Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has implemented 99 ideas submitted by its staff as part of the Afkari (Arabic for My Ideas) internal program. Considering that the start of this year, staff submitted a total of 2,317 concepts through Afkari, which motivates innovation and imagination among DEWA's staff members.

"DEWA takes top priority in including staff in all initiatives and projects. We listen to employees' ideas and suggestions, study them, and carry out the innovative and positive ideas that contribute to developing the services we offer to our clients, partners, and staff. As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai when observed, Thinking collectively and having open dialogues with the team at work create new ideas and bring us closer to success..The Afkari portal encourages creativity and development, and enhances interactions amongst personnel employees, while supplying a platform that facilitates studying and discussing their recommendations and ideas. The portal permits personnel to collaborate and vote on the very best concepts sent, much like social networks sites," said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

"Our personnel's favorable response to the Afkari website underlines their understanding of their duties in addition to their commitment to enhancing government services and their work environment. It also shows their assistance to this outstanding effort and their willingness to share their concepts and recommendations to achieve more successes and accomplishments, and develop the services provided to consumers, partners, and workers. This contributes to attaining DEWA's vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class energy," added Al Tayer.

Concepts submitted by DEWA staff include embedding Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in 132 kV cable televisions, forming a team to have the tendency to the Information Technology (IT) needs of staff with disabilities, introducing the Hayakom (Arabic for welcome) initiative for DEWA's added-value services to its clients, the Happiness Inspiration initiative to promote positive energy amongst personnel, and raising internal awareness on sign language to achieve the joy of people with unique needs.

Afkari is the first creativity programme in the Government of Dubai where employees are actively encouraged to vote and comment on other employees ideas and to collaborate and share best practices. The programme enables DEWA to capture employee driven ideas, providing a central repository to manage innovation, and ensure continuous improvement and development. Afkari uses HYPE software, which enables staff to comment and vote on ideas and suggestions submitted by their colleagues.