Governments must be employers of ambition, not a last resort

In a world competing for the same limited reservoir of highly skilled talent, governments must be employers of aspiration, or else risk irrelevance. Today, recognition and opportunity increasingly determine whether high achievers stay, grow and, eventually, lead. The nations that will thrive are those that understand this simple truth: real progress goes beyond technology or capital and comes from creating meaningful work within an organisation. That is, work that values people for who they are and what they can become.

In this sense, governments win or lose talent exactly the same way global tech firms do – by the quality of the culture they create and the impact they enable their people to deliver. This belief is at the centre of the growth currently under way in Abu Dhabi. Our new HR Law, which took effect from January 1, will reshape how we support our 25,000-strong public-sector workforce. It signals that in today's global talent marketplace, a government must be an employer of ambition, not the employer of last resort.

Abu Dhabi wants to attract the very best talent; therefore, merit drives everything in our new framework. For example, high performers will benefit from accelerated promotion pathways and outstanding graduates will see reduced probation periods. Additionally, performance-based allowances will also reward distinguished contributions.

A lot of this stems from our commitment to investing in our people because talent is the engine of organisational performance and long-term competitiveness. And as we transition into the world’s first fully AI-native government by 2027 under the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy, a modern employee playbook such as this is imperative. That’s because it has the power to become the unsung hero of our collective success in this AI era.

The law, which coincides with the start of the UAE's Year of the Family, recognises that our employees have dreams, responsibilities and – most importantly – lives beyond their desks. For example, we’re introducing an enhanced parental leave scheme that means new mothers receive extended support and new fathers receive doubled paternity provisions. No parent should face the impossible choice between advancing their career and growing a family. Simply put, they gain time, their children gain presence and we as an organisation build lasting commitment.

The same philosophy that underpins our parental leave – trust, flexibility and belief in potential – also shapes our new entrepreneurs