The third edition of the Employee Happiness Awards concluded last week at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, honouring organisations across the UAE for their outstanding efforts in building meaningful, people-first workplaces. Hosted by Eventyst Global, the awards drew over 380 entries across 26 categories, marking the program’s most competitive year yet.
Companies from a wide range of industries—including aviation, banking, logistics, retail, and real estate—were recognised for excellence in employee wellness, inclusion, culture, leadership, and business transformation.
Standout Winners Across Key Categories
- Deloitte & Touche – HR Team of the Year
- Etihad Airways – Best Employee Wellness Initiative
- DHL Global Forwarding – Best Women-in-Leadership
- Bacardi – Best Diversity and Inclusion Program
- Emirates NBD – Best Community Impact Initiative
- Emirates Islamic – Gold Award, Best Employee Driven Business Change
- Xworks – Silver Award, Best Company to Work For – Small
- Balmer Lawrie UAE LLC – Gold Award, Best Retention Initiatives
- Ricci Di Napoli – Silver Award, Best Employee Driven Business Change
Employee-First Culture in Focus
“For us at EI, creating a positive and supportive environment isn’t just part of the job; it’s something we genuinely care about,” said Farida, Chief Human Resources Officer at Emirates Islamic, which was recognised for enabling employees to drive transformative changes in the organisation.
Meanwhile, Balmer Lawrie UAE LLC, with a 48-year presence in the Emirates, won Gold for Best Retention Initiatives.
“Today, 45% of our workforce has been with us for over a decade. This reflects the culture we’ve built together,” said Francis Jerome, VP (HR).
Soren Kraen, Owner of Xworks, called the company’s Silver win a “testament to the collaborative, people-first culture” the team has fostered.
“This journey has been both inspiring and validating,” he said.
Ricci Di Napoli’s CEO, Kamal Al Najjar, said their recognition affirms the value of investing in employee well-being and transformation.
“Winning the Silver Award is a proud moment. It shows our commitment to building a workplace where innovation and strong performance grow together.”
Redefining Workplace Recognition
Unlike typical corporate awards, this year’s jury focused less on surface-level perks and more on purpose-driven leadership.
“We weren’t looking for fancy perks or buzzwords,” said Jatin Deepchandani, CEO of Plan3Media, co-organiser of the awards.
“We were looking for intentional culture, real leadership, and companies creating long-term impact.”
Global Expansion Ahead
Following its success in the UAE, the Employee Happiness Awards will expand to new markets, with editions confirmed for Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Malaysia. These future events will maintain the program’s jury-led, evidence-based framework, ensuring substance over symbolism.
With workplace culture taking centre stage in business performance and brand trust, the 2025 awards have reaffirmed one message loud and clear: happy employees build great companies.
