It has been noted lately, that employees in the UAE are being more loyal to their employers, and are choosing to stay on, rather than look out for new jobs.
Generally, in any expat driven economy, if employees are unsatisfied with their salaries, benefits and overall career growth, they jump to the next available opportunity when it comes their way. This problem becomes more acute when there are plenty of jobs to choose from.
But, this trend seems to be changing now, as an element of loyalty is making employees in UAE to stick to their current employers.
The latest survey by recruiting experts Hays UAE reveals that majority of employees in UAE (about 94 percent) wish to stay with an employer for a minimum period of three years. The survey reveals that 94 percent of those who believe in job loyalty (47 percent) wish to stay with same employer for five years or more, which is great, considering the transient nature of the UAE workforce.
More than half (53 percent) said they may stay with same employer for a period of three to five years.
The remaining 6 percent did not seem to be bothered by job loyalty and said they would like to switch jobs every year or once in two years. The inputs are from more than 1500 employees.
Meanwhile, the recruitment expert Hays says that while employees now are more inclined to remain in the companies they are employed with, employers should do their bit to ensure that this loyalty is well rewarded.
While employees are ready and willing to remain loyal, it is the responsibility of employers to look after their staff, as loyalty, continuous skills and career development should be mutually inclusive, the report said.
The Managing Director, Hays UAE, Chris Greaves said that the survey suggests that despite the transient nature of UAE employees, security, stability, and loyalty are of importance to employees here.
Given the results, it is up to employers to ensure that they create the environment for employees to stay back, as after all, employees like to stay with their employers long-term, but also want their careers to continue to develop and thrive, he pointed out.
This implies that employers should provide their staff with training and development and obtain regular reviews and promotional opportunities. They need to keep up on their promises which they make during recruitment process, Greaves said.
As long as the employees are offered stimulating work, their career continues to advance, and most will stay. Lack of career progression is the prime reason for people to come to us looking for a new job, and hence, it is important that career development plans remain in place, he concluded.
