UAE’s Top Employers Honoured At Employee Happiness Awards 2025 - Culture Over Perks, Say Winners

The third edition of the Employee Happiness Awards took place last week at the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, recognising UAE-based organisations that have built credible, consistent programmes around employee well-being, engagement, inclusion, and leadership.

Organised by Eventyst Global, the 2025 edition was the biggest yet - with over 380 submissions across 26 categories, representing sectors as wide-ranging as aviation, banking, retail, logistics, and real estate. The room included many of the names shaping the region’s business landscape: Deloitte & Touche was recognised for HR Team of the Year; Etihad Airways for Best Employee Wellness Initiative; DHL Global Forwarding for Best Women-in-Leadership; Bacardi for Best Diversity and Inclusion Program; and Emirates NBD for Best Community Impact Initiative.

Al Tannan Group won the Gold Award for Most Supportive in Returning Back to Work, and also took home Bronze in the Best Company to Work For - Small category. “Receiving the Gold Award for 'Most Supportive in Returning Back to Work' and the Bronze Award for 'Best Company to Work for' is an incredible honor and a proud milestone for all of us at Al Tannan Group," said Hassan Tamimi, CEO. “These recognitions are a testament to the values we hold close; empathy, resilience, and the belief that when we support our people, we empower them to succeed. At Al Tannan, we go beyond simply offering jobs; we strive to create a culture where individuals feel seen, heard, and enabled to thrive, no matter where they are in their journey. I want to thank every team member who contributes to making this vision a reality every single day. These awards belong to all of you.”

ORO24 Developments won the Gold Award for Best Workspace Design, for its distinctive approach to creating a team-led, purpose-driven workspace. “We are incredibly proud to receive the Best Workspace Design award in the Gold category — a true reflection of our team's vision, creativity, and collaboration. We thank Plan3 Media for recognising spaces that inspire innovation. This award encourages our passion to keep designing for people first. Here's to shaping the future of work!” said Atif Rahman, Founder & Chairman. 

Virgin Mobile won the Silver Award in the Best Workspace Design category. “We’re very happy to be recognised by the Employee Happiness Awards for Best Workspace Design. What makes this recognition truly special is that it belongs to our team - every inch of our new office was imagined, designed, and brought to life by the people who live and breathe the Virgin Mobile brand every day,” said Rob Beswick, Managing Director, Virgin Mobile. “And the result? A workspace made by the team, for the team, and a daily reminder of what we can achieve when we come together.”

EDGE Group won the Gold Award for Best Company to Work For – Large, recognising its people-first ethos at scale. “We are very happy and proud to be recognised as the Best Company to Work For – Large Category at the Employee Happiness Awards," said Sana Al Daoumi, Group Senior Vice President Human Capital. “This award shows our strong commitment to building a workplace where our people feel supported, valued, and motivated. The EHA 2025 event was a wonderful celebration of workplace excellence, and we’re honoured to be part of such a great platform. This achievement goes to every EDGE employee whose hard work and passion made this possible.”

Reflecting on this year’s edition, Jatin Deepchandani, Founder and CEO of Plan3Media, said, “This year, we weren’t looking for fancy perks or buzzwords. We were looking for purpose. For companies that have moved beyond casual Fridays and Sports Day posters and are actually building workplaces where culture is intentional, and leadership is real. And that’s exactly what many of this year’s winners showed us.”

The next editions of the Employee Happiness Awards will be held in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Malaysia, using the same format: an independent jury, evidence-based evaluation, and a focus on work that holds up under scrutiny.

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