How to inspire staff for little or no cost

Incentivising employees doesn't need to be expensive. In fact, it doesn't have to cost anything. Don't believe it? Read on and find out how you can start motivating your employees, even on a shoestring budget.

Sure, free food and subsidised gym memberships are great perks, but that's not the most important element in creating a great workplace. We find that a lot of companies who are on a tight budget and strapped for resources can still develop and implement practices that increase engagement, productivity, creativity and risk-taking. This increased commitment on the part of employees yields high returns and contributes to a healthy bottom line.

Throughout our 25 years of researching employees' perceptions of the work environment, we have proved it is trust, not treats, that is the magic ingredient for improving employee experiences, heightening their sense of pride and reinforcing levels of commitment.

Trust is established through genuine relationship-building and caring for employees as people, not cogs in the wheel. High levels of trust are sustained when companies provide their workforce with unique, useful and all-inclusive programmes that address their needs as individuals.

Here are a few examples of low-cost, easy to implement initiatives that strengthen trust.

We find that many companies that are lacking funds are able to create thanking and recognition programmes that cost no money at all - but they reap high returns.

Do you have weekly team or company meetings? Maximise the time you have and set aside a portion of your gatherings to recognise team members for their contributions to the company and for their hard work. Public recognition like this has a huge impact on morale, and it allows everyone to have a chance to be appreciated. This also provides space for employees to get to know what teammates are working on and so deepen their understanding of what's going on in the company and how everyone's roles fit together.

Did you know that employees don't rank pay as the main reason they stay with a company? In our research, we've found that compensation often doesn't even rank among the top five reasons. What does matter is training, development and career advancement opportunities.

Don't have an endless fount of cash flowing into your training and development budget? Don't worry. Get creative with the resources you do have. Provide cross-training opportunities so your employees can learn about different aspects of the business and develop new skills.

Find subject matter experts within your company on a wide range of topics. Is someone a whizz at Excel? Is there someone who loves public speaking? How about multilingual folks? Invite those individuals to provide training to the rest of your organisation. This provides leadership opportunities for those providing the training, and learning and development opportunities for participants. It's a win-win and the cost is nil.

If you do have some money in your development budget, make the most use of it. If someone in your organisation attends a conference, lecture, class or any other learning event, make sure they come back to the organisation prepared to teach what they learnt. The ripple effect of knowledge sharing is wide-reaching and long lasting.

Providing these types of programmes to your people doesn't require long, painstaking research about cutting-edge workplace practices. All it takes is a little reflection on what you currently do and some tweaks to make your practices more impactful.

The costs are minimal, but your employees will appreciate your efforts and investment in them. In turn, they will work harder for you and invest more of themselves in the success of your organisation.

Lexi Gibson is the marketing manager for the UAE team at Great Place to Work® Gulf, an affiliate of the Great Place to Work® Institute, a San Francisco-based research and consulting firm

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer