UAE-based entrepreneur Haseena Nishad surprised employees with a playful choose-a-box gift activity, continuing a long-running tradition of rewarding workers with everything from smartphones and luxury experiences to overseas holidays.
Sharjah: What begins as a simple office prank quickly turned into something much sweeter in a video shared by Kerala-born entrepreneur Haseena Nishad, Managing Director of World Star Holding.
Employees were invited to stand behind their preferred gift box, unaware of exactly what awaits them. As the boxes are opened, smiles and laughter follow, with gifts including smartphones and chocolates. Nishad then appears with more presents for her team, turning the playful exercise into an employee-appreciation moment.
The gesture is consistent with a leadership philosophy she has demonstrated for years.
From Kerala homemaker to business leader
Nishad moved to the UAE in 2008 after marriage and initially focused on her family. She later told Gulf News that business had not originally been part of her plans. After her children began attending school, she joined her husband, Nishad Hussain, in the business in 2014.
She went on to become Managing Director of World Star Holding, a UAE group founded in 2008 and operating across manpower, construction and facility services. Her official website says the group has grown to more than 20,000 employees and 7,000 projects.
That growth is particularly striking considering reports that the company began with just 10 employees.
Employees at the centre of the story
For Nishad, employee rewards have extended well beyond conventional workplace incentives.
World Star previously sent high-performing workers on an all-expenses-paid holiday to Georgia, covering travel, accommodation, winter clothing and even suitcases while continuing to pay their salaries during the trip.
Another group was treated to a taste of luxury that included a Rolls-Royce ride, visits to Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, and a five-star hotel stay. In 2024, 16 workers were given a special “One-Day Millionaire” experience that included a yacht outing and luxury staycation.
The tradition has continued. In 2026, 11 workers were rewarded with a four-day trip to Thailand. Employees interviewed after the experience described the trip as memorable, with one saying the experience gave him a sense of pride.
Nishad has also surprised workers on their birthdays with celebrations and gifts, including smartphones.
The company’s welfare initiatives have included worker accommodation featuring a gym, library, cyber space and mini theatre, while buses have been equipped with free Wi-Fi and entertainment screens so employees can connect with their families during their commute.
The latest light-hearted gift prank therefore appears to be less of a one-off social-media moment and more an extension of a workplace culture Nishad and World Star have publicly promoted for years. Recognising the people behind the company’s growth.
Impact to expect
Nishad’s gesture highlights the value of employee recognition in workplace culture, particularly within a large and diverse workforce. Her repeated efforts to reward employees through gifts, overseas holidays, luxury experiences and personal celebrations can help strengthen morale, loyalty and a sense of belonging, while reinforcing her leadership philosophy that employees should be recognised as an important part of a company’s growth and success.
