Nour Al Hassan, Founder & CEO at Tarjama, on opportunities and challenges of remote work

We celebrate female role models in the MENA region: innovators, trailblazers, changemakers. Our first guest is Nour Al Hassan, Founder & CEO at Tarjama, the largest translation company in the MENA region. The company was founded in 2008 and now has 250+ employees, half of which are women, and 1000+ freelancers working on the platform.

How did the story of Tarjama begin?

While working at an international organisation, I saw a huge demand in high-quality Arabic translation. I tapped into a network of highly educated women that were working from home. They joined the company, and we now work with possibly the largest pool of female translators and linguists.

What does it take to build a business?

Building up a successful business is similar to putting together building blocks. It does not happen overnight. It takes a lot of time, perseverance, and commitment to keep on doing the same thing again and again and not getting discouraged by failure. A great team is key, too.

Which role does remote work play in your business?

Tarjama embraced the concept of remote work way before the pandemic, before it became the new norm. It's in the DNA of our business. Most of our linguists work from home full-time, using our software and systems.

Which career opportunities does remote work bring to women?

For many women, working fixed hours from 9 to 5 is not an option, due to cultural barriers or certain circumstances. Employers need to offer a flexible environment to attract women to their talent pool.

Which caveats of remote work should women be aware of?

Remote work comes with a big responsibility on both sides, employer and employee. It requires discipline, attention and active participation in company activities, online and offline. This helps to overcome the barrier that arises when an employee is not physically present in the office.

As an employee, you need to embrace the company culture which requires leadership skills and self-discipline. Remote work may seem very task oriented. Such workers may feel isolated, detached from decision making and innovation processes. Innovation happens when people come together. If possible, I would advise remote workers to come to the office as often as possible. Hybrid model seems to be more efficient and accommodate women's needs.

What's your view on women empowerment?

Women do not need empowerment. Women are already powerful enough. Women need opportunities. Employers should give women opportunities to shine. Women, however, should be willing to progress in their career. It's easy to expect and demand opportunities. Rather, both sides - employee and employer - should work towards employee's career growth. In this case, employers should offer training, mentorship and other opportunities to the employee.