Dhanya Prabhakaran

With 11 years of experience in diverse real estate development and construction sectors, played a key role in expanding the organization from 100 to over 20,000 employees. Proficient in managing operations for both C-suite and blue-collar, with expertise in aligning HR and transformation initiatives to support sustainable growth and drive organizational success.  HR Strategy Development: Developed and implemented HR strategies closely aligned with organizational goals. Partnered with key stakeholders and management to regularly assess and enhance HR initiatives, boosting operational efficiency and supporting the organization’s mission and vision.  Talent Acquisition and Management: Spearheaded talent acquisition efforts to attract top candidates and maintain a diverse pool for sales and construction roles, achieving a 30% reduction in time-to-hire. Led a recruitment team to meet manpower planning goals and established competitive salary structures to attract and retain talent while staying within budget limits.  HR Operations (End-to-End Employee Life Cycle): Oversaw daily HR operations for a diverse workforce, managing all stages of the employee life cycle, including onboarding, day-to-day support, and offboarding. Led the HR operations team to deliver exceptional support and resources to employees. Introduced initiatives to enhance employee experience, such as an Employee Happiness Center, employee forums, surveys, town hall meetings, and Employer of Choice programs  Performance Management: Implemented Management System (PMS) aligned with organizational objectives. Set clear performance goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to effectively assess employee contributions. Utilized the Employee Scorecard Method to analyze performance. Conducted regular reviews and feedback sessions to drive continuous improvement.  Rewards and Recognition: Developed and implemented a comprehensive rewards and recognition program (Employee Excellence Award) to acknowledge employee contributions and achievements. Established a framework for performance-based incentives, including spot awards, employee of the month programs, and peer recognition initiatives.  Payroll Management: Managed payroll processing in coordination with the audit and finance teams, implementing best practices to enhance accuracy and efficiency.  Compensation and Benefits: Developed salary banding and oversaw compensation structures to maintain market competitiveness and ensure internal equity among employees. Designed comprehensive benefits programs, including productivity incentives, annual bonuses, employee life insurance schemes, workforce financial benefits programs, and savings schemes, significantly enhancing employee satisfaction and retention.  UAE Law Compliance and Risk Management: Ensured adherence to labor laws and company policies, effectively managing employee relations issues and conducting investigations to maintain a fair and compliant workplace and ensuring that all HR practices align with legal requirements and mitigate potential risks.  Process and Policy Development & Audit: Developed and implemented HR processes with metrics to ensure compliance with UAE labor laws and organizational standards. Conducted regular reviews and stakeholder engagement to identify gaps and clarify roles through a RACI matrix. Performed comprehensive audits of HR processes, including compliance, operational, and performance audits, on a quarterly and annual basis, issuing Non-Conformance Reports (NCR) as needed to drive continuous improvement.  Employee Engagement and Culture:: Designed and executed initiatives to enhance employee engagement and foster a positive workplace culture. Conducted surveys and utilized feedback to drive improvements in morale. Developed and implemented an annual engagement plan, ensuring effective execution of strategies that promote open communication, recognition programs, and team-building activities.  HR Metrics and Analytics: Developed and implemented SLAs to establish clear expectations for HR service delivery, ensuring timely support for employees and management. Established TAT benchmarks for key HR processes, including recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, and payroll processing. Monitored performance to identify improvement areas and enhance operational efficiency. Prepared monthly HR dashboards for management review, delivering insights into key metrics and trends.  Digitization and Process Automation: Led the implementation of a HRIS (Oracle Fusion, Zeta HR, Xepedon and People strong )reducing manual HR processes by 50% and administrative time by 30%, while cutting payroll processing time by 60%. Developed digital tools and workflows that improved data accessibility and reporting capabilities, enabling data-driven decision-making and fostering a more agile HR environment.  Transformation/Employer of Choice: Restructured the HR team into agile, cross-functional units to align with business needs. Implemented key initiatives such as an HR Outsourcing Strategy, HR Business Partner Model, and revamped Recognition and Reward System. Launched a campaign to communicate Organizational Values, implemented the Employee Happiness Index, Employee idea space Center and enhanced branding efforts while promoting employee participation in CSR activities to improve community engagement and the company’s reputation  Training and Development: Developed and executed comprehensive training programs to enhance employee skills and competencies. Conducted needs assessments to identify training gaps, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Utilized diverse training methodologies, including internal and external workshops, e-learning platforms like Udemy, and on-the-job training through a Technical Skills Training Center, to facilitate effective knowledge transfer.  Visa / Work permit Manageemnt: Successfully managed a Public Relations Officer (PRO) team responsible for overseeing the employment visa process.  Emiratization: Spearheaded initiatives to promote Emiratization by creating targeted recruitment strategies to attract and retain UAE nationals. Ensured compliance with UAE Emiratization targets and GPSSA regulations. Implemented training and development programs designed to enhance the skills and career prospects of Emirati employees.

Managed comprehensive HR functions including recruitment, employee relations, performance management, and compliance. Adept at developing and implementing HR policies, enhancing employee engagement, and driving organizational effectiveness

Analyzed existing HR processes and workflows to pinpoint areas for improvement and efficiency gains, adhering to ISO standards. Conducted thorough assessments to identify training needs across various departments. and measure training outcomes to ensure alignment with company goals and industry standards.