NBK Receives Global Recognition from WTW for Institutional Performance

After years of investing in the development of the employee experience and cementing an institutional culture based on participation, empowerment, and continuous development, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has achieved a new global milestone by being classified among the High Performance Employee Experience (HPEX) global organizations group, affiliated with WTW. This independent recognition reflects the bank’s success in transforming the employee experience into tangible business outcomes and sustainable institutional performance.

The bank’s inclusion in this group results from an evaluation based on WTW’s global methodology for measuring the relationship between employee experience and institutional performance. The group comprises institutions that exceed their sector averages across employee engagement indicators, as well as financial and operational results, simultaneously.

WTW is one of the leading global institutions specializing in management consulting, human capital, and risk management. Its evaluation framework is based on an accumulated database comprising more than 250 million employee surveys collected over more than five decades.

According to WTW data, NBK is one of only 29 institutions worldwide listed in the Global High Performance Employee Experience (HPEX) Organization group. It is also one of only two institutions in the Middle East to receive this recognition, and the sole financial institution in the region included in this global group.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in a journey the bank began in 2018 through employee engagement measurement surveys, adopting an institutional approach centered on continuously listening to employees and translating their feedback and insights into concrete development programs and initiatives.

Over the past years, the bank implemented a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the employee experience across various stages of their career paths. These included developing opportunities for career growth and continuous learning, expanding leadership communication channels, launching well-being initiatives, and strengthening recognition and appreciation programs for achievements.

These efforts were not isolated initiatives but part of an integrated vision linking employee success with institutional success, which was reflected in both higher levels of job engagement and improved institutional performance.

The bank’s inclusion in this global group underscores that excellence in employee experience is not an end in itself, but a key driver in achieving sustainable business results.

According to WTW’s methodology, global high-performance institutions are required to exceed their sector averages in employee engagement indicators, alongside a set of key financial metrics, including growth, revenues, profitability, capital efficiency, return on assets (ROA), and return on equity (ROE).

From this perspective, this recognition serves as an indicator of NBK’s success in implementing an institutional model that balances investment in human capital with strong financial and operational performance.

The bank emphasizes that this achievement resulted from joint efforts by employees, leadership, and executive management over the years, where a culture of participation, openness, and continuous development helped establish a work environment supportive of excellence and innovation.

In this context, the bank reaffirms that listening to employees will remain a core component of its future business strategy, alongside continued investment in developing the employee experience and enhancing the work environment to support sustainable growth and reinforce the bank’s position as the employer of choice in the region.

This achievement is not limited to the bank’s inclusion in the group of high-performing global institutions; it also constitutes an independent recognition of the effectiveness of National Bank of Kuwait’s approach to human capital management, which links employees’ perceptions of their professional experience with the actual results the bank achieves in terms of institutional performance.

On this occasion, Emad Al-Abdali, Head of Human Resources at the Group, said: “The inclusion of National Bank in WTW’s High-Performing Enterprises (HPEX) group marks a significant milestone in our ongoing journey toward institutional excellence, and reflects the success of our strategy in building a work environment that enables our employees to realize their full potential and contribute to achieving the bank’s objectives and aspirations.”

He emphasized that what is particularly commendable about this recognition is that it reflects the voice and genuine experience of our employees within the bank, and confirms that building a strong and inclusive corporate culture directly translates into performance and sustainable success.

Al-Abdali added that what distinguishes this recognition is that it is not based solely on employee experience metrics, but also integrates levels of employee engagement, institutional performance, and business outcomes, thereby reflecting the strength of the operating model we follow at the bank.

He noted: “We began this journey in 2018 through a commitment to continuously listening to our employees, understanding their aspirations, and responding to them through practical and impactful initiatives. We believe that the success of any institution starts with the success of its employees. Therefore, we will continue to invest in developing competencies and strengthening a culture of performance, innovation, and continuous learning, thereby consolidating the bank’s position as the employer of choice in the region and as one of the leading global institutions.”

He added: “WTW’s HPEX framework is based on one of the largest employee experience databases in the world, comprising more than 250 million surveys collected over more than 50 years, and it measures the relationship between employee experience and the financial and operational performance of institutions.”