Retain · 08
Onboarding, training & retention for Emirati hires
A placement only counts if it lasts. We stay involved after day one — structured onboarding, development pathways, employer branding for Emirati talent and succession planning that turns hires into leaders.
Onboarding plan30 / 60 / 90 days
Check-insDay 30 & day 90
Best forRetention & growth
Onboarding · developmentTrusted by
Why it matters
1 in 3
Emirati hires leave private-sector roles within the first year
The placement is the easy part
Most early exits trace back to the first ninety days: unclear expectations, a manager onboarding their first UAE National, and no visible next step. Every departure also removes a percentage point at the next checkpoint.
No structured plan for the first 90 days
Managers unsure how to give feedback
Graduates leave for a clearer development path
Is this the right service?
Who onboarding & retention is built for
We say no more often than yes. Here is how to tell quickly whether this is the right route — and where to go if it isn’t.
Right for you if
- Employers who have lost Emirati hires in the first year
- Line managers onboarding their first UAE National
- Companies that want to be an employer of choice for Emiratis
- HR teams building succession plans with Emirati talent
Not the right fit if
- Generic e-learning content without a manager plan
- Companies not currently employing UAE Nationals
- Payroll or HR administration
What’s included
Everything onboarding & retention covers
One consultant runs all six parts. Nothing is handed to a junior or a call centre.
0130/60/90-day plan
Agreed with the line manager before day one: goals, introductions, check-ins.
02Manager coaching
A practical briefing for managers on expectations, feedback and culture.
03Development pathway
A 12-month learning and progression route for each Emirati hire.
04Employer branding
Careers-fair presence, content and an EVP that speaks to UAE Nationals.
05Retention check-ins
Day-30 and day-90 conversations with hire and manager; early-warning flags.
06Succession planning
Emirati talent mapped to future leadership roles.
Process
Onboarding & retention, step by step
Same consultant from the first call to the retention check-in — and a named deliverable at every step.
- 1Before day 1
Plan
30/60/90 goals agreed with the line manager.
You receiveAgreed 30/60/90 plan - 2Days 1–30
Land
Onboarding week, introductions, first check-in.
You receiveOnboarding-week summary and day-30 notes - 3Days 30–90
Grow
Development pathway starts; day-90 review.
You receiveDay-90 review and development path - 4Months 3–12
Progress
Quarterly progression and succession mapping.
You receiveQuarterly progression and succession update
Programme components
What the retention programme includes
Indicative figures from recent placements and briefs. Every engagement is scoped to your roles, emirate and target.
30/60/90-day planPer hire
Manager briefingPer cohort
Day-30 check-inPer hire
Day-90 reviewPer hire
12-month learning pathPer hire
Employer brand toolkitAnnual
Careers-fair presencePer event
Succession mapAnnual
What lands in your inbox
A document you can forward to your CEO
No spreadsheets of half-screened CVs. Every stage produces one clear artefact — the sample opposite is the onboarding & retention version — written so a decision can be made from it without a follow-up call.
EmployEmiratisAgreed before day 130/60/90-day plan
HR Coordinator · start date 1 Sep
- Day 30
- Systems, team, first deliverable
- Day 60
- Own a process end to end
- Day 90
- Review · development path agreed
- Mentor
- Assigned · fortnightly
- Check-ins
- Day 30 & 90 with Employ Emiratis
Prepared by your consultant · [email protected]
Results
What clients get from onboarding & retention
90 daysstructured onboarding
2retention check-ins in the first quarter
12 modevelopment pathway
Although we have our own internal talent acquisition team, when it comes to hiring UAE Nationals, we always prefer working with Shukran HR Consultancy because of the speed at which they work. They seem to have a regularly updated database and often share profiles with us within 72 hours. The quality of Emirati candidates is also excellent. We have been hiring through Shukran since 2023, and our UAE National employees are still happily working with us.
Case study
One engagement, start to finish
Anonymised at the client’s request; figures as reported by their HR team.
<15%first-year attrition, from 55%
Retail group · 1,600 employees · Dubai
Situation
Five of nine Emirati hires had left within a year; every checkpoint became a re-hiring exercise.
What we did
Introduced 30/60/90 plans, a manager briefing for every hiring manager and a 12-month development path for all Emirati staff.
Result
First-year attrition among Emirati hires fell from 55% to under 15% the following year.
MoHRE relevance
Attrition erases progress
Every Emirati who leaves takes their percentage point with them — and the replacement search starts the clock again. MoHRE counts headcount at each checkpoint, so retention is the cheapest compliance strategy there is.
Compare
Onboarding & retention with us, in-house, or a large agency
Employ EmiratisIn-houseLarge agencyWho does the workFounder with your line managerLine manager aloneExternal trainer, generic content
Emirati-specificBuilt for UAE NationalsGeneric onboardingGeneric content
Manager supportBriefing per cohortNoneOptional workshop
Check-insDay 30 & 90 with hire and managerAd hocNone
Link to hiringSame consultant who placed them——
FeeIncluded with placementsInternal timePer workshop
How we work
One consultant between your team and the Emirati talent pool
No account managers, no hand-offs to juniors, no shared desks. The person who takes your brief screens the candidates, sits in the feedback loop and calls the hire at day 90.
Your HR teamBrief · interviews · offer
Your consultantFounder-led · end to endEmirati talentDatabase · Nafis · universitiesEngagement
How onboarding & retention is priced
Simple, agreed up front, and never a retainer for standard hiring. Advisory and outsourced models are scoped to your headcount and target.
Onboarding plan included with every placement
Day-30 and day-90 check-insFixed-fee programmesOne consultant, brief to onboardingRetention
Included
Onboarding plan and check-ins free with every placement; programmes scoped separately
- 30/60/90 plan and check-ins included with placements
- Development and branding programmes at a fixed fee
- Manager coaching per cohort
- Succession mapping annually
Related services
Often combined with onboarding & retention
Resources
Read before you brief
New to hiring in the UAE? Employee onboarding in the UAE covers the statutory steps and the first ninety days.
FAQ
Onboarding & retention — common questions
Not answered here? Ask us — replies within one working day.
Most often: unclear expectations, no development path and managers unprepared for a first Emirati hire. All three are fixable before day one.
Yes — the 30/60/90 plan and day-30/90 check-ins come with every Employ Emiratis placement.
Yes, a practical briefing for line managers is part of the programme.
Careers-fair presence, content and EVP work aimed at UAE Nationals — scoped per company.
Start with onboarding & retention
Tell us the role. We’ll send Emirati candidates.
Replies within one working day. Prefer to talk first? Book a 30-minute meeting and we’ll map your Emiratisation target together.
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