As a progressive bank that acknowledges the quintessential role played by its human capital, Sohar International has continuously focused on inspiring, involving, and incentivizing employees to nurture a conducive work environment that fosters sustainable growth. Recognizing these efforts, the Bank was honored with the coveted ‘Best Place to Work in Banking Sector – Oman 2022’ Award by The Global Economics, UK. Representing Sohar International at The Annual Global Economics Awards Ceremony which was held recently at the Shangri-la, Dubai, were Ms. Mahira Al Raisi, Chief Human Resources Officer and Mr. Mazin Al Raisi, Chief Marketing Officer. The evening witnessed in attendance key delegates, top officials from leading corporate houses, and industry experts from different sectors.

On receiving the recognition, Mr. Ahmed Al Musalmi, Chief Executive Officer of Sohar International said, “As an organization that shares the national agenda of progress and prosperity, Sohar International is committed to creating and nurturing a knowledge based culture that enables our people to grow personally and professionally, therefore contributing to themselves as well as the organization and the nation as a whole. With a keen focus on a holistic approach to employee well-being, the bank has been able to deliver exceptional employee experience propelling the bank forward in its growth strategy resulting in ‘wins’ for all stakeholders. We continue to invest in our employees focusing on creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment that upholds people-centric values in line with the overall brand values.”

Apart from advocating a favourable and inclusive work environment, strong corporate ethics, and ample career progression opportunities within the organisation, Sohar International has also been applauded for its employee engagement programmes, internal campaigns encouraging self-growth, providing ongoing internal and external professional trainings, promoting a flat organizational structure approach, and investing in the right human capital. In addition, the bank’s well-defined, open, and transparent channels of interaction have not only increased efficiency, productivity, and performance but have also driven greater cooperation between teams and boosted employee morale. Meanwhile, its strong and effective leadership stance and its keen focus on motivating employees to achieve transformation have been critical components that contributed to this recognition.

Commenting on being recognized as the Best Place to Work in Banking Sector, Ms. Mahira Al Raisi, Chief Human Resources Officer said, “We are indeed delighted to have received such a prestigious award which further attests to our commitment in empowering employees to thrive. Considering that people are our top priority, we continuously invests in their ongoing development through focused and customised training programs strengthening their technical and leadership competencies thus helping employees attain sustained growth at every stage of their career. In addition, as part of Our Human Capital Management strategy, our priority has always been to provide employees with a caring work place with a high-trust transparent culture, and take maximum efforts to make Sohar International an employer of choice.”

The Global Economics Awards through its stringent assessment criteria seeks to identify, recognise, and applaud business enterprises that have achieved new levels of excellence in cultivating a rich work culture in the organisation. As such, these titles serve as the epitome of perseverance and credibility for the recipients. Sohar International encourages employees to follow their academic aspirations through enrolling them in programs on a national level such as the Etimad National Leadership Program - an initiative by the Ministry of Labour geared at empowering individuals in the private sector with supervisory skills needed to take on management roles. The bank has also remained vigilant in addressing the unique needs of the team and has deployed a Personalized Development Plan (PDP) through its ‘Kafa’a’ programme. This has helped selected employees to take monumental strides toward progressing their career ambitions while aligning themselves with the broader goals of the company. In addition, the bank celebrated the graduate of a number of its staff from the College of Business Financial Studies.