Workplace stress in UAE higher than during lockdown, survey reveals

Work-related stress in the UAE was higher at the end of last year than at any time since January 2020, according to a survey.

The poll by health services company Cigna Insurance found that 68 per cent of staff reported significant work-related stress.

The previous high in 2020 had been 58 per cent recorded in January's poll – just weeks before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Of those surveyed in the most recent poll, 71 per cent said they worked more additional hours in December 2020 than they did in April 2020 – during the UAE's lockdown phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

And 53 per cent said they were working extra hours at weekends.

The survey also found that 69 per cent of employees expected more mental health support from their employer.

There is no water cooler moment on Zoom

The findings illustrate the huge emotional and workplace pressures brought on by the virus.

However, the UAE recorded a strong performance on the overall “well-being index” compared to other markets, said Cigna.

The Emirates scored 67.4 points in the well-being index in December – up by 1.8 points compared to October 2020. The global average in December was 60.9 points.

The well-being ranking considers the physical, family, social, financial and work health aspects of respondents' lives. These improved as life returned to a semblance of normality in the UAE.

"This is global issue," said Neil Shah, chief de-stressing officer at The Stress Management Society in the UK, regarding the workplace uncertainty unleashed by Covid-19.

"People miss friends, family and colleagues and are worried about their career and future."

The survey also shatters some of the illusions behind the dream of working from home.

Rather than empowering workers, the survey found it can make them more stressed and pressured to be always available.

This prevailing "always-on" culture affected 93 per cent of those polled.

"In a different world, work from home would be a godsend – especially in the UAE where it was not typical," Mr Shah said.

"But now people find it is not quite what they thought. There is no choice and children are at home too. There is no demarcation between work and home."

Mr Shah pointed to the prevalence of foreign workers in the UAE who may be feeling a more severe type of isolation.

"There is no water cooler moment on Zoom. People feel disconnected, lonely and isolated and may be living away from friends and family.

"A work network can be more important in the UAE than other parts of the world. How can we maintain these networks even if not in a physical workplace?"

The survey found that 67 per cent of UAE respondents wanted to work either entirely from the office or spend at least 80 per cent of their work time there, once the pandemic is over.

Almost two thirds – 64 per cent – of those surveyed seek flexibility in their work location and working hours. However, only 37 per cent said they are receiving it. Unsurprisingly, health and well-being remain a continued priority for employees, with 74 per cent seeking enhanced health cover in December.

However, only 28 per cent of employees said they received it.

Mr Shah cautioned that a future driven by more and more automation and outsourcing could lead to greater issues down the line.

"Is the reliance on human potential going to be downgraded?

"I don’t know, but if you isolate people and take away social connections it could lead to an even bigger pandemic affecting mental health," said Mr Shah, whose organisation will run an international stress awareness month in April.

"We need to have more conversations about this."

Jerome Droesch, chief executive of Cigna Middle East and Africa, said 2020 was a difficult year for the world but it was pleasing to see the UAE emerge resilient.

“We observed many highs and lows during the year as people navigated the challenges, which shaped consumer behaviour," Mr Droesch said.

"The majority of the country’s residents appear more aware of their health needs and are making the effort needed to manage their health better."

The Cigna report was conducted between November 23 and December 2, 2020, coinciding with the Covid-19 vaccine roll out in the country, and surveyed 2,253 people from key eight markets. Previous versions of the study were conducted last year from January to February, in April, May to June, July to August, and in October.

The National's UAE workplace salary guide - 2021

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How to apply for a drone permit

Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?

Fly it within visual line of sight
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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