Majid Al Futtaim has redeployed more than one thousand leisure, entertainment and cinema employees to the company’s Carrefour hypermarket business on a temporary basis.

MAF

The major shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has activated an employee redeployment programme across the region, which sees being reskilled to assist with duties including online order fulfilment, food packing and stock replenishment.

The programme is designed to provide employees with an opportunity to retrain within the Majid Al Futtaim ecosystem. So far, 1,015 employees from Vox Cinemas, Magic Planet, Little Explorers and Ski Dubai in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman and Lebanon have been assigned to their new roles.

The positions created will help Carrefour to cater to the increased demand at both its physical and online stores. In the first three weeks of March, Carrefour saw an increase in customer demand across the region with daily online sales increasing by 50 per cent compared to the same period in February.

“In times of uncertainty, our commitment to our community of customers, employees, tenants and suppliers only becomes stronger,” said Alain Bejjani, chief executive officer at Majid Al Futtaim. “While we are ensuring that our customers get what they need when they need it, we are working with all stakeholder groups to ensure that we come through these challenging times together.

“The employee redeployment programme is a fantastic opportunity for our leisure, entertainment and cinema employees to continue to learn and explore new experiences in other parts of our business during this time. I am extremely proud of each one of them, as they have shown a relentless desire to support their colleagues across the company and ensure our customers continue to have access to essential items.

“While our redeployment efforts come during unprecedented times, a recent World Economic Forum report suggested that by 2022, 54 per cent of the total workforce in an organisation will require significant reskilling and upskilling. The current situation has accelerated the need for employees to stay competitive and will require companies to relook at how they utilise their talent.”

Nafie Hamed Ibrahim Ali, customer service officer at Vox Cinemas, said: “I have worked with Majid Al Futtaim for the past nine years and I volunteered to join the programme, like many of my colleagues. It is a great opportunity for me, and I am proud that I can continue to be of service during such a challenging time. I am really looking forward to learning new skills, while supporting the wider business and catering to customers’ needs. I feel a part of something much bigger than myself.”