Salalah – Ministry of Labour (MoL), in cooperation with the Dhofar Governor’s Office and the Dhofar branch of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the 14th Gulf Conference for Human Resources Development on Wednesday.

The two-day forum is being held at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment under the patronage of H H Sayyid Marwan bin Turki al Said, Governor of Dhofar.

Bringing together regional and international experts, the conference addresses strategies to enhance workforce performance and raise awareness of emotional intelligence in the workplace. It also serves as a platform to exchange experiences from across the Gulf and beyond.

In his opening remarks, Khalid bin Khalfan al Asmi, CEO of OQ Basic Industries and strategic partner of the conference, stressed the role of human capital in driving progress.

“Investing in employees’ cognitive and emotional capabilities strengthen institutional competitiveness and aligns with the Gulf’s transition towards a knowledge- and innovation-based economy,” he said.

The forum is structured around four themes: the relationship between emotional and artificial intelligence in improving productivity; the impact of emotional intelligence on occupational health and safety; the use of technology to enhance performance; and emotional intelligence as a foundation of effective leadership.

The first day featured sessions on building workplace cultures driven by emotional intelligence, panel discussions on institutional practices, and interactive workshops covering staff motivation.