Muscat: Notching away the credit as the first subsidiary of Electricity Holding Company (EHC) to creatively orient its employees on the five year corporate strategy, Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC) breaks away from the conventional bulky text book training methodology to conduct 'Eshraqat Muscat 2013-2017.'

Attended by over 300 employees, 'Eshraqat Muscat 2013-2017' was an innovative initiative to align the MEDC employees with its vision, mission and the five year corporate strategy, said a company release. 

The strategy aims to enable and support the socio-economic growth in Muscat Governorate, by visualising a set of procedures that would streamline MEDC's business, to conform to international best practices. The plan identifies five major themes and outlines a series of supporting initiatives and projects that will promote MEDC maturity level in human resources, asset management, HSE, communication and corporate social responsibility and customer services.  

The strategy also aims at consolidating MEDC current market position and will specifically focus on establishing itself as a world-class corporate governing entity, the press release added.

The business plan reinforces the company's commitment to better governance, drive and integrates efficient improvement strategy across its various departments and intends in developing a sustainable and resolute growth strategy.

Enacted through interactive theatrical plays, each of the five themes showcased the role and importance of their theme and their strategy to attaining set benchmarks.  

Inaugurating the orientation programme, Eng. Abdullah bin Said Al Badri, Chief Executive Officer, MEDC said, "Eshraqat Muscat was a creative way to introduce our employees to the five year corporate strategy. There were two objectives that underpinned the orientation programme –facilitate cross department learning and understand the benefits of day-to-day work place contribution, in achieving the set goals".

Explaining how the application of emotional intelligence in the workplace increases occupational performance, Yousuf bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Regulatory, Compliance & Strategy Manager and theme owner of Eshraqat Muscat said, "When implementing any strategic measures, success depends primarily on how employees view and accept these measures. The text book approach of any training is perceived quite rigid, so we wanted to break away from the conventional methodology, to encourage employee participation. To this effect, we worked together with Majid Farook Obaid, a renowned trainer in the region.

Eshraqat Muscat 2013-2017 was based on his recommendations to approach the training programme through emotional intelligence and proved immensely successful with the participation of over 300 employees".

Mubarak Al Jahwari, theme owner of Human Resources commented, "At the human resources level, we aim to enhancing the Omani work force and achievement for level in the People Capability Maturity Model, 3 by the end of 2014."