The Employment contract should be signed by the New Employee as well as the authorised signatory for your business.
Appraisal Form
- The appraisal form template is important to make sure you are fairly assessing your employee’s performances fairly and regularly. In order to facilitate and support career growth.
- An Appraisal for each member of staff regardless of role or department should be completed as a bare minimum of once a year, however bi-annually or quarterly is recommended for best results.
- The form should include as a minimum;- employee name, Line Manager name, Employee Start Date, probation information (pass/extension) KPI’s & 3 months review of KPI targets. Any Manager of Customer feedback received about the employee and also an employee self-assessment form, for them to show you how they feel they have performed.
Salary Certificate
- All staff at some point will ask for a salary certificate, whether it’s to purchase a car, get a credit card, apply for a mortgage, or even for something a simple as opening a Bank Account.
- Keep the Salary certificate simple, it just needs to state, their name, job title, start date, and their full salary.
- This needs to be signed by your CFO our accounts department.
*A top tip for all forms, contracts, and letters: When handing them over to employees always remind them they are confidential and hand them over in a sealed envelope. You must also keep a copy of all issued letters and contract within the employee’s HR Files.
Secure HR Document Storage
Now you’ve made a start and got the templates made, set up, and a system in place to store you feel organized, you now have structure!
But you’re thinking…what next?
Over and above this you need to think about what you are responsible for by law when it comes to your employees. As their sponsor you need to be able to manage, process, store and renew their Visa, Emirates EID, Labour card, and Medical insurance documents, as well as all ID documents for each employee that are required for submission of said documents!
When it comes to all of this processing you need to instill a feeling of security for your staff so they know you have everything covered.
(Reminder: The employer is required by law to cover all costs for all of the above documentation and no fees should be charged back to the Employee)
It seems like such a huge amount of data to be responsible for, right?
Surely it will cost a fortune to implement a system that could not only store all this information but also remind you ahead of time as documents were due for renewal?
Surely no system exists that can do this for you and doesn’t charge tens of thousands of dollars to run?
Beneple is The UAE’s best-kept secret… Beneple is a cloud-based HR system that manages and stores your documents for you, It gives your staff their own logins, so they can request leave digitally, and you can process holiday requests and documents at the click of a button.
Have you ever had to do a group medical insurance policy and the insurance providers ask you for your Census list?
Que- hours of collating reams of employee information from various HR cabinets and spreadsheets to even get a quote!
Once you use Beneple, you can generate your own census list with literally one click of a button!
It’s as easy as Facebook to sign up, and as safe and secure as online banking with your data, and the cost is ZERO.
Just want a copy of the HR templates? Email us at info@beneple.com to get the most common UAE-specific HR templates.
Beneple is The UAE’s best-kept secret… Beneple is a cloud-based HR system that manages and stores your documents for you, It gives your staff their own logins, so they can request leave digitally, and you can process holiday requests and documents at the click of a button.
Have you ever had to do a group medical insurance policy and the insurance providers ask you for your Census list?
Que- hours of collating reams of employee information from various HR cabinets and spreadsheets to even get a quote!
Once you use Beneple, you can generate your own census list with literally one click of a button!
It’s as easy as Facebook to sign up, and as safe and secure as online banking with your data, and the cost is ZERO.
Just want a copy of the HR templates? Email us at info@beneple.com to get the most common UAE-specific HR templates.