gulfnews.com, Monday 31 May 2010
Retaining Emiratis A Challenge: Expert
Private firms need to offer career path,
Two-day Emiratisation Forum in Abu Dhabi notes that companies need to offer
Emiratis a good career path to retain them.
Abu Dhabi, Samir Salama:
Retaining Emiratis in the private sector remains a challenge due to a lack of
career opportunities for them and the absence of a mentoring culture, a forum
heard Sunday.
Dr Bob Nelson, author, motivational speaker and president of Nelson Motivation
management training and consulting, told Abu Dhabi University's Emiratisation
Forum that the challenges facing Emiratisation programs included the lack of
perceived career progression, and the insensitivity of management to culture
differences.
Dr Nelson, who was the forum's keynote speaker, is the author of books including
books including 1001 Ways to Reward Employees and the 1001 Rewards and
Recognition Field Book.
He said challenges facing employers in their bid to retain Emiratis included
their reluctance to work long hours, unpopular shift schedules, their dislike of
uniforms, their expectations of quick promotion, and lack of a performance-based
culture.
A study conducted last year by government-sponsored Emirates National
Development Program revealed 60 per cent of Emiratis working in the private
sector had resigned from corporate positions due to a lack of career progression
and the absence of mentoring.
Abu Dhabi University chairman Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Daheri agreed.
"Retention remains to be a key issue on the minds of Emiratisation executives
across the country," he said.
"It is fundamental that organizations are educated about how to secure their
retention rate through the implementation of effective motivation principles and
offering people meaningful work."
Al Daheri said in times of economic uncertainty, energized, innovative and
cooperative employees would add true value to the business.
"By developing employees to reach their goals, offering counseling and
understanding their strengths and aptitudes, business can retain talented
individuals who will prove to be long-term assets to the firm.
Nearly 80 per cent of the expatriate population was "economically active",
compared with 45 per cent of Emiratis, according to a report by the National
Bureau of Statistics.
The Economic and Social Dimension 2009 report showed nearly 20 per cent of the
UAE population of 8.19 million was voluntarily unemployed while 2.3 per cent
were looking for work.
Faisal Al Kamali, head of infrastructure at Aldar properties said Emiratis
comprise 20 per cent of Aldar's workforce, in executive management through to
clerical positions.
Aldar runs the Leadership Applied Excellence Diploma (LEAD) program for
Emiratis.
"Central to the success of any Emiratisation program is that it is viewed as
long-term — not just quick fixes — and as such should include continuity and
consistency," he said.