Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | DEWA Women’s Committee launches free sports classes for female employees at its headquarters

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) Women's Committee launched the ‘Free Sports Classes’ initiative for its female employees. The initiative enables them to exercise three times a week after official working hours, under the supervision of a specialised trainer. The classes take place at a hall in the Innovation Tent at DEWA headquarters. This supports the directives of the wise leadership to make sports an active part of the culture of Emirati society.

The initiative is the first of its kind on the level of UAE Government organisations. It was launched in September 2017, and was attended by 40 participants. The Committee provided the participants with all the sports tools they need to exercise, under the supervision of a specialised trainer.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, once said, ‘My advice to all is to practice sports on a regular basis, for the quality of your life is related to the quality of your health, and your level of achievement in life depends on how energetic and active you feel. It is said that health is a treasure; well, I say that if time is life, then health gives meaning to our time and adds spice to life’. His Highness also once said, “Our job is to create an environment for women's capabilities, an environment that preserves their dignity and femininity, helps them balance their lives and appreciates their talents and energies”. Through the support provided to us by DEWA’s top management, we worked to implement this initiative, as it contributes to making sports an essential part of our daily lifestyle. It is also a key factor in improving performance and quality services performed by employees, and aims to raise their happiness and satisfaction level. The initiative also enhances their creativity, and contributes to achieving a balance between their professional and personal lives,” said Khawla Al Mehairi, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Government Communications at DEWA and Chairperson of the DEWA Women’s Committee.

“The Women's Committee is working to provide a variety of initiatives and training programmes related to health, sports, culture, among others. This supports our commitment to the refinement and development of the skills and abilities of DEWA’s staff, which reflects positively in their happiness levels, and raises their efficiency and productivity levels. Providing free sports classes at the workplace after working hours has resulted in a 96.4% employee happiness rate, according to a survey conducted by DEWA, three months after the start of the initiative,” added Al Mehairi.

Al Mehairi stressed that DEWA Women's Committee intends to continue organising these free classes for its female employees, especially after the positive results that it had on the participants and their commitment to the classes.

Al Mehairi thanked DEWA's leadership, headed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, for motivating women to participate in various sports activities. She noted that this creates a balance between the employees’ professional and personal lives, improves their health, stimulates positive energy, and strengthens communication and social cohesion among them.