The future of national prosperity begins with family wellbeing

The global competition for talent is entering a new phase. While countries will continue to invest in infrastructure, innovation and technology, these are no longer the only factors shaping where people choose to build their lives. For many professionals, particularly those raising young families, quality of life and family wellbeing are now equally important.

In the UAE, this is not a new priority. Our country’s founding fathers recognised that national progress rests on strong families and cohesive communities. Since the founding of the Union in 1971, that belief has been embedded in the Constitution and reflected across the UAE’s social and economic growth.

As His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, once said: “Allowing working parents ample time to nurture their children is key to raising future generations able to actively contribute to society and advance the nation’s development and growth.”

For employers in the UAE, this message translates into a clear responsibility to support working parents and contribute to the nation’s future. Today’s workplaces extend beyond traditional HR policies; they are a catalyst to shape family life, enable parents to fulfill their caregiving responsibilities, and support children’s healthy development during their most formative years.

To help employers translate this national priority into action, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority launched the Parent-friendly Label in 2021. The voluntary, UAE-wide recognition programme encourages employers to move beyond legal requirements through innovative policies that enable parents to succeed professionally and at home.

What began as a national initiative has since contributed to a wider global shift, benefiting more than one million employees worldwide. In the UAE, its reach has positively impacted the lives of more than 311,000 employees. This expanding impact reflects the UAE’s determination to strengthen its own society while helping to shape a global standard for parent-friendly workplaces.

The impact of the Parent-friendly Label programme extends well beyond families; it delivers measurable value for employers. The long-held assumption that supporting working parents comes at the expense of productivity no longer reflects workplace reality.

The Parent-friendly Label Impact Report 2025, Thriving Through Talent: How parent-friendly policies drive balance, growth, and global competitiveness, reveals a clear relationship between supportive policies and stronger employee outcomes. In parent-friendly workplaces, 67 per cent of mothers and 73 per cent of fathers report that this support improves their daily productivity, 77 percent of employees would recommend their employer as a parent-friendly place to work, and 68 per cent say parent-friendly support influenced their decision to stay beyond two years. Flexibility reinforces these gains: 70 percent of employees said flexible work is promoted and supported at all levels of their organisation, and 78 percent were satisfied with the support available for last-minute childcare emergencies.

By creating cultures in which flexibility, trust and caregiving responsibilities are normalised, organisations can retain valuable talent, reduce employee stress and build more committed, resilient and high-performing workforces.

Supporting families strengthens the fabric of society and creates cohesive communities that are better equipped to contribute to national development and the wellbeing of future generations.

As the UAE advances its ambition for stronger families and more cohesive communities, the next chapter must be shaped through collective responsibility. The public sector, businesses and wider society all must become active partners in building a more resilient, inclusive and future-ready nation. Together, we have the opportunity to create a UAE model that strengthens families, transforms workplaces, and inspires countries around the world to better support parents and children.