Transguard targets SME sector with outsourced staff provision

Transguard recently launched a $1m training centre and also began a courier service.

Transguard is directly targeting the UAE's SME sector through an outsourcing service designed to cut overheads and increase efficiency across operations.

There are more than 350,000 SMEs in the UAE, accounting for 94% of total companies operating in the country and generating 60% of non-oil GDP. Targets issued by the Ministry of Economy (MoE) estimate this contribution will increase to 70% of non-oil trade by 2021.

Transguard’s new initiative allows SMEs to benefit from their own (contracted) in-house team of dedicated professionals equipped to handle business functions such as administration, IT, PRO services, HR, healthcare, transport, payroll and visa processing.

Transguard currently provide more than 2,500 full time staff to companies throughout the UAE, on a temporary, short-term or permanent contract basis.

Greg Ward, managing director, Transguard said: “We have been supplying fully outsourced workforces since 2001, supporting a wide range of industries including construction, aviation, hospitality and retail.

“Outsourcing provides business owners with cost-effective solutions to help things run smoothly, and the next step in our provision of these services will see Transguard supporting the region’s SMEs through the provision of flexible and cost-effective solutions,” he said.

Ward also said that SMEs are acutely sensitive to economic peaks and troughs, cash flow issues and permanent staffing costs which can be a significant and recurring overhead.

“The introduction of outsourced white collar services, will bridge gaps in administrative work, HR and employee services, while freeing the enterprise’s human capital to focus on the core operations of the business,” he added.

SMEs account for 73% of companies in the wholesale and retail trade, 16% of companies in the services sector and 11% of those in the manufacturing sector, according to figures from MoE. Of the total working population of the UAE, 86% are employed by SMEs