Labour markets – eRutledge | Arabian Gulf Economics

Private sector Emiratisation

First published in:

Rutledge, E. J. (2018, May 10). Giving private sector jobs the required significance. Gulf News. https://gulfnews.com/business/analysis/giving-private-sector-jobs-the-required-significance-1.2218799

Giving private sector jobs the required significance; only such a dramatic image makeover can attract more UAE nationals to it

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources gave research on Emiratisation a boost by launching an annual award for scholarly work on the UAE labour market and human resources. This is a timely incentive because oil prices seem destined to remain some way off on their 2010—14 highs, and comfy government jobs are said to be a thing of the past.

Among the wining studies was one conducted by the UAE University; it was the first large-scale study to investigate the views of UAE nationals working in the private sector and polled 653 individuals. The survey included questions related to job satisfaction and also on context-specific sociocultural sentiments such as the prestige attached to a public sector job.

Indeed the UAE’s labour market’s distortions and segmentations cannot be fully understood, let alone addressed, without such issues being factored into the equation.

The research found that it was “salary and benefits” that most significantly and positively predicted the intention of Emiratis to continue working in the private sector, while “sociocultural influences” — societal attitudes on a given occupation’s prestige and status level — had the most significant negative effect and was likely to deter Emiratis from staying in the private sector.

In other words, money does still talk. However, employee satisfaction isn’t all about money, “training opportunities” and the “nature of job” also writ large. The latter finding is of importance because it implies, at the very least, that today’s graduates do see private sector occupations as more interesting and fulfilling, if compared to the more bureaucratic-style ‘classic’ public sector jobs.

However, as evidenced by the research, it continues to be the case that “classic” public sector positions continue to attract the most status and prestige. This sentiment is even more pronounced among male employees, with male respondents significantly more likely to be adversely affected by sociocultural influences (the pride or prestige attached to public sector positions) and be less happy with the nature (or “environment”) of work in the private sector.

The research has applied policy relevance. The more closely aligned like-for-like public/private sector positions become in terms of salaries, working hours and days of annual leave, the more attractive will be private sector career paths. Such alignment — most likely by way of more extensive subsidies or top-ups for nationals working in the private sector — would help redress the current notion that it is the citizens who’ve secured government jobs that have the higher status. The findings also show that internship programmes — that are now compulsory at some federal universities — are paying dividends and recommends that more interns should be placed in the private sector as about one-third of those surveyed were working for private sector companies where they had completed their internships.

Another revealing find was the fact that almost three-quarters of the sample of UAE nationals employed in the private sector currently had other members of their immediate family working in the same sector. Therefore government policy that champions those Emiratis who take up non-conventional private sector career paths will help change prevailing societal attitudes in relation to what is, and is not, considered a suitable career path for Emiratis.

The study on private sector Emiratisation by Dr Emilie Rutledge and Dr Khaled Al Kaabi recently received the Federal Authority For Government Human Resources Award for the Best Academic Research in HR. Their study is timely in that it considers this topic in an era where comfy government jobs are said to be a thing of the past. In addition to this, their survey-based research—polling 653 individuals—is the first large-scale one to investigate the sentiments of UAE nationals actually working in the private sector. While basing their research on the notions of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and job satisfaction scales, they also factor in what are termed as context-specific sociocultural sentiments. They make the case that the UAE’s labour market distortions and segmentations cannot be fully understood, let alone addressed, without such issues being factored into the equation. As Dr Rutledge says, “employee satisfaction isn’t all about money, the benefits of even the nature of the work and relations with fellow workers, societal attitudes on a given occupation’s prestige and status levels also writ large.” As evidenced by their findings and analysis, it continues to be the case that ‘classic’ public sector positions continue to attract the most status and prestige. This sentiment is even more pronounced amongst the male survey participants.

Another issue that the study highlights is the difficulty face in defining exactly what constitutes the private sector. In a region who’s labour markets are characterised by being highly distorted and segmented along public/private and national/non-national employee lines, the division between public and private entities is often hard to determine. As Dr Al Kaabi explains, it was necessary for their study to include government-backed entities as quasi-private ones as this is what society considers them to be. While some labour market economists would classify these within the government sphere, in the UAE at least, many in this category are commercially-run and, “really do now manage their human resources as if they were genuine private sector operators.”

The study found that it was ‘salary and benefits’ that most significantly and positively predicted continuance intentions (β = .399, p < .001) while ‘sociocultural influences’ most significantly and negatively predicted continuance intentions (β = -.423, p < .001). In other words, money does still talk. These observations also suggest that the more closely aligned like-for-like public/private sector positions become in terms of salaries, working hours and days of annual leave, the more attractive will be the private sector career paths. The authors of this study both contend that such alignment—most likely by ay of public sector pay freezes than pay cuts—would help redress the current notion that it is the citizens who’ve secured government jobs that have the higher status. Other job satisfaction related constructs that had a significant impact on the degree to which individuals planned to continue working in the private sector were: ‘training opportunities’ were a positive factor (β = .163, p < .001) and interestingly, the ‘nature of job’ (β = .072, p .009). The latter finding is of importance because it implies, at the very least, that today’s graduates do see private sector occupations as more interesting and fulfilling (if compared to the more bureaucratic-style ‘classic’ public sector jobs).

In terms of differences between the genders, male respondents were significantly more likely to be adversely affected by sociocultural influences pride (or “prestige) and were significantly less happy with the nature (or “environment”) of work in the private sector. With regard to age, the younger the respondent, the less likely they will be to intend to continue working in the private sector. The study’s authors argue that younger members of society are significantly more influenced by sociocultural barriers and least satisfied with the professional development opportunities on offer. They suggest that this may be due to the fact that they have relatively junior positions at the given private sector organisation. With regard to education, the higher one’s qualification is the more likely it will be that they intend to remain in the private sector. This ties in with the age-related differences, it follows that within the private sector the positions that require post-graduate qualifications will not only pay more but will also have attached to them more status.

Of perhaps most note and applied policy relevance are the following observations. Firstly, no less than one-third of those surveyed were working for private sector entities that they had actually competed their internships with. This suggests that the internship programs that are now compulsory at some federal universities in the UAE are paying dividends. The second observation is that almost three-quarters of the sample (that is UAE nationals employed in the private sector) currently have other members of their immediate family working in the same sector. As Dr Rutledge says, “any government policy that champions those individuals who take up non-conventional career paths will help change prevailing societal attitudes and norms in relation to what are and are not suitable career paths.”

Changes in the Kingdom

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

The Economist (2017, November 9). The world should push the crown prince to reform Saudi Arabia, not wreck it. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2017/11/09/the-world-should-push-the-crown-prince-to-reform-saudi-arabia-not-wreck-it

In a kingdom where change comes only slowly, if at all, the drama of recent days in Saudi Arabia is astounding. Scores of princes, ministers and officials have been arrested or sacked, mostly accused of corruption. Many of those arrested are being held in the splendour of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. About $800bn-worth of assets may have been frozen. At the same time a missile fired from Yemen was intercepted near Riyadh, prompting Saudi Arabia to accuse Iran of an “act of war”.

Upheaval at home and threats of war abroad make a worrying mix in a country that has, hitherto, held firm amid the violent breakdown of the Middle East. The world can ill afford instability in the biggest oil exporter, the largest Arab economy and the home of Islam’s two holiest sites.

At the centre of the whirlwind stands the impetuous crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, son of the aged King Salman. The prince has staged a palace coup—or perhaps a counter-coup against opponents seeking to block his sweeping changes (see article). Either way, at the age of just 32, he has become the most powerful man in Saudi Arabia since King Abdel-Aziz bin Saud, who founded the state. All this may be the precursor to profound reforms that the country needs. The danger is that it will just lead to another failed one-man Arab dictatorship.

Casting himself as a champion of the young, Prince Muhammad (known as MBS) understands that his country must reinvent itself to deal with the end of the oil boom, a burgeoning and indolent population, and a puritanical Wahhabi religious ideology that has been a Petri dish for jihadism. He has set out ambitious plans to harness private firms to reform the state and wean the country off oil. He has also eased some social strictures, promising to end the ban on women drivers and restraining the religious police. He speaks of returning to a “moderate Islam open to the world and all religions”.

All this is welcome. But the way the prince is going about enacting change is worrying. One reason is that his ambition too often turns to rashness. He led an Arab coalition into an unwinnable war in Yemen against the Houthis, a Shia militia, creating a humanitarian disaster. He has also sought to isolate Qatar, a gas-rich neighbour, succeeding only in wrecking the Gulf Co-operation Council and pushing Qatar towards Iran. With fewer constraints, he could become still more reckless. He is rattling the sabre at Iran over the war in Yemen, and may be challenging it in Lebanon. During a visit to Riyadh, the Saudi-backed Lebanese prime minister, Saad Hariri, announced that he would step down, and denounced interference by Iran and its client militia, Hizbullah (see article). What precisely the Saudis intend to do in Lebanon is unclear. But many worry about a return to violence in a country scarred by civil war and conflicts between Hizbullah and Israel.

Another concern is the economy. Prince Muhammad’s plan for transformation relies in part on luring foreign investors. But they will be reluctant to commit much money when someone like Alwaleed bin Talal, a prince and global investor, can be arrested on the crown prince’s say-so (see article). Last month Prince Muhammad made a pitch to foreign investors for a new high-tech city filled with robots, NEOM. The glitzy event took place in the same hotel complex that is now a prison.

A third cause for disquiet is the stability of the monarchy. Saudi rule has hitherto rested on three pillars: consensus and a balance of power across the sprawling royal family; the blessing of Wahhabi clerics; and a cradle-to-grave system of benefits for citizens. Prince Muhammad is weakening all three by concentrating power in his own hands, pushing for social freedoms, and imposing austerity and privatisation.

Much of this had to change. He could seek new legitimacy by moving towards greater debate and consultation. Instead, space for dissent is disappearing and executions are rising. The anti-corruption campaign is being carried out with little or no due process to determine who is guilty of what. Many ordinary Saudis are cheering for now. But the arrests look like Xi Jinping’s purges in China, not the rule of law. As he meets resistance and his base narrows, the crown prince may rely increasingly on the security apparatus to silence critics. That would only repeat the mistakes of republican Arab strongmen: socially quite liberal, but repressive and ultimately a failure.

Many have predicted the fall of the House of Saud, only to be proved wrong. The most likely alternative to its rule, flawed as it is, is not democracy but chaos. The country would fragment and, in the scramble for its riches, Iran would extend its power, jihadists would gain a new lease of life and foreign powers would feel compelled to intervene.

The world must fervently hope that Prince Muhammad’s good reforms succeed, while urging restraint on his bad impulses. President Donald Trump is wrong to cheer the purge on. The West should instead counsel the prince to act with caution, avoid escalation with Iran and free political life at home. Prince Muhammad may be heeding the dictum of Niccolò Machiavelli that it is better for a prince to be feared than loved. But this advice comes with a rider: he should not be hated.

Comfy government jobs

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

Al Nowais, S. (2017, March 7). Sheikh Abdullah tells UAE youth to think beyond ‘comfortable’ jobs. The National. https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/sheikh-abdullah-tells-uae-youth-to-think-beyond-comfortable-jobs-1.41511

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed has told Emirati youth to think beyond expectations of “comfortable” government jobs and prepare to compete with the rest of the world.

“If you want to participate in shaping the future then you need to stop thinking of a government job,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said.

“No other country in the region supports youth-led projects like the UAE. It is one the easiest countries to set up a run a business, so start your own business and corporations.”

He spoke on Tuesday at the Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations in Abu Dhabi, which brought together more than 3,000 Emirati university students.

While many see globalisation as one of the biggest challenges, Sheikh Abdullah said he sees it as an opportunity.

“It’s an opportunity to compete. You are no longer competing amongst yourselves but with the greatest minds around the world,” he said.

He encouraged youth to develop their skills and gain more to keep pace with the latest technological and global advances.

Seventy-five per cent of jobs available today will be obsolete by the time children born this year join the workforce, he said.

“I invite you to seize the opportunity and the opportunities available around you,” he said. “Invest your precious time in your education so you can be ready for your working life.”

Youth must be more “serious and dedicated”, he said, with more ambitions and hope, and a desire to develop and give more to their country.

There are no more “comfortable” jobs in the UAE, he said, because the Government is looking towards the future, envisioning projects in renewable energy and a colony on Mars.

Fields such as renewable and nuclear energy are ones that he never imagined studying in university, he said.

“Now the opportunities of development in these fields are more than ever. We can now take part and participate in international development,” said Sheikh Abdullah.

“Brothers and sisters, those made the biggest and greatest changes in the world and in our lives are not those who learned more, but those who were dedicated.”

The Minister of State for Youth and the Ministers of Higher Education, Climate Change and Environment, also spoke at the start of the two-day summit.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited the exhibition after its launch. He will deliver an address on Wednesday.

Sheikh Mohammed said Emirati youth are capable of presenting “innovative initiatives and creative solutions to tackle challenges”.

“We encourage and provide them what it takes to excel in education and scientific research while adopting their ideas and innovations in different fields,” he said.

Shamma Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth, said Sheikh Abdullah’s speech was inspiring, particularly when he said there were no comfortable jobs in the government of the UAE. The summit was aimed at inspiring youth and supporting them in building the future.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul, Minister of State for Higher Education, said the majlis is way to inspire students and provides them an opportunity to choose their careers. One of the messages from the summit is the importance of investment in one’s self.

“A university degree alone is not enough to face the changes of the job market,” he said.

Living in a technological age means the skills a student acquires today might not be required by the job market once he or shee graduates, he said, so it is important to invest in one’s self and constantly keep abreast of changes.

Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, hosted a session during which he highlighted the pivotal role that UAE youth play in combating climate change and advancing the protection of natural resources.

He said climate change will affect all inhabitants of the Earth and will lead communities to change their lifestyles.

“Climate change affects the fundamentals of our daily lives, such as the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the work we do and the house we live in,” he said.

“Innovation and creativity are the fundamental pillars of sustainable and nontraditional solutions adopted by the UAE in its journey towards sustainability and decreasing the effects of climate change and adapting to it.”

Economic reform required

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

The Economist (2016). Time to sheikh it up. The Economist, 420(9006), 11–12. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2016/09/08/time-to-sheikh-it-up

If Gulf citizens are to keep enjoying rich-world standards of living, they will increasingly have to find productive work in the private sector; this means overhauling labour markets that keep too many of the region’s citizens idle

THE people of Saudi Arabia have for decades enjoyed the munificence of their royal family: no taxes; free education and health care; subsidised water, electricity and fuel; undemanding jobs in the civil service; scholarships to study abroad; and much more. This easy life has been sustained by gushers of petrodollars and an army of foreign workers. The only thing asked of subjects is public observance of Islamic strictures and acquiescence in the absolute power of the sprawling Al Saud dynasty.

Similar arrangements hold in the other countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), a six-member club of oil monarchies. But these compacts are breaking down. The price of oil has fallen sharply since 2014, and the number of young Gulf citizens entering the job market is growing fast. The maliks and emirs can no longer afford huge giveaways, or to pay ever more subjects to snooze in air-conditioned government offices. The monarchs know it. They say they are seeking to diversify their economies away from oil rents; they are also whittling away generous subsidies and plan a new value-added tax across the GCC.

But reforms have to go further. If Gulf citizens are to keep enjoying rich-world standards of living, they will increasingly have to find productive work in the private sector. That means overhauling labour markets that keep too many of the region’s citizens idle.

The pampering of Gulf citizens has made them expensive for firms to hire (see “Labour laws in the Gulf: From oil to toil”). By contrast, the third-class legal status of many migrant workers makes them extra-cheap (see “Migration in the Gulf: Open doors but different laws”) and puts them at the mercy of their employers. Given the choice between a hardworking foreigner and a costly local, private firms have long preferred the foreigner.

In response Gulf governments have imposed ever more stringent quotas on foreign companies to employ locals, especially in desirable white-dishdasha jobs. In Bahrain 50% of workers in banks must be Bahrainis; but only 5% of those in construction need be. (It’s awfully hot on building sites.) Quotas reduce the incentive for Gulf citizens to do a job well: why bother, when your employer has little choice but to keep you on? Firms often regard hiring locals as a sort of tax. Some pay them to stay at home.

The best policy would be to phase out quotas entirely, while also slimming the bureaucracy and making it clear that civil-service jobs are no longer a birthright. In Saudi Arabia two-thirds of citizens are employed by the state. Public-sector wages account for 12% of GDP in the Gulf and Algeria, compared with an average of 5% across emerging economies.

The way migrant labourers are treated needs to change, too. Gulf states deserve credit for letting in far more immigrants than almost all Western countries, relative to their populations. (In many cases, foreigners outnumber locals.) Migrants gain from earning far higher wages than they could back in India or Pakistan. But the coercive parts of the kafala system of sponsoring foreign workers should be dismantled. Migrant workers should not need their employers’ permission to leave the country. After a while, they should be allowed to switch jobs. Contracts should be clear and enforced by local courts. Long-term foreign workers should be able to earn permanent residence; ultimately those who wish to should have the opportunity to become citizens.

These reforms–less pampering for locals and more rights for migrants–would reshape the labour market. More locals would have to do real work. Migrants would be better treated, though inevitably fewer would be hired. Some new ideas are being tested. Bahrain is allowing firms to ignore quotas by paying a fee for each foreign worker they employ. As part of its ambitious economic agenda, Saudi Arabia is talking of issuing green cards to some migrants.

A new social contract
At a time of bloody turmoil across the Arab world, many royals fear undoing the social compact that has kept them in power. But cheap oil makes change unavoidable; doing nothing merely postpones the reckoning. Economic transformation should nudge Gulf states towards political reform. Perhaps, as their citizens are asked to do more to earn their living, they will demand that rulers do more to earn their consent.

Wanted: Private-sector Emiratisation

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

Swan, M. (2015, November). Incentives needed to increase Emiratisation in private sector. The National. https://www.thenational.ae/uae/incentives-needed-to-increase-emiratisation-in-private-sector-1.27972

Emiratisation must address the inequity between the working conditions of the private and public sectors, according to new research

James Christopher Ryan from the College of Business and Economics at the UAE University pointed to the discrepancy in number of holiday days, working hours and salaries. He said standardisation between the two was the way to make the private sector more attractive to Emiratis. “Looking at ensuring that experience and qualification requirements for comparable work are the same across sectors and aligning salaries for comparable work between sectors” should also be considered, Dr Ryan said. He also said that more needed to be done to change the mindset of Emiratis to help them find work in the private sector.

“Historical evidence suggests Emiratisation has not been a success thus far,” he said.

“Also, my continuing interaction with UAE national students still offers clear evidence of their preference to work for public sector organisations. Once we have established a culture where the citizenry come to expect employment in government positions it can be very difficult to move successfully away from that expectation.” The push for Emiratisation in the private sector has been slow when compared to its government counterparts, he said.

“To date Emiratisation in the government sector, that is replacing expatriate expertise with local expertise, has had success,” he said. “However within the private sector there is not enough sustained improvement in UAE national employment to determine if we have any real success yet.” Dr Ryan’s research was published in the Journal of Business Research.

“Successful Emiratisation will require a better balance between the conditions and rewards offered in the public and private sectors for UAE nationals. Any steps we can take to reduce the imbalance are steps in the right direction.”

Dr Emilie Rutledge, associate professor of economics at UAE University, undertook research of her own on Emiratisation that supports Dr Ryan’s observations. “In the long run, fully integrating Emiratis into the labour market is crucial for economic prosperity and social inclusion,” she said. “Unemployment rates have been high among the Emirati population in recent years, with estimates in double digit figures, much of which is structural unemployment and can be attributed to strong public sector preferences. “It is essential to address the paradox in pay and working hours if more Emiratis are to be willing to enter private sector employment.”

In Abu Dhabi she said only about 4 per cent of private sector employees were Emirati. Incentives were needed, such as aligning benefits and working hours, if this was to be reversed. She said sociocultural barriers also remained an obstacle to Emiratis entering the private sector. “Several vocations in the private sector are not considered socially or culturally appropriate for nationals, and there is still a certain amount of prestige attached to attaining a public sector post.”

Vocational majors

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

Swan, M. (2014, March 1). University staff hope to steer students to appropriate majors. The National. https://www.thenational.ae/uae/education/university-staff-hope-to-steer-students-to-appropriate-majors-1.685582

Too often students follow career paths set by their parents that are considered prestigious, whether or not they are well-suited to the studies.

University staff are trying to break down the stigma attached to certain degree courses in an attempt to steer students towards subjects they are more suited to, rather than those that carry social prestige.

Students wishing to make early applications to degree courses with limited vacancies will soon be deciding what to study, but those choices for as many as 20 per cent of students will often be the wrong ones.

It has been well documented by academics that among Arab and Arabian Gulf families, in particular, parental influence over subject choice is key and parents still think engineering, architecture, medicine and business are the only subjects that will lead to a successful career with good salaries for their child.

“It’s critical to change this perception that one is defined by their major and to explain that true success will come when one does what one is good at,” said Kevin Mitchell, vice provost at the American University of Sharjah.

“It’s the first step on a long career path so it’s got to be something you’re going to be engaged with over the course of a lifetime.”

He said there was still a lack of awareness of other disciplines and where they can take a graduate, such as international relations, mass-media communications or multi-media design.

“It always comes back to ‘does it make you employable and what do you do with it?’ ” he said.

These preconceptions are outdated, Mr Mitchell said. Employers look for soft skills, such as writing and critical thinking, more than a particular subject of study, something that is reflected in numerous studies in recent years from major employers in the region.

Dr Emilie Rutledge from UAE University, a federal institution, is currently studying parental influence on degree and career choices among Emirati students. She said career guidance from secondary education through the early stages of higher education was key.

“The more flexible the structure of undergraduate degree courses, the more feasible it will be for students to actually reconsider their majors,” she said. “If such a structure was in place, they would be able to experiment with the subjects.”

Ali Shuhaimy, vice chancellor of admissions at AUS, said that parents see these areas of diversification but still prefer majors like engineering and architecture.

“You don’t see investment into projects for history or geography,” he said. “We see investment in nuclear energy, in solar energy.”

It is a culturally bound issue however.

“If you were in the US or Canada where there is a great history in higher education you will have many people studying a general major like history and when they graduate there are hundreds of organisations to employ them. But here, the only place that would consider hiring a history major is a school, where the compensation and status is deemed very low.”

Every year the university increases its outreach, educating prospective students and meeting parents. Last year the university held 170 functions and this year 220.

“With these realities or limitations we try our best with students to encourage them to do what they love,” Mr Shuhaimy said. “It works sometimes, but most of the time it doesn’t. Parental pressure and prestige is a huge cultural factor.”

Prof Samy Mahmoud, who resigned as chancellor of The University of Sharjah in January after six years, said that since 2009, a system has been in place to try to avoid the problems that arise when students do not choose wisely.

A high-tech guidance system helps students to envisage their career orientation and uses multiple-choice questions to help steer them to areas that match aptitude and personality. In addition, advisers from the university meet prospective students and their parents for in-depth conversations.

“Once the students are admitted and get into the first three weeks of classes, any student who shows doubts about their choice can meet one of the counsellors and ask for a transfer to another programme,” Prof Mahmoud said. “In addition, the student’s classwork is monitored carefully for the first few months for possible remedial courses of action.

“With the above system in place, fewer students find themselves in the wrong programme than was previously the case. We found in recent times that the percentage dropped closer to 5 per cent, which is practical for most universities around the world that are known to have the best advising practices.”

Emirati women and the labour market

Blog Publications Reports

Dr Emilie Rutledge, associate professor of Economics at UAE University, at the lecture on Parental Influence on Female Vocational in the Arabian Gulf at Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government.

Parents play critical role in Emirati women’s career choices, UAE study shows

The research team was led by Dr Emilie Rutledge, associate professor of economics at UAE University, who presented their findings to academics at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) on Tuesday.

“Parental influence has a significant role on a given female’s likelihood of seeking to enter the labour market post-graduation,” she said. “Parental support reduces what women perceive as cultural barriers to employment.”

Sixty-eight per cent of the women said their parents influenced their decisions about careers, and 80 per cent said they preferred to work in the public sector. Forty-six per cent said they felt it was the Government’s responsibility to find them work in the public sector. Working in education, the civil service and police were deemed the most culturally “acceptable” careers for an Emirati woman, although areas such as advertising, marketing and pharmaceuticals were deemed more “attractive”.

“However, if parents are engaged in the vocational decision-making process, the female is more likely to consider exploring opportunities in the private sector,” Dr Rutledge said.

For Emiratisation to be successful, there must be more emphasis on these other fields rather than banking, human resources and finance, which the women did not consider interesting or attractive, Dr Rutledge said.

“Being in a gender-segregated environment was not as important to the girls as the salary or the job being interesting was, even if society or parents as a whole object to this,” she said.

Dr Rutledge cited holiday time and maternity leave as important, both of which were more attractive in the public than private sectors.

Ensuring the women return to the workplace through flexible working times and better maternity benefits was vital.

“A lot of females leave the workplace when they have a family because of the poor provisions, so they simply don’t go back and in turn, they lose their skills,” she said.

A father’s level of education was key in determining how his daughters would be guided. Fathers with degrees are more likely to support and encourage women to seek employment.

“Private-sector career paths are more attractive if the parent already works in the private sector,” Dr Rutledge said.

“This is of importance as there is merit to incentivising more Emirati males into higher education for the long-term participation of Emirati women in the labour market.”

Women graduate at a 3 to 1 ratio from UAE federal universities. Dr Maryam Salem Al Marashad has been a long-standing academic at UAE University since she graduated with the first batch of students in 1977. She left her post as dean of students two years ago but is still active in academia. She said a husband’s influence could not be underestimated.

“We see many girls at UAEU get married in their third year, so by the time they are going to the labour market, it is not only the family but their husband – she is stuck with an answer from her husband that she can or cannot work here or there.”

Geography will also sway a woman’s choices, she said. “In Fujairah when I go to my bank, the whole first row is full of Emirati women who are supporting their families and are interested to work,” she said. “In Abu Dhabi or Dubai where there are many more opportunities, they can afford to be more picky.”

MBRSG’s head of gender and public policy, Ghalia Gargani, said more research was needed for the long-term participation of Emirati women in the job market. Only 9 per cent of the labour force is Emirati, a fifth of them women. “We need to think of ways to have policies for both men and women to balance their work and life and the responsibilities that come with their culture here,” she said. “It’s very relevant to research we’re doing here on the family unit.”

‘Emirati-friendly’ rankings for companies

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

Al Haddad, A. (2011, October 16). Government a draw for Emirati women. The National. https://www.thenational.ae/uae/companies-to-be-rated-according-to-how-emirati-friendly-they-are-1.473096

A list is being compiled by the Great Place to Work (GPTW) institute in the UAE, which will conduct surveys to sort the best from the average. 1,400 teachers to lose their jobs by end of year Move is part of Emiratisation plan and will also see male teachers replaced with females in lower grades. GPTW-UAE is part of a global research and consultancy group that releases an annual list of the best places to work in the world, and in 45 countries.

The Great Places for Emiratis to Work index is a new sub-list of their annual survey, which will highlight companies with strong Emiratisation programmes in various sectors. “We want to highlight the diversity of disciplines available to Emiratis,” said Dr Farrukh Kidwai, the chief executive of GPTW-UAE. “This will broaden the avenue for them to participate in the private sector and hopefully boost the knowledge economy in the UAE.”

A paper by Ingo Forstenlechner and Emilie Rutledge from UAE University, published in the Middle East Policy Journal last summer, showed Emiratis account for only 4 per cent of the private sector workforce.

Nadia Salameh, a consultant who specialises in Emiratisation at Cobalt Recruitment, said Emiratis were most likely to take up private-sector jobs in human resources, marketing, engineering, business management and organisational development.

“Emiratis should believe from an early age they can work in any field,” Ms Salameh said. “Companies that encourage continued learning are the most successful in Emiratisation.”

The normal GPTW-UAE list is drawn up according to two scores. A “trust” survey is completed by all employees to measure aspects such as camaraderie, respect and pride, and accounts for two thirds of the final score. A second survey quizzes management and HR to gauge the corporate culture. The Great Places for Emiratis to Work list will only take the corporate cultural audit into account, as many companies may not have many national employees but do have excellent Emiratisation programmes at management level. “There are companies that have impressive programmes regarding Emiratisation and we want to communicate those to the wider public, as they are doing outstanding work,” he said.

Mohammed Hamza Al Qasimi said his experience in working for the French oil company Total helped him to develop many skills. Mr Al Qasimi was recently sent to Paris to oversee a project related to a challenging oilfield in the Middle East. “The international experience I’ve gained from my assignment in Paris is not only beneficial on a personal level,” he said.

“I am really looking forward to more challenges in my career in France and by absorbing those challenges I will be able to return the favour to my country, and bring new and innovative ideas in the development of UAE oil and gasfields.”

Mr Al Qasimi was chosen for an internship while studying for his bachelor of applied sciences at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He did an internship at the Abu Dhabi office of Total in 2004.

“I was given a challenging project in the geosciences domain,” he said. “I was a bit worried but the confidence management placed in me made me realise I was up to the challenge.”

The company then offered him a scholarship to complete a Masters of Science at Institut Francais du Petrole in France before he joined Total full-time in 2009.

Suaad Al Hajri, 33, who has 12 years’ experience in the private sector and now works at a senior level in treasury and cash management for Aldar Properties, said the workplace was challenging at first because of the misconception private companies had about Emiratis. “I tried my best to work hard and prove myself,” she said. “I was so lucky that my management noticed me and gave me all the chances to develop my career, motivate me and give me all the delegation I needed to get the job done. “If you want to be successful in your career you have to take the charge of your own growth. Ask for specific and meaningful help and plot out your personally developed plans and goals.”

Companies older than two years that employ more than 50 people may register to be included on the GPTW-UAE list until October 31.

Arabian Gulf Labour Markets: Women are ‘underutilised’

Blog Publications Reports

First published in:

Qabbani, B. (2011, February 1). Emiratis ‘must be steered into private sector’. The National. https://www.thenational.ae/uae/women-are-underutilised-1.422350

A recent study suggests that although women are better skilled than men, it is harder for them to find work.

“Female nationals are a valuable human capital resource in the UAE – one that is significantly underutilised,” said Dr Emilie Rutledge, assistant professor of economics at UAE University.

“Existing evidence suggests females find it much harder to find employment than their male national counterparts, yet paradoxically they typically have much higher levels of educational attainment,” she said.

She said officials should implement more gender-aware labour policies to correct the imbalance.

“While labour nationalisation policies have acted to increase female labour force participation, many more gender-aware policies need to be implemented,” she said.

A paper to which Dr Rutledge contributed, titled “Women, labour market nationalisation policies and human resource development in the Arab Gulf States,” will be published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Resource Development International in April.

Four researchers, including three in the UAE and one in Saudi Arabia, collaborated on the paper and interviewed policy makers who are directly involved in the Emiratisation and Saudisation processes.

Dr Rutledge said Emirati women need to be more willing to travel in order to take full advantage of their employment opportunities.

Other notions that need addressing involve family constraints, such as parents who frown on their daughters’ working in a mixed-gender environment, or the perception that women who work in the private sector only do so because they do not have adequate wasta(connections), explained Dr Rutledge.

“Some private-sector employers are unwilling to recruit from [among women], either because they believe it might be costly in infrastructural terms or because it would be costly if the newly recruited national female employee was to be ‘offended’ in some way by an incumbent non-national employee,” Dr Rutledge said.

The study stresses that labour nationalisation bodies need to improve their monitoring and evaluation of the consequence of policies in a gender-sensitive way.

Political reforms that have resulted in women being appointed to senior positions can broadly be seen as part of the process to “normalise” the role of women in the workplace, the researchers state.

“Increasing women’s participation will depend not only on their motivation, but also on the ability of society to accept new roles for women and remove existing barriers to economic integration,” said fellow researcher Dr Fatima al Shamsi, secretary general at UAE University and faculty member at the Economics Department.

Dr al Shamsi, who has also served as a consultant to the UAE National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority, added, “Above all, women should not shy away from the kind of work that was previously reserved for men, and they should impose their skills and education on the labour market, and not let the market impose the marginal and secondary positions on them.”

Interviewees also said conditions in the private sector – like a lack of child care, flexible working hours and length of maternity leave – were also contributing factors that needed to be tackled to increase female participation.

“There is over-representation of women in lower-paid and non-decision making positions,” Dr al Shamsi said.