Suleiman Abu Hijleh has been an HR manager at Paltel Group since 1998. Suleiman has more than 20 years of experience in Human Resources. He has held key managerial positions at several companies in Palestine. Before joining Paltel, Suleiman was the HR Manager of a number of hospitals run by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Suleiman holds a Bachelor’s degree from Yarmouk University in Jordan and a Higher Diploma in Business from Hebron University. He has a diploma in HR from Ain Shams University in Cairo and another diploma in CHRMP from the USA. He participated in many conferences, workshops and training courses, on a national, regional and international level. In this interview with Bayt.com, Suleiman Abu Hijleh talks about his career and responsibilities as HR manager in Paltel Group, in addition to challenges in the HR industry in Palestine and the Middle East region: 1) How did you start your career in HR? I started my career in the HR field when I was appointed as supervisor and director of the human resources department in a local company. Throughout the years, I obtained my educational and professional background in HR and got in touch with many consulting firms in this field who helped me build expertise and gain motivation to pursue the achievements I made in both Kuwait and Palestine. I worked in the governmental sector in Palestine and gained a lot of experience and knowledge of labor laws, frameworks and legal references. Paltel was my transitional phase into the private sector; it led to the improvement of my career in terms of experience, development and innovation. 2) What is your average day at work like? My job consists mainly of developing strategies and policies in the company, so my daily work is based on plans and programs that are in line with the company’s goals and strategies, and is highly related to the set timelines and implementation stages that are developed from annual plans. My job taught me to be a great giver, therefore my daily role transcends strategies, development and operational plans, and is more about training, development and guidance of the staff as well as the HR team. My day isn’t about how many hours I work; it’s all about the achievements I make in order to maintain a good level of performance and productivity. 3) How do you like living and working in Palestine? Palestine is exceptional, Palestinians are known for their willingness and ability to give and learn. In Palestine, we have a lot going on but our priorities are always set and clear. We have a challenging and competitive market. Palestinians got used to overcoming all obstacles and crises, and personally, I am really happy and proud to be working in my country. 4) What is the most important thing Paltel looks for in new hires? Our company has many functions that vary between its technical, commercial, managerial and financial nature. It is also diversified when it comes to its managerial and organizational levels. We have rules when it comes to hiring new candidates which are all set in the company’s HR guide. When I’m hiring candidates for Paltel, I look for intelligent, enthusiastic, motivated and ambitious individuals. They should also be able to learn, grow and keep up with the changes in our industry. 5) What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring talent? We accept all the challenges and don’t believe in the impossible. Impossible means not to try. Having a team of pioneers and the importance we give to collaboration and teamwork are the basis of our success. We have the challenge to keep our employees engaged within a company that reflects their values and contributes in their loyalty to the company and the team. The real challenge in our company is to create an engaging culture for both its new and former employees. 6) How do you think the Middle East has evolved when it comes to HR policies and practices? There is no doubt that HR has developed in terms of quality. Employees are considered the most important asset for a company’s productivity on both private and governmental levels. However, the labor laws and legal texts related to HR are still not rising to the required level which reflects negatively on the overall development of our industry. Talents in the Middle East need a legal framework that is in line with their capabilities. 7) What is your best advice to companies regarding talent retention? A company’s goals should be achieved through employees, who are the key elements of success. Human beings are made up of two entities: a physical and a spiritual one. It is important to nurture these two entities and not one on the expense of the other, as humans achieve stability only by striking a balance between these two entities.
