Mohamed Alabbar
Dubai-based founder and managing director of Emaar Properties, Mohamed Alabbar, has praised Indians for their work ethic and discipline, saying he prefers hiring them because of their dedication and commitment at work.Speaking at the Make it in the Emirates summit in Abu Dhabi, Alabbar discussed how businesses can survive crises and operate through uncertainty, while also referring to recent regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict.“The harder you work, the luckier you will get,” Alabbar noted.“There’s a saying, hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard, and this is why I like to hire Indians, because they answer the phone even at one o’clock in the morning,” he added, as quoted by Gulf News.Alabbar stressed that companies need teams capable of working efficiently even during difficult situations and sudden disruptions.Referring to recent tensions in the region, he said the UAE had managed the situation through planning and preparedness.“What happened recently was not expected, and our country showed its steadfastness and the resilience of its planning under the directives of our leadership, so we managed to successfully survive,” he said.. He also spoke about how businesses are judged during crises, particularly in the way they treat employees under pressure.One of Emaar’s first decisions during the recent crisis, he revealed, was reassuring staff that jobs and salaries would remain protected.“In the first week, we sent emails to everyone, all the employees. We told them, we are not laying off any one of the workforce. We are not cutting their salaries,” he stated.Alabbar added that maintaining trust, stability and discipline becomes especially important when companies face uncertain conditions.Similar praise for Indian employees has been voiced by Reiji Kobayashi, a Japanese entrepreneur based in Bengaluru, who previously highlighted the work ethic and dedication of Indian staff. He noted that many Indian employees often work longer hours than he does and said their motivation and commitment had pushed him to improve his own productivity and business standards.
