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International Human Resources Consultancy reveals Emirati workforce survey results
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - A groundbreaking new survey from the global human resources consultancy Mercer has cast new light on Emirati employment priorities and challenges in the United Arab Emirates.
The survey shows clear evidence of a gap between what Emirati employees look for in work ... and what employers think is important. Furthermore, the findings suggest that Emiratis have different preferences when they are looking to join an organization or wanting to leave.
Mercer survey project leader and spokesman, Saqr Ahmed Al Maazmi, says the results will add substantial insight to the on-going debate about local employment priorities and efforts under way in the Emirate.
"We were driven by the need to understand how the thinking behind Emiratization and the activity in the Emirati workforce has evolved over the past decade. While the bulk of the current 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 survey of employers, employees and students undertaken earlier in the year showed a number of surprising results:
- An attraction gap is evident, with young Emiratis looking to join an organization interested in pay and benefits, company reputation, the opportunity for learning and even the location of the job over some of the more traditional approaches favored by HR
- A qualifications gap is beginning to emerge as more women with bachelor degree qualifications finish their studies and look to join the workforce, soon outpacing the percentage of men in work with the same level of qualifications
- A career path and gender gap that has implications for the education sector and for the future workforce is also becoming evident, as women and men focus on different careers and different value propositions, but remain unrepresented across much of the economy
- A retention gap is also emerging, as employers are seen to be offering a value proposition that is not fully appreciated or wanted by employees
- A loyalty gap is clear: 6 in 10 local nationals in work say they plan to swap jobs and companies in the next five years, challenging traditional notions of employee engagement
The survey assessed the perspectives of 462 UAE National university students, 52 employers and 318 UAE Nationals in the workforce in order to uncover practices, challenges and strategies that would drive recruitment, and retain UAE national talent.
Saqr added, "The survey results revealed a qualification gap between men and women - with 46% of all women students having completed a bachelor-level degree or above as opposed to only 31% of all male students doing the same. We found the same results among men and women already employed, meaning that the qualification gap is set to widen - putting more pressure on employers and HR departments as more women with more qualifications enter the workforce."
The survey also revealed different career paths for men and women. Most Emirati men pursued careers in engineering and law, while women favored media and education. Business administration was the single most prevalent course of study among both genders. Interestingly, among the more than 400 students polled, none were studying nursing, food and agriculture, physical education, languages or specialist medical areas including dentistry and pharmacy - meaning a difficult future ahead for employers trying to attract UAE nationals to these areas.
When it comes to Emiratization targets, 46% of employers polled reported that they were on track with their Emiratization targets, and 56% had specific policies or programs in place on Emiratization. However, 25% responded that the question -- or the policy -- didn't apply to them. This suggests there are either no targets set for certain industry sectors or never enough qualified Emiratis to take on roles. Further, close to half of all employers polled stated that across all career levels, Emiratis made up less than 10% of the total workforce of their company.
Commenting on the Emiratization results in the survey, Tom O'Byrne, Head of Market Development at Mercer Middle East, said, "The attraction and retention of UAE Nationals is the top priority of nearly every company we surveyed. From the perspective of UAE National's 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 Emiratization programs to attract and retain top talent."
The results of Mercer's first nationwide survey reinforce the message that today's Emirati job-seekers and jobholders are better equipped to make more informed choices. Emiratis want to be paid-well, motivated to learn and grow in a stimulating work environment. Furthermore, those already in a job with the right skills and experience now know they are a hot commodity and they are prepared to move if something better comes along.
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About Mercer:
Mercer is a global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement and investments. Mercer helps clients around the world advance the health, wealth and performance of their most vital asset - their people. Mercer's more than 20,000 employees are based in more than 40 countries and the firm operates in over 130 countries. Mercer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC), a global professional services firm offering clients advice and solutions in the areas of risk, strategy and people. With 57,000 employees worldwide and annual revenue exceeding $13 billion, Marsh & McLennan Companies is also the parent company of Marsh, a leader in insurance broking and risk management; Guy Carpenter, a leader in providing risk and reinsurance intermediary services; and Oliver Wyman, a leader in management consulting. For more information, visit www.mercer.com. Follow Mercer on Twitter @Mercer.
For more information, please contact:
Joyce Mourad
Cicero & Bernay Public Relations
Tel: + 971 4 334 2966
Mob: + 971 56 375 7729
E-mail: Joyce@cbpr.me
Website: www.cbpr.me
© Press Release 2016
