Companies in the UAE are introducing creative ways to connect with employees and continue to offer well-being initiatives for a healthy work-life balance, according to a survey by management consultancy Great Place to Work.
“Despite the challenges we have faced during the pandemic, we are proud to witness even more continuous advocation for work-life balance among leaders in the UAE and we are here to celebrate them,” Ibrahim Mougharbel, managing director for the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait at Great Place to Work Middle East, said on Monday.
The survey covered sectors such as retail, social services and government agencies, transportation, finance and media.
Companies in the UAE that fall within these industries and employ 10 or more workers are eligible to participate in the survey. They are assessed based on employee feedback and an audit of management and HR practices.
The top five UAE companies to work for in the large category include fast-food chain McDonald's, air-conditioning company Leminar Group, family conglomerate Al Dabbagh Group, fashion retailer Centrepoint and luxury retailer Chalhoub Group, the survey found.
The consultancy defined large companies as those with more than 500 employees.
The UAE jobs market has made a strong recovery from the coronavirus-induced slowdown, boosted by the government’s fiscal and monetary measures.
Flexible working — a legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic — remains a top priority for employees in 2023, with the most popular arrangement for workers being three days in the office and two days at home, recruitment specialist Michael Page said in its 2023 salary report.
“Learning to embrace a hybrid work model proves to be key in attracting and safeguarding employees,” Michael Page said.
In today’s knowledge economy, employees and jobseekers are also focused on acquiring new skills to succeed in their careers, with training, career development and private health care among the most wanted employment benefits, it said.
Meanwhile, Dubai-based furniture chain The One has been named the best UAE company to work for in the small to medium category, the Great Place to Work survey found.
Financial services provider Century Financial, Pizza Express, Shift Electronics and Accuracy round off the top five in this category.
“The organisations that made it to the list have proven that employee well-being does not need to be compromised in order to achieve growth,” the survey said.
“In fact, both go hand-in-hand. Maintaining employee well-being in a post-pandemic era is not plain sailing; hence, these organisations exerted tremendous efforts.”
In the government category, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority was ranked first as the best place to work.
UAE salary guide 2023 — in pictures
The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority followed in second place and the Sharjah Electricity Water and Gas Authority was ranked the third-best place to work.
The Sharjah government’s eGov department was ranked fourth, followed by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority in fifth place.
“Leaders this year got even more creative in the ways with which they connect with their employees, thus continuously building up on a solid foundation of trust,” the survey said.
“With perpetual communication across all-levels of the organisation, employees felt resonated with and cared for.”
Top five best UAE workplaces in the large category in 2023
1. McDonald's by EFC
2. Leminar Group
3. Al Dabbagh Group
4. Centrepoint
5. Chalhoub Group
Top five best UAE workplaces in the small to medium category in 2023
1. The One
2. Century Financial
3. Pizza Express
4. Shift Electronics
5. Accuracy
Top five best UAE workplaces in the government category in 2023
1. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
2. Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority
3. Sharjah Electricity Water and Gas Authority
4. Government of Sharjah — Department of eGov
5. Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
TEST SQUADS
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.
Dunki
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
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
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Jurassic%20Park
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
