Dubai, UAE, 24 August 2016: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has launched an innovation fund to develop creative ideas proposed by DEWA’s employees on the MyDEWAideas internal portal, which was launched by DEWA early last year. The portal encourages creativity and innovation, and implements the suggestions received by DEWA’s employees to improve the work environment, and further develop the services presented to customers and partners.
“DEWA’s Innovation Fund was inspired by the words of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who observed that, ‘Nothing motivates an employee more than seeing the results of his own achievements.’ DEWA is committed to supporting talented employees, while providing them with the tools required to achieve DEWA’s vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility. We consider our employees the most important pillar of our success. We take priority in involving staff in all initiatives and projects. We listen to employees’ ideas and suggestions, study them, and implement innovative and constructive ideas, to carry out the National Innovation Strategy, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to make the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world. DEWA works to provide electricity and water services to the highest standards of accountability, credibility, and efficiency,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
“DEWA has adopted innovation as a major pillar and as a government value. We work to implement the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to improve government services and performance, encouraging a culture of innovation, and adopting it as a standard procedure, to develop government services, overcome challenges, and contribute to improving administrative government work. We work to provide all factors that contribute to achieving the happiness of our employees,” added Al Tayer.
“Since its launch last year, the portal has provided a central repository to manage innovation and ensure continuous improvement and development, while creating a platform by which we can achieve our developmental objectives. It focuses on enhancing communication among all staff, and also facilitates the study and discussion of their suggestions and ideas with all divisions and departments, including DEWA’s management. Our staff’s positive reaction to the portal underlines their understanding of their responsibilities as well as their commitment to enhancing government services and their work environment. It also reflects their support to this excellent initiative and their willingness to share their ideas and suggestions to achieve more successes and accomplishments,” said Marwan Bin Haider, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future at DEWA.
MyDEWAideas is the first creativity programme in the Government of Dubai where employees are actively encouraged to vote and comment on other employees’ ideas and to collaborate and share best practices. DEWA is the first organisation in the region to use HYPE software, which allows staff to collaborate and vote on the best ideas submitted, similar to social media sites.