UAE jobs and salaries: survey ranks top companies to work for in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah

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Furniture chain THE One, logistics firm DHL and fashion giant Chalhoub Group topped a survey of the best workplaces in the UAE.

The trio were named in a list of the 45 best employers in the Emirates.

Five Hotels, Hilton hotels, and Dubai Police were ranked fourth, fifth and sixth.

Century Financial, retailer Splash, Dubai Police Academy and Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties rounded out the top 10.

Our heroes boldly stood by their employees and provided them with the needed mental, physical and financial support

The annual report is compiled by management consultancy Great Place to Work, which runs the survey in 60 countries.

Ibrahim Mougharbel, managing director for the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, said the best employers had managed to strike a balance between "preserving business continuity and maintaining employee well-being" in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Ultimately, protecting businesses also meant protecting employees," he said.

"And protecting employees was not an easy task during a pandemic.

"Our heroes, however, boldly stood by their employees and provided them with the needed mental, physical and financial support."

The survey's authors said top-rated companies focused on morale, training and learning opportunities - and injected some fun into the workplace in what was a difficult time for many.

"Organisations this year also built upon a sense of belonging," they wrote.

"When everything seemed to be at risk, employees were made to feel comfortable with their choices.

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The National's salary guide for 2021

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"The stability that was granted to them throughout the pandemic provided them with the chance to get inspired and grow mentally, as well as physically, while seeking to uphold the success of their work-life/personal-life balance."

Among the top 45 workplaces were many retailers and shopping centre stores – who by and large faced a torrid year of stop-start closures and a shift in consumer habits.

Such companies relied on face-to-face interaction with customers once measures were lifted, keeping employees motivated and positive.

Among the retailers listed was Babyshop, Homebox, Emax, Shoexpress, Homecentre and Centrepoint.

The only medical provider in the top 45 was Saudi German Hospital, at No 45, while the Government of Sharjah's eGov department was among the biggest public sector employers listed, in addition to Dubai Police.

The full list:

1) THE One - retail

2) DHL Express - transport/logistics

3) Chalhoub Group - retail/hospitality

4) Five Hotels - hospitality

5) Hilton - hospitality

6) Dubai Police - social services/govt agency

7) Century Financial - financial services and investments

8) Splash - retail

9) Dubai Police Academy - social services/govt agency

10) Aldar Properties - construction and real estate

11) Cisco - information technology

12) Sara Group - retail

13) Bacardi - consumer goods

14) Leminar Group - industrial services/engineering

15) General Mills - manufacturing and goods

16) Yum! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell) - F&B

17) Babyshop - retail

18) MSD Pharmaceuticals - biotech and pharma

19) International Beverage and Filling Industries (Star juices) - F&B

20) Homebox - retail

21) Pizza Express - F&B

22) AbbVie Pharmaceuticals - biotech and pharma

23) Emax - retail

24) Max - retail

25) Glander Bunkering - industrial services/ oil & gas

26) Shoexpress - retail

27) Shoemart - retail

28) Apparel Group (Aeropostale, LC Waikiki, Aldo and others) - franchise/retail

29) Westford University College - education

30) Al Dabbagh Group (Gulf General Cooperative Insurance) - financial services and insurance

31) Homecentre - retail

32) SAS UAE - IT

33) Global Food Industries (Al Areesh/Al Ameer) - food products

34) LGT Middle East - private banking

35) Lifestyle - retail

36) Centrepoint - retail

37) Amgen - biotech and pharma

38) ZEE TV - media/television

39) Grohe - bathrooms and kitchens

40) Shoemart - retail

41) Shift Electronics - retail/goods

42) Teleperformance UAE - professional services/outsourcing

43) Government of Sharjah Dept of eGov - social services and govt

44) Servier - biotech and pharma

45) Saudi German Hospitals - healthcare

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5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai

Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:

• Dubai Marina

The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104

• Downtown

Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154

• City Walk

The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210

• Jumeirah Lake Towers

Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941

• Palm Jumeirah

Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152

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The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem

Rating: 4/5

Scorebox

Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88

Eagles

Try: Penalty

Bahrain

Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley

Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5

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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme

Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”