Your one place for FGS Global policies, tools, and team contacts across Handbook, Finance, IT and Business.
United Arab Emirates — Internal Use Only
FGS Global is a pre-eminent global strategic communications advisory firm, created through the merger of leading consultancies Finsbury, The Glover Park Group, Hering Schuppener, and Sard Verbinnen & Co.
Originally founded in 1994 by Roland Rudd to fill a gap in the market for superior financial communications counsel in the UK, Finsbury expanded over the following two decades from a single London office to twelve offices across Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Asia. The firm was acquired by WPP in 2001, and its US expansion accelerated in 2013 through its merger with Robinson Lerer Montgomery, a recognized leader in crisis communications.
In 2024, KKR, one of the world's leading private equity firms, acquired a majority stake in FGS Global following WPP's exit as shareholder. This investment further strengthens FGS Global's ability to accelerate its growth, innovation, and global leadership in strategic communications.
Today, FGS Global operates across 31 offices worldwide, bringing together over 1,400 professionals who speak 27 languages. We advise clients in the world's major financial, government, business, and cultural centers. As an award-winning consultancy, we have guided clients through some of the most complex communications challenges of the past three decades, helping them communicate with clarity and impact during times of opportunity, change, and crisis.
In this region, we support clients across both government and private sectors. We are at the forefront of national transformation initiatives and fast-growing industries, leveraging our integrated creative, data, digital, and social expertise to deliver strategic insight, real-time intelligence, and flawless execution across all communications channels.
This handbook is your guide to working life at FGS in the UAE. It covers our policies, benefits, tools and ways of working. Please read it carefully and refer back to it whenever you have questions.
FGS Global
Business Central Towers
Tower A, 48th Floor
Dubai, UAE
FGS Global
Yas Creative Hub, Tower 4, Entrance 14
C40-P1-0146
Yas Island
Abu Dhabi, UAE
This policy sets out the Firm's parking arrangements and cost-sharing approach.
Where parking is available at Business Central Towers, the following arrangements may apply:
All Business Central Towers parking arrangements must be approved by HR and Finance in advance.
For employees who park outside Business Central Towers, the following arrangements may apply:
Parking expenses must be approved in advance by HR and Finance, and submitted through NetSuite with valid receipts. Once the annual cap of AED 6,000 is reached, no further parking reimbursement will be approved for that year.
FGS Global maintains a smoke-free workplace. Smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere inside the office, including restrooms, hallways, staircases, meeting rooms, and other indoor areas. These activities are allowed only in designated smoking areas outside the building. As a courtesy to colleagues, please be mindful of time spent during smoking breaks and avoid any disruption to work responsibilities.
Our office dress code is professional, smart business attire. Please also ensure you follow the relevant dress code requirements when travelling to Saudi Arabia, and attending in-person client meetings, as some clients and regions may require more conservative attire.
We ask all employees to be mindful of the cross-cultural nature of our teams and clients and to always dress appropriately and respectfully. If you are unsure of what is acceptable, please check with your account lead or a member of the HR team.
Meeting rooms must be booked in advance and can be reserved using either of the following methods:
Bookings should reflect the actual meeting duration and be cancelled if no longer required, to ensure availability for other employees.
The Business Operations team provides HR, Finance, IT and office support. For assistance, please contact the relevant team members below:
Salary payments are made on the 25th of each month. Where the 25th falls on a weekend or public holiday, salary payments will be processed on the nearest preceding business day.
FGS Global provides employees with a company mobile phone for work-related duties and will cover all associated business-related expenses. Costs relating to personal use, including non-business calls, messages, data usage, or downloads, remain the responsibility of the employee.
Employees who choose to use their personal mobile phone for work purposes instead of a company-issued device may submit a monthly reimbursement claim of up to AED 200 / SAR 200 to cover work-related calls and data usage.
Roaming charges incurred while travelling for work purposes will be covered by the Firm, subject to prior approval and in line with IT guidance.
MyFGS is the Firm's internal employee portal and central hub for accessing people, tools, resources, and business operations information. It serves as a single-entry point for key systems, updates, and day-to-day operational needs across FGS Global.
Employees can use MyFGS to:
For any issues accessing MyFGS or linked tools, please contact the IT Help Desk via helpdesk.fgsglobal.com.
The FGS Global IT Help Desk is the primary channel for requesting technology support and services. The Help Desk supports day-to-day IT needs and ensures issues are tracked, prioritised, and resolved efficiently.
Team members should use the Help Desk portal for all non-urgent IT requests rather than contacting individuals directly.
The IT Help Desk portal can be used to:
Some services may only be visible to specific teams or roles.
Requests should be submitted through the relevant service option in the portal (e.g. I need something fixed, Access request, I need something new). Once submitted, employees can track progress under My Activity, review updates and messages from the IT team, and add comments or additional information as required.
If a submitted request requires escalation, please email helpdesk-escalation@fgsglobal.com and include the Help Desk request ID.
NetSuite is FGS Global's core system used for time recording, expense submissions, approvals, and reporting. Accurate and timely use of NetSuite is essential for client billing, financial reporting, resourcing, and compliance.
Access is granted as part of the onboarding process. If you experience access issues, please contact the IT Help Desk or Finance.
All client-facing employees, at all levels and across all accounts, are required to record their time in NetSuite, regardless of whether the work is billable or non-billable.
Working hours must be recorded under the appropriate category:
When in doubt about how to classify time, employees should check with their Account Lead or Finance.
Employees are expected to record time accurately and truthfully. Time data is used for resourcing decisions, client reporting, and revenue recognition.
Failure to submit timesheets accurately and on time may result in the following escalation process:
| Stage | Consequence |
|---|---|
| First formal warning | To fill in |
| Second formal warning | To fill in |
| Third formal warning | Revocation of WFA privilege for the year (or the following year if already taken) |
| Fourth formal warning | Reduction of bonus |
| Fifth formal warning | Review of employment with the Firm |
Exceptional circumstances affecting timesheet submission will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Employees requiring assistance or support are encouraged to raise this promptly with their Line Manager or HR.
All business-related expenses must be submitted through NetSuite Expense Reports and must relate to legitimate business activity, be submitted with valid receipts, and be coded correctly to the relevant client, new business, or internal category. Expenses incurred in foreign currencies must be submitted using NetSuite's multi-currency functionality.
Submitted expense reports follow an approval workflow below and may not be edited once submitted, unless rejected for amendment:
For guidance on expense coding, speak with your Account Lead or Finance. For technical access or system issues, please contact the IT Help Desk or Finance.
HiBob is FGS Global's HR platform, used to manage employee information and support key people processes across the Firm. HiBob provides access to personal and employment data, organisational information, leave management, and performance management processes.
HiBob may be used by employees to view and update personal details, review employment information and policies, access organisational charts and the global directory, submit and manage annual leave, sick leave, and other leave types, view leave balances and public holidays, and participate in performance management processes.
All leave requests must be submitted through HiBob.
Leave requests are not considered approved until HR has completed the final approval step in HiBob. Submission of a request does not guarantee approval, and the Firm may restrict leave during busy periods to ensure business continuity.
Employees can view their leave balance and allocation at any time via their HiBob profile.
For assistance with HiBob access or functionality, please contact your regional system administrator, or FGShibobsupport@fgsglobal.com.
Yomly is FGS Global's employee self-service platform used for payroll-related services and HR document requests.
Yomly is accessed via a web browser and is available to all employees. Employees will receive Yomly login details as part of the onboarding process, and can access Yomly using their work email address via fgs.yomly.com. Employee profiles contain payroll-related information and submitted requests.
Employees must use Yomly to access and download payslips, request salary letters, request HR-related documents, and view payroll-related information.
For any issues with access or functionality, please contact the HR team.
Fergus is FGS Global's internal AI-powered chatbot, developed to support employees with content-related tasks and improve efficiency. Fergus is built using advanced AI frameworks and is designed for internal professional use only.
Fergus may process information provided by users, including client-related content, personally identifiable information, and other sensitive business materials, in accordance with Firm policies.
Fergus may be used to support a range of work-related activities, including but not limited to content drafting and editing (emails, documents, social copy, press materials), formatting and organising information, translation of content, idea generation and headline suggestions, development of communication outlines and plans, and general media and content analysis using available internal tools.
Fergus is intended to support, not replace, professional judgement. All outputs must be reviewed and validated by the user before use or external sharing.
Employees are expected to use Fergus in line with FGS Global policies, legal obligations, and client confidentiality requirements; for legitimate business purposes only; and with appropriate judgement when inputting confidential or sensitive information.
Our standard working hours are 9:00am to 6:00pm, observed across two possible working week structures depending on client requirements and team alignment:
Team members should follow the schedule agreed with their line manager to ensure alignment with client needs and project delivery.
Team members follow public holidays based on their assigned working week structure:
The Firm may require you to work on a public holiday to meet client needs or project deadlines.
Team members may work from home in accordance with the Firm's hybrid working arrangement and subject to business and client requirements:
The Firm offers a work from anywhere policy on a limited and discretionary basis, subject to business needs and client requirements:
Employees travelling on business are responsible for ensuring that their passport and visa documentation are valid and meet the requirements of the destination country.
The following flight class guidelines apply to business travel within the Middle East. These rules apply unless otherwise approved or where client billing arrangements differ.
All flight bookings must be made in accordance with the Firm's travel approval process.
When travelling on Firm business, employees are expected to select reasonable and cost-conscious hotel accommodation, aligned with business needs and trip duration.
Careem Corporate — Once an employee has received a corporate mobile number, the employee may be added to the Firm's Careem Corporate account.
How to use Careem Corporate:
Usage guidelines:
For questions or access requests, please contact the Business Operations Team.
For business travel involving overnight hotel stays, the daily allowance for food and beverage expenses is AED / SAR 300, or the local currency equivalent when travelling outside the UAE or KSA.
The allowance is based on actual expenses and must be supported by valid receipts. Any food and beverage, laundry, or other incidental charges exceeding AED / SAR 300 must be settled directly by the employee at checkout. Employees are responsible for ensuring that all personal charges, including any outstanding balances or unreturned room cards, are cleared upon checkout to avoid charges being incurred by the Firm.
Your leave balance and allocation will be visible at all times on your HiBob profile.
All employees are required to notify their Account Leads and relevant team members before going on leave. Prior to the start of leave, employees must provide a clear handover, including the status of all open or ongoing tasks, the designated colleague covering responsibilities during the absence, and any relevant access, documents, or information required to ensure continuity of work.
This ensures a smooth transition, continuity of client service, and uninterrupted support while you are away.
Employees are required to set an Out of Office (OOO) automatic reply when away from work.
Upon leaving the Firm, employees will either receive payment in lieu of any accrued but unused annual leave, calculated on a pro-rated basis, or a deduction will be made from the final salary for any annual leave taken in excess of the employee's pro-rated entitlement up to the termination date.
Employees are entitled to up to 90 working days of sick leave per year, but only after completing the six-month probation period.
Sick leave can be continuous or intermittent, and salary is paid as follows:
Where sick leave exceeds two consecutive working days, employees must submit a medical certificate within three working days from the start of the absence.
Employees should notify both HR and their Line Manager of their absence and record sick leave in HiBob as soon as practicable.
If you are expecting to become a new parent, please speak with your Line Manager to discuss arrangements for your parental leave. Employees are required to provide at least four months' notice of their planned leave dates.
The provisions below apply to employees who have completed more than one year of continuous service with the Firm.
For new mothers with one year or more of service:
Employees may add any accrued annual leave to their maternity leave entitlement. Requests to extend maternity leave beyond this period should be discussed in advance with the Line Manager and HR. Any additional leave beyond the above entitlements will be considered as discretionary unpaid leave, subject to approval.
For new fathers with one year or more of service: 10 working days of paid paternity leave to be taken within six months of the child's birth.
If you are expecting to become a new parent, please speak with your Line Manager to discuss arrangements for your parental leave. Employees are required to provide at least four months' notice of their planned leave dates, wherever possible.
Parental leave entitlements for employees with less than one year of service are provided in accordance with UAE Labour Law, as detailed below.
For new mothers with less than one year of service:
Employees may add any accrued annual leave to their maternity leave entitlement. Requests to extend maternity leave beyond this period should be discussed in advance with the Line Manager and HR. Any additional leave beyond the above entitlements will be considered as discretionary unpaid leave, subject to approval.
For new fathers with less than one year of service: five working days of paid paternity leave, to be taken within six months of the child's birth.
The Firm provides five working days of paid parental leave to both mothers and fathers, available within the first six months following the child's birth, regardless of the employee's length of service. These days do not need to be taken consecutively.
UAE team members are entitled to an additional five working days of paid annual leave for their wedding, provided they have completed at least one year of continuous service with the Firm.
In the unfortunate event of bereavement, the following leave entitlements apply:
Bereavement leave is effective from the date of death. Employees should notify HR and their Line Manager as soon as practicable and record the leave in Yomly upon their return.
After six years of continuous service with the Firm, employees are entitled to a sabbatical of up to six calendar weeks, structured as follows:
Employees who choose not to take the sabbatical are instead entitled to one month of additional pay.
Employees considering a sabbatical should contact HR in advance to discuss eligibility and planning.
FGS Global offers a Housing Loan option to eligible employees in the UAE, available upon the successful completion of the probation period.
FGS Global provides comprehensive medical insurance coverage to all UAE employees. Dependents are covered under the medical insurance plan as part of this benefit, in accordance with policy terms.
Upon joining FGS Global and being enrolled in the medical insurance plan, employees will receive the following information via email:
Medical coverage is provided in line with policy terms and conditions. Further details will be shared with employees at the time of enrolment and during renewal periods.
FGS Global provides Group Life Insurance coverage to employees as part of the Firm's benefits package. The policy provides financial protection in the event of death, terminal illness, or disability, in accordance with the policy terms and conditions. Coverage is linked to the employee's declared annual salary and applies on a worldwide basis, subject to policy limits.
Life insurance cover is arranged and maintained by the Firm. Further details relating to coverage, claims, or documentation will be shared with employees as required.
The Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) scheme is a mandatory insurance programme in the UAE that provides temporary financial support to employees who lose their employment involuntarily for reasons beyond their control.
Under the scheme, eligible employees may receive financial assistance for up to three months, calculated as a portion of the employee's basic salary, subject to scheme terms and conditions.
Participation in the ILOE scheme is mandatory in the UAE, and all employees are responsible for maintaining an active subscription.
Employees are responsible for ensuring their subscription remains active and for retaining proof of payment for future reference.
Employees may be eligible for a Referral Bonus for recommending a successful new hire to the Firm.
The Firm reserves the right to determine eligibility and approve referral bonuses in line with business requirements.
FGS Global is committed to supporting the continuous learning and professional development of its employees.
From time to time, the Firm may provide access to internal training programmes and learning opportunities designed to support employees in developing their knowledge, skills, and professional capabilities.
Details of available training courses and learning resources will be communicated by the Firm and may be accessed through the Firm's intranet or other internal platforms, where applicable.
Participation in training may be mandatory or optional, depending on business requirements and the nature of the programme.
Employees are encouraged to discuss development opportunities with their Line Manager as part of their ongoing career and performance discussions.
The Firm's performance management framework is designed to:
Performance reviews are conducted by the Line Manager. As part of the annual appraisal process, employees will be required to complete a self-assessment, and 360-degree feedback may be requested from relevant colleagues. All performance management activities are facilitated through the applicable Firm's HR management platform, where each employee profile is created upon joining the Firm. Annual appraisals are followed by an in-person performance review meeting.
A mid-year review is also conducted as a streamlined check-in to review objectives, assess progress, identify development needs, and provide interim feedback.
Annual (full-year) appraisals take place between January and March, while mid-year appraisals take place between August and September.
Outside of the formal performance review periods, you will meet regularly with your Line Manager. During these meetings you will have the opportunity to discuss issues, opportunities or any other topics related to your development. Your Line Manager will also share feedback from your colleagues.
FGS Global is committed to supporting the overall wellbeing of its employees and provides access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) as part of the Firm's wellbeing offering.
The EAP offers free, confidential support and practical resources to help employees manage personal, family, and work-related challenges. The service is available not only to employees, but also to those close to them, including partners and immediate family members.
Support is available across a wide range of areas, including (but not limited to):
The programme is fully funded by FGS Global and provides access to up to six counselling sessions per issue, per year.
Employees may access the Employee Assistance Programme through any of the following channels. Full access instructions and supporting materials are available in English and Arabic.
Website: global.helpwhereyouare.com
Company Code: FGS Global
Balancy Mobile App: Download the Balancy app and register using the access code: 322743
WhatsApp: +1 984 920 6875
UAE – Direct Dial: +971 600 575 178
UAE – Toll-Free: 800 035 704 696
Support is available 24/7, including weekends and public holidays.
All EAP services are strictly confidential. No information regarding individual use of the service is shared with the Firm unless an employee chooses to disclose it.
The Translation Hub is FGS Global's internal translation platform, developed in-house to enable secure and efficient translation of documents across 100+ languages. The platform supports multiple file formats, including PDF, PowerPoint, and Excel, and is hosted on FGS Global's secure cloud infrastructure to ensure confidentiality.
The Translation Hub is designed to help teams quickly understand foreign-language documents, particularly Arabic materials, while allowing language specialists to focus on strategic, client-facing work.
The Translation Hub is available at translationhub.fgsglobal.com and can be accessed using your Okta account.
The Translation Hub is intended for translating internal or client-provided documents to support understanding and analysis, reviewing Arabic or foreign-language materials at scale, and translating new business documents, including proposals, contracts, and RFPs.
The tool is for internal use only and must not be shared externally or positioned as a client-facing service.
Translations generated through the hub are AI-powered and may not always capture language nuances or contextual subtleties. Any translated content intended for client delivery must be reviewed and approved by the Arabic team or relevant language specialists prior to external use.
Translations processed through Translation Hub are charged on a per-word basis. Employees are encouraged to use the tool when required for business purposes, but to avoid unnecessary or excessive use.
MyBenefits is FGS Global's employee discount and loyalty platform, providing access to a wide range of offers and benefits across retail, dining, travel, lifestyle, and services. The platform is available to FGS Global employees as part of the Firm's benefits offering.
MyBenefits is intended for personal employee use only. Offers and discounts are subject to third-party terms and availability and may change from time to time. MyBenefits is provided as an added employee benefit and should not be misused or shared externally.
FGS Global covers the cost of providing access to MyBenefits in accordance with its agreement with the provider. Eligibility and access may vary by market and employment status.
For questions or technical issues related to MyBenefits, please refer to the support information available within the app or contact HR for guidance.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — Internal Use Only
Welcome to FGS Global. This handbook covers your working life at FGS in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — our policies, benefits, tools and ways of working.
Standard working hours in KSA are Sunday to Thursday, 9:00am to 6:00pm. Friday and Saturday are the weekend.
Employees may work from home up to two days per week, subject to line manager approval and business needs.
All business travel requires line manager approval in advance. Submit all expenses via NetSuite promptly after travel.
| Leave Type | Entitlement | How to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Leave | [X] days per year | HiBob |
| Sick Leave | Per Saudi Labour Law | HiBob + medical certificate |
| Maternity Leave | 10 weeks | Contact HR |
| Paternity Leave | 3 days | HiBob |
| Hajj Leave | 10 days (once per employment) | Contact HR in advance |
| Bereavement Leave | Case by case | Contact HR directly |
FGS Global supports your professional development through internal programmes, external training and an annual L&D budget.
All employees have access to our Employee Assistance Programme — confidential support for mental health, financial and legal matters.
ME Region — Internal Use Only
Salaries are paid monthly, typically at the end of each calendar month, directly to your nominated bank account. Payslips are available via HiBob. FGS Global complies with the UAE Wage Protection System (WPS).
NetSuite is the firm's finance and ERP system, used for expense reporting, billing and financial management. All expenses must be submitted here with receipts and line manager approval.
| Spend Level | Approval Required | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Under [X] AED | Line Manager | [Process] |
| [X]–[Y] AED | Finance Director | [Process] |
| Over [Y] AED | Regional Lead + Finance | [Process] |
| Benefit | Provider / Platform | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Insurance | Yomly | Comprehensive cover — card provided on joining |
| Life Insurance | [Provider] | Contact HR for coverage details |
| ILOE | UAE Government | Deducted from monthly salary per UAE law |
| Housing Loan | FGS Global | Interest-free — contact HR for eligibility |
| Referral Bonus | FGS Global | Contact HR for eligible roles and amounts |
| EAP | Balancy | Code: 322743 |
FGS Global offers an interest-free housing loan to eligible UAE employees to assist with rental deposits or advance rent payments. Applications are subject to approval.
The Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) scheme is a UAE government-mandated insurance programme. Contributions are deducted from your monthly salary in accordance with UAE law.
This section is being prepared. Check back soon for HR policies, processes and contacts.
In the meantime, contact the HR team directly:
sarah.bahar@fgsglobal.com
Valeriia.Ovcharenko@fgsglobal.com
ME Region — Internal Use Only
For new equipment (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, or other peripherals), submit a request to Zaid Amireh. All equipment requests require line manager approval.
| Equipment Type | Who to Contact | Approval Required |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop / Computer | Zaid Amireh | Line Manager |
| Monitor / Peripherals | Zaid Amireh | Line Manager |
| Mobile Phone | Zaid Amireh + HR | Line Manager + HR |
| Software Licence | Zaid Amireh | Line Manager |
MyFGS is the FGS Global intranet — your central source for company news, org charts, policies and firm-wide announcements. Log in using your FGS Microsoft credentials.
HiBob is our HR system. Use it to view payslips, update personal details, submit leave requests and track time off. Log in at app.hibob.com with your FGS email.
Yomly is the UAE benefits management platform. Use it to access and manage your medical insurance and other employee benefits.
Fergus is FGS Global's AI assistant, developed by FGS Labs. Use it for research, drafting, analysis and knowledge retrieval. Access via MyFGS.
Certain roles are provided with a company mobile phone or mobile allowance. Your line manager will confirm whether this applies to your role.
To request access to any software or system not set up during onboarding, submit a request to Zaid Amireh with line manager approval.
| Software | Who Has Access | How to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 | All staff | Set up by IT on Day 1 |
| NetSuite | Finance + relevant roles | Request via Finance team |
| HiBob | All staff | Set up by IT on Day 1 |
| Fergus | All staff | Access via MyFGS |
| [Other software] | [Roles] | Email Zaid + line manager approval |
MFA is mandatory for all FGS systems. Set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile phone on Day 1 with IT support.
Includes guidance and templates for CRBDs (Capability, Relevant Background, Differentiators) and CVs used in new business submissions.
Vendors used by the Firm should be onboarded with a clear brief before engagement begins.