Satisfaction in job key to hiring more Emiratis, survey shows

Searching for work. Emirati job seekers want job satisfaction and a chance to learn, the survey says. Satish Kumar / The National

DUBAI // Competitive pay, benefits and career progression are among the key factors Emiratis consider when deciding to stay or leave an employer, according to a survey.

Research examining the link between Emiratisation and employee engagement was undertaken by international human resources consultancy Mercer.

The findings were based on a poll of 462 university students, 52 employers and 318 workers.

“We were driven by the need to understand how the thinking behind Emiratisation and the activity in the Emirati workforce has evolved over the past decade,” said Saqr Al Maazmi, the survey project leader.

“While the bulk of the Emirati workforce is still in the public sector, we need to know what the private sector can do to attract and keep Emirati talent.”

The key findings showed that young Emiratis preferred to join a company based on pay and benefits, company reputation and the chance to progress their learning.

Mona Al Ali, 31, from Fujairah, has been searching for a job for five months. “I had been working at a private construction company for a year but there was nothing to do and I was just sitting around,” she said.

“I decided to leave because I didn’t feel as though it was the best use of my time.

“I have training in architecture and engineering and that is what I’m looking for. I would like to work somewhere that helps me develop more skills.”

The difficult jobs market has resulted in many of her Emirati friends focusing less on high-paying positions and more on job satisfaction, she said.

The survey also found that more Emirati female students had degrees than their male counterparts. “Forty-six per cent of all women students have completed a bachelor-level degree or above as opposed to only 31 per cent of male students doing the same,” said Mr Al Maazmi. “We found the same results among men and women already employed.”

Emirati men and women are also diverging in their chosen career paths. More men chose careers in engineering and law, while women preferred media and education, although business administration was the most popular course of study among both genders.

Of the students polled, none was studying nursing, food and agriculture, physical education, languages or specialist medical areas including dentistry and pharmacy.

This will make it increasingly difficult for companies in these areas to attract Emiratis in the coming years, said Mercer.

The study also showed that employers were finding it difficult to retain staff as what they offered as a value proposition did not match what employees wanted. As a result, six in 10 of the Emiratis in work planned to change jobs and companies in the next five years.

In terms of meeting Emiratisation targets, 46 per cent of companies said they would. A quarter replied that the policy did not apply to them.

Mercer said this may suggest there are no targets set for certain industries or not enough qualified Emiratis to take on roles. Almost half of the employers surveyed said Emiratis made up less than 10 per cent of their workforce.

“The attraction and retention of UAE nationals is the top priority of nearly every company we surveyed,” said Tom O’Byrne, head of market development at Mercer Middle East.

“From the perspective of UAE nationals seeking employment, competitive pay, benefits, learning and development and career progression are what drives their decision to stay with an employer or leave.

“This is extremely important for employers when building their Emiratisation programmes to attract and retain top talent.”