ARABIAN TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The Ministry of Labour honoured several outstanding government and private sector entities for their institutional excellence in 2024 during a special ceremony held on Tuesday evening. The event, held under the patronage of Dr. Mahad Said Ba’Owain, Minister of Labour, aimed to recognise entities that have significantly contributed to enhancing operational efficiency and aligning with the ministry’s broader objectives of fostering a culture of development and elevating performance standards.
In his remarks, Sayyid Salim Musallam Al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Human Resources Development, highlighted the initiative’s role in promoting innovative practices over routine work. He noted that the awards are designed to institutionalise best practices, improve work environments, streamline administrative procedures, and achieve outcomes that benefit both employees and the public.
The Ejada (Excellence) system, which guided the assessment process, has played a pivotal role in encouraging government units to adopt innovative mechanisms and methodologies to enhance service quality. In 2023 alone, the system evaluated 61 government administrative units, analysing over 14 million data points. This comprehensive review included employee feedback, job satisfaction surveys, and insights from 170,000 beneficiaries across 700 service centres.
Evaluations were based on annual performance progress across seven criteria: leadership and strategic planning, human capital, partnerships, customer satisfaction, innovation, governance, and environmental and social responsibility. Seventeen government units were recognised, with additional awards distributed across specific performance areas.
Notable recognitions included the Continuous Improvement Prize awarded to OPAZ, CAA, and TRA; Human Capital Prize to the Tender Board, CBO, and TRA; and the Innovation Support Prize to the Authority for Public Services Regulation. The private sector was also celebrated for contributions to employment and Omanisation, with companies such as Petroleum Development Oman, Gulf Petrochemical Services, and Nesto Hypermarket among those honoured.
The Ejada system’s impact has been significant: 64% of public employees benefited from competency programmes, resignation rates dropped by 72%, and sector partnerships rose by 233%. Innovation funding increased by 153%, and environmental and community initiatives grew by 247% and 642%, respectively. These achievements underscore the ministry’s success in driving a results-oriented, transparent, and innovative public sector that meets the evolving needs of Oman’s society and economy.
