Interview with HR of GEMS Academy Alexandria – Mr. Moemen Assem & Ms. Raneem Bakri

INTERVIEWER: MAHMOUD MANSI

EDITOR: MENNATULLAH ZEIN EL DIN

The Interviewees: Respondents to the interview are: Mr. Moemen Assem, HR Manager, and Ms. Raneem Bakri, HR specialist at GEMS Academy Alexandria (GAA).

About GEMS Academy Alexandria

GEMS Academy Alexandria Team

INTRODUCTION

In schools the usual HR functions such as training, recruitment and performance management is usually done by the teachers who play the role of the upper management. Yet in this school there is an HR department, and through this interview we shall know more about that.

THE INTERVIEW

1- HR Revolution Middle East: Most schools do not have an HR system, and probably senior teachers are the ones who work on the interviews and recruitment. Why do you have an HR department in your school?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: The recruitment process is just one of the HR management responsibilities; HR management is much more than recruitment. That is why we believe that HR management as a concept will be the new trend for other schools like our reputable international one.

We believe that HR management as a whole, contributing to effective and efficient decision making, will lead to massive improvement in all aspects in our educational entity.

2- HR Revolution Middle East: Describe the relationship between HR and the School Principle? And how do they both support one another?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: Our Principal is the school head and the HR department is acting as an advisor in all our related responsibilities and plans, be it strategically or operationally. The HR team works under the supervision of the School Principle, to align and achieve the vision and mission of GEMS Academy Alex.

We support the school head by plans and proposals in all aspects of management (recruitment – training – performance management system – personnel – compensation and benefits – employees’ relationships).

3- HR Revolution Middle East: What is the role of HR towards the teachers in your school?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: Our teachers and all the staff members are our human assets to attain the perfection of educational services. I will cut it short to tell you that the HR team is working with the guidance of three letters SOE – Sound Of Employees. That means when any admin or technical support is needed, we are always there, seeking employee satisfaction as the employee is our end customer.

4- HR Revolution Middle East: Why do you think other schools do not have an HR department?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: They have 3 reasons not to implement the HR concepts:

They are not fully aware of the benefits that they can gain from implementing the HR system.
All of their information is that HR management is limited by personnel responsibilities which is only Admin work.
Cutting the cost.

5- HR Revolution Middle East: In your school the teachers should be non-Egyptians, this is one of the job specifications. Can you please tell us the reason?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: As I told you we are seeking for perfection and we are under the umbrella of GEMS international with 74 schools all over the world, so we have criteria and a group of aspects that we cannot disregard; one of which is that all teachers should be native speakers with at least 3 years’ experience in the British curriculum.

6- HR Revolution Middle East: When you first became the HR manager of the school, what were your first challenges and decisions?

Moemen Assem: The first challenges were to set up the system in all the areas of the HR management; for example, the compensation and benefits system with a fair salary structure, discipline and commitment, performance management system and restructuring to be as efficient and effective as much as we can.

7- HR Revolution Middle East: How does the recruitment process of the new teachers happen? (Can you please tell us from A to Z, how did you reach the candidates, how did you interview them etc…)

GEMS Academy Alexandria: Let us illustrate the concept of recruitment and selection:-

Recruitment is the process of attracting the most suitable people for the position. Selection is the process of choosing the best person for the position, and induction is introducing the person to the position.

Both of them are to gain and achieve the ‘5 rights’:

Hiring the right
With the right
In the right
At the right
Within the right

Our recruitment plan and processes are as follows:

Determining the requirements of the recruitment needs (recruitment plan)
Announcing the job vacancies on the company website and social media – recruitment agencies
Receiving the applicants’ CVs
Screening the applicants’ CVs
Approaching interviewees via Skype or physically (HR – technical)
Medical test
Offering stage
Submitting the personal credentials
Handing job description
Induction Training for 3 days.
Contract
Probation period for 3 months
Permanent Hiring

Ms. Jasmin Haroun

8- HR Revolution Middle East: Can you please tell us about your career shift from an officer in the army till you became an HR Manager?

Moemen Assem: During my service in the Egyptian Armed Forces, I represented Egypt as a military observer in the United Nations mission in Georgia, where I had been promoted to Trainer Officer in the mission training cell, which was the starting point for learning about HR. After I retired due to medical reasons, I decided to go forward with studies in the HR field by joining an MBA, and implementing HR management principles in the 2 entities where I worked.

9- HR Revolution Middle East: As an officer (Major) how did you manage your team of soldiers and other officers?

Moemen Assem: Well, I cannot talk deeply in this issue but briefly I can tell you that the Armed Forces is a huge school of leadership and because of the very high risk we are using the (telling concept) in transferring the decisions with a high level of care for our subordinates.

10- HR Revolution Middle East: Do you think your background in the Army makes you a better HR manager? How?

Moemen Assem: The interpersonal skills are more important today than the technical ones; that is what I had gained from the military experience. As to how, I believe that the best way to lead is to lead by example, that’s another main benefit from military experience.

11- HR Revolution Middle East: As the HR, describe your indirect relationship towards the students and parents?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: We do not have any relation with the students or the parents because of the two reasons below:

Our employees are our direct customers.
Our role is to always be the backbone or the milestone support.

12- HR Revolution Middle East: How do you evaluate the teachers in their performance appraisal? What are the criteria?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: We are using the system of managing by objectives, in addition to the interpersonal and technical competencies.

13- HR Revolution Middle East: What makes non-Egyptian teachers work in Egypt?

GEMS Academy Alexandria: It isn’t easy to find foreign teachers willing to move and live in Egypt, due to our political situation. However, I believe that things are getting better. We also try to include the main benefits in the package we offer to our staff, which is providing them with a suitable and a satisfactory atmosphere to enjoy their stay.

14- HR Revolution Middle East: Moemen, you are a member of the Alexandria Human Resources Association (AHRA). How long have you been a member? And how does being a member add benefit to you?

Moemen Assem: The events and training sessions made by AHRA are the real benefit to improve and upgrade our knowledge in all business topics; another benefit is the gathering with HR members in Cairo and Alex from many entities to share knowledge and to have a good HR community.

15- HR Revolution Middle East: What advice do you have for students who want to work as school teachers after graduation?

Moemen Assem: I would advise them to get one or two internships during their vacations in the educational field (school, nursery…), to help them gain the needed experience to interact with children. Educational courses or diplomas related to the British Curriculum will be an added value to their experience in joining us or any other school that follows the British Curriculum.

HR Revolution Middle East: Thank you so much for your time Mr. Moemen and Ms. Raneem for this amazing interview, and for your efforts as HRs into working with the educational sector and inspiring it.