Can On-Demand Software Ease Dubai HR Woes?

The recent turmoil in the world economy has arguably hit Dubai hard. As in the rest of the world, organizations there are restructuring and downsizing their operations. However, as a country where vast numbers of workers are expats, any workforce changes in the city are likely to involve upheaval for a lot of people. Tales are emerging of vehicles abandoned in airport car parks as expats are forced to leave because of strict immigration rules when the work runs out. All too quickly, organizations with global reach are realizing one of the biggest challenges right now is: ‘what do we do with all these expats?’

viaExpat, from our IT partner, Radix Technologies, offers Software as a Service (SaaS) global HR tracking systems that allow HR managers to monitor every aspect of an assignee’s relocation – visas, work permits, house search, property and other vendors, and now, medical records in one place. This unique approach creates a secure online space for everyone – HR managers, vendors and assignees – to work together to make the relocation process as easy as possible.

Radix Managing Director, David Corriveau, said: ‘Information is important, and our clients consistently comment that one of the most impressive features of viaExpat is the ability to push information to assignees, vendors and managers. By creating this unique way of working, we have allowed HR managers to have more control, while at the same time empowering the assignee.’

SaaS systems also offer a cost efficient and reliable way of expanding IT capability without worrying about infrastructure and other costs – a useful benefit when executives are under pressure to create savings. Organisations pay for what resources they use, so sinking costs into expensive servers and other equipment is no longer a consideration. The flexibility built into the SaaS model means that increases in demand can be accommodated; resources can be up- or down-scaled at a moments notice, with a simple click of a mouse.

But how will this help organisations in the Middle East with their global HR headache? David explains: ‘The appeal for managers will be an all-in-one system that can manage every aspect of an assignment from start to finish. Assignees will appreciate the knowledge that all their records and documents will be accessible to them after their assignment comes to an end, wherever they are in the world.’

In short, record integrity means that information stays in the power of the end user. On demand access to information is the key to Radix’s approach. The parallel is with online banking – granting access to exactly what information you want, when you want it, wherever you are – and for both global HR managers and assignees this is invaluable. The comparison with online banking extends to security too: robust data storage and security measures mean that accessing viaExpat is as secure (and as useful) as doing your banking online.

Move One Relocations now uses via to manage all of our clients’ relocation assignments.