Amid the looming tension in the region, the Middle East has been and will still be among the top destinations of expats for work. However, this doesn’t mean that working in the region is all rainbows and flowers, as there are still areas for improvement in terms of work environment in the region, as in the case of any workplace elsewhere in the world.
When pay and job perks no longer make an employee happy, what else can? In this post, we will look at some of the most important factors that keep employees stay in the job in the Middle East.
What Happens when the Work Culture Doesn’t Work for You
Of course, happiness and job satisfaction vary from one working individual to another. However, according to a research from recruitment firm Robert Walters, almost three quarters – or 73 percent – of professionals in the Middle East have left a job because they disliked the company’s culture.
According to the firm’s survey composed of more than 1,000 professionals and hiring managers across the region, 82 percent of professionals have previously worked for a company where they disliked the company culture.
Meanwhile, the vast majority – 90 percent – of employers recognise the importance of finding candidates that are a good cultural ‘fit’ for their organisation.
According to Jason Grundy, Robert Walters Middle East’s managing director, “The majority of employers recognise that ensuring potential staff are a good cultural fit is important, given the serious impact poor cultural fit can have on productivity at work and ultimately whether or not staff will stay with the company.”
“However, given the high number of professionals who have left a job due to issues with the company culture, it is clear that many employers should consider the impact that company culture can have during the hiring process and in attracting and securing top talent,” Grundy noted.
Furthermore, as working habits evolve and the priorities of workers have shifted, employers should review their company culture to ensure that they are responsive to these changing needs, he added.
The research also pointed out that 67 percent of professionals felt that they had been misled about company culture during their induction processes, with at least 53 percent noting that the overall environment did not match the job description on paper.
Similarly, just over half – 51 percent – expressed that they felt misled over opportunities for career progression.
Grundy explained that while competition for the best professionals is fierce and employers are keen to promote the best aspects of their company culture to secure the best professionals, employers should also consider the importance of being transparent regarding the realities of working for their company.
In practice, securing a highly skilled professional that leaves a company quickly can pose a detrimental impact on a firm’s workforce and professional image, and can have a negative effect on the remaining staff.
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