Setting Up the Centre of Excellence (CoE) and Expanding HR Teams in Dubai & KSA

Established a strong HR Centre of Excellence (CoE) and built agile international HR teams to drive organizational excellence across the Middle East.

Time to Read: 5 mins

Background

At Mahindra Susten, as the business footprint expanded into key international markets like Dubai and Saudi Arabia (KSA), it became critical to establish a centralized yet locally responsive HR model. To support accelerated growth and create a unified people strategy, setting up a CoE-led HR structureacross international locations became a priority.

Objective

To establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for HR operations and simultaneously build and deploy full-fledged HR teams in Dubai and KSA, ensuring alignment with business goals and local compliance.

Actions Taken

  1. CoE Model Design and Launch:
    • Structured CoEs around Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, PMS, Learning & Development, and Employee Engagement.
    • Integrated CoEs with local HR Business Partners to enable execution while maintaining global governance.
  2. Set-up of International HR Teams:
    • Built and trained HR teams in Dubai and KSA to manage local operations efficiently.
    • Enabled seamless assimilation through structured onboarding aligned with global HR standards.
  3. Compensation Restructuring:
    • Restructured compensation structures across all geographies to align with competitive market benchmarks.
    • Resulted in a 3% reduction in the total wage bill without compromising on talent competitiveness.
  4. Vendor Onboarding and Ecosystem Creation:
    • Onboarded international vendors specializing in Middle East markets to support payroll, benefits administration, and compliance.
  5. Payroll and Service Digitization:
    • Implemented an online HR portal to track and resolve employee queries efficiently.
    • Reduced payroll administration costs by 35% through automation and vendor consolidation.
  6. Employee Experience Enhancement:
    • Boosted employee satisfaction scores from 3.5 to 4.5 points (out of 5) by improving query resolution times, transparency, and HR accessibility.
  7. Technology Enablement:
    • Integrated HRIS across India, UAE, and KSA for real-time workforce analytics and consistent HR delivery.
  8. Capability Building and Change Management:
    • Conducted intensive training programs for international HR teams and regular change communication campaigns for seamless adoption.

Actions Taken

  1. CoE Model Design and Launch:
    • Structured CoEs around Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, PMS, Learning & Development, and Employee Engagement.
    • Integrated CoEs with local HR Business Partners to enable execution while maintaining global governance.
  2. Set-up of International HR Teams:
    • Built and trained HR teams in Dubai and KSA to manage local operations efficiently.
    • Enabled seamless assimilation through structured onboarding aligned with global HR standards.
  3. Compensation Restructuring:
    • Restructured compensation structures across all geographies to align with competitive market benchmarks.
    • Resulted in a 3% reduction in the total wage bill without compromising on talent competitiveness.
  4. Vendor Onboarding and Ecosystem Creation:
    • Onboarded international vendors specializing in Middle East markets to support payroll, benefits administration, and compliance.
  5. Payroll and Service Digitization:
    • Implemented an online HR portal to track and resolve employee queries efficiently.
    • Reduced payroll administration costs by 35% through automation and vendor consolidation.
  6. Employee Experience Enhancement:
    • Boosted employee satisfaction scores from 3.5 to 4.5 points (out of 5) by improving query resolution times, transparency, and HR accessibility.
  7. Technology Enablement:
    • Integrated HRIS across India, UAE, and KSA for real-time workforce analytics and consistent HR delivery.
  8. Capability Building and Change Management:
    • Conducted intensive training programs for international HR teams and regular change communication campaigns for seamless adoption.

Results

  • Operational CoE: Established a cohesive HR Centre of Excellence serving India, UAE, and KSA.
  • Compensation Optimization: Achieved a 3% cost reduction in total wage bill while maintaining market competitiveness.
  • Cost Efficiency: Reduced payroll administration costs by 35% through streamlined processes and vendor partnerships.
  • Enhanced Employee Experience: Improved satisfaction scores by 28%, driving higher engagement and retention.
  • Business Agility: Enabled faster HR support to business units, enhancing organizational readiness for further expansion.
  • Awards : Received 2 Kaizen awards for operational excellence and process improvement

Recognition:

The successful HR set-up and CoE implementation were widely appreciated by the Group Executive Board for accelerating international HR maturity and driving scalable, sustainable growth.

"An international HR model must balance consistency with cultural intelligence—building bridges across borders, one policy and one person at a time."

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