jigsaw

hr consultants

Knowledge Base

Frequently asked

questions

40 questions across 7 categories — everything you
need to know about working with Jigsaw HR Consultants.

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What does Jigsaw HR Consultants do?

We are a full-service HR consultancy based in Dubai, offering talent acquisition, HR structure design, performance systems, and ongoing advisory support to businesses across the UAE and beyond.

SMEs, scale-ups, and established organisations across technology, media, logistics, professional services, healthcare, and retail — primarily in the UAE and GCC.

We go far beyond placements. Our core value is building the HR infrastructure — systems, policies, KPIs, and culture — that makes placements stick and teams thrive long-term.

Yes. While headquartered in Dubai, we support clients globally for executive search and HR advisory, particularly across the GCC, India, and UK markets.

IT, media, logistics, professional services, retail, and healthcare — with frameworks that are industry-agnostic but delivered with sector-specific knowledge.
 

Reach out via our contact form. We begin with a no-obligation discovery call to understand your challenges and determine how we can add value.

We have been delivering HR solutions for over four years, building a strong track record across the UAE and GCC region.

How do you find candidates?
Multi-channel: our proprietary talent network, LinkedIn Recruiter, industry referrals, targeted headhunting, and strategic job postings — all filtered through our structured screening framework.
 
We evaluate on four dimensions: Willingness (attitude and drive), Values (cultural alignment), Results (track record), and Skills (technical capability) — preventing costly cultural mismatches.
 
Mid-level positions: 10–14 business days to a quality shortlist. Senior and executive searches: 3–6 weeks depending on complexity.
 
Yes. We provide a replacement guarantee on all placements, with duration varying by seniority level and specified in our service agreement.
 

Absolutely. Our retainer model is designed for businesses with ongoing or high-volume hiring needs, providing dedicated capacity and consistent quality throughout.

Contingency is success-based — you pay only on placement. Retainer engagements involve upfront commitment in exchange for dedicated search capacity and priority service.

We facilitate reference checks as standard and can coordinate formal background verification services as part of a comprehensive hiring process.

What is in HR Foundation and Process Design?

Org structure, reporting lines, job descriptions, HR policies, SOPs, employee handbooks, onboarding workflows, approval processes, and HR system recommendations.

We design role-specific KPIs grounded in business outcomes — with task sheets, scorecards, and appraisal frameworks that create genuine accountability.

Day-to-day HR operations (leave, attendance, compliance), employee lifecycle management, and regular strategic advisory sessions with leadership.

Yes. We design bespoke handbooks that reflect your values, comply with UAE Labour Law, and give employees a clear professional reference.

We stay current on UAE Labour Law and ensure all recommended policies and practices are fully compliant.

Yes — our Business Partner retainer positions us as your outsourced HR department, handling operations, strategy, hiring, and compliance comprehensively.

Yes. We provide org design consulting including structure analysis, restructuring recommendations, and change management support.
 
What performance management tools do you use?

We create custom tools including job scorecards, KPI dashboards, task trackers, and appraisal templates — tailored to your business and technology stack.

We start with business outcomes and work backwards — defining what success looks like per role, then building measurable, time-bound indicators that connect to company goals.
 

Yes. We design the review cadence, form structure, calibration process, and manager training to ensure reviews are fair, developmental, and actionable.

We develop performance improvement frameworks (PIPs) that are legally sound, clearly documented, and give employees a genuine path to improvement.

How do you structure your fees?

Project-based fees for defined deliverables, placement fees for recruitment (percentage of first-year salary), and monthly retainers for ongoing support.

Three tiers: Essentials (core HR operations), Growth (operations + strategic advisory), and Business Partner (full outsourced HR) — scoped to your headcount and complexity.

Our standard model is success-based. Retainer-based search may involve a partial upfront commitment in exchange for dedicated capacity.

Retainer agreements typically begin with a 3-month minimum to ensure we can build meaningful context and deliver consistent strategic value.

Absolutely. Many clients begin with a specific project — an org design review, policy rewrite, or single search — before expanding into a retainer relationship.

How do I register with Jigsaw?

Submit your CV through our website. We review all applications and reach out when a suitable opportunity arises from our active client mandates.

Never. Our services are entirely free for candidates. We are retained and paid exclusively by the hiring organisations.

HR, operations, marketing, technology, finance, and general management — primarily mid-to-senior level positions in the UAE and GCC.

We review all CVs within 5 business days. If your profile matches an active role, a consultant will contact you to schedule a screening call.

Absolutely. We never share your details with any employer without your explicit consent.

Yes. Once shortlisted, our consultants provide detailed company briefing, role expectations, and preparation guidance to maximise your chances.

How does a new client engagement begin?
A discovery consultation where we understand your business, culture, team structure, and specific challenges — from which we propose a tailored scope of work.
 

Cultural alignment is central to our Willingness + Values assessment. We invest significant time understanding your culture before presenting any candidates.

Yes. Weekly search updates for active assignments, including market feedback, pipeline status, and any strategic adjustments to the approach.

We investigate the root cause and offer both a replacement and a post-mortem consultation to understand and prevent recurrence.