KHALEEJ TIMES, Monday, Mar 15, 2021 | Shaaban 1, 1442
Dubai, Abu Dhabi are among the top 5 most preferred cities to work globally
Emirates:
The UAE’s attractiveness as a preferred place to work among foreign
professionals continues to improve, thanks to its strong response to contain
the Covid-19 outbreak, which strengthened the nation’s image and ranking
worldwide, says a new global study released on Sunday.
The UAE jumped six places to emerge as the 13th most preferred destination to
work worldwide in a survey that featured 209,000 respondents across 190
countries, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Bayt.com.
“The UAE’s status as being less impacted by the pandemic than other countries is
a key factor behind its heightened appeal on the world stage, with several
notable cities considered much less appealing compared to two years ago,” said
Dr Christopher Daniel, managing director (MD) and partner, BCG Middle East.
“Dubai and Abu Dhabi are among the latest success stories in the global city
ranking, solidifying their improved positions on the back of the UAE proving to
be a regional safe haven in a year of unprecedented healthcare crisis,” he
added.
The UAE has administered more than 6.5 million (m) Covid-19 vaccine doses till
Saturday (March 13) and is poised to reach its target of 50 per cent of the
country’s population soon. The UAE continues to be second best globally in terms
of the cumulative Covid-19 doses administered per 100 people after Israel,
according to the figures available in the Our World in Data website.
The aggressive vaccination drive by the UAE government helped further improve
the country’s position as a safe and secure destination to live and work.
The survey results showed that Dubai rose from number six in 2018 to number
three in 2020, as respondents cited renewed Expo 2021 potential and the swift
restart and support of the private sector despite the Covid-19 challenges are
the key incentives.
Abu Dhabi’s rankings climbed from 51 in 2014 to 14 in 2018 and to fifth last
year, helped by the government's commitment to overhaul its processes, the
proximity of people to leadership, high government investment, and a new
economic development strategy.
Around 90 per cent of the UAE’s survey participants were expatriates with an
average age of 38, broadly reflecting the composition of the country’s
population.
“Given that the national workforce is heavily comprised of foreign workers, the
country attracts a highly mobile workforce and 94 per cent of UAE workers were
also willing to work abroad in 2020 compared to 50 per cent globally,” said Dr
Daniel.
A recent study by Adecco Middle East, a global recruitment and human resources
(HR) Solutions firm, has also revealed that the UAE was also rated highly when
it comes to retaining the talent. The UAE scored 67 points, while Turkey,
Tunisia and Greece achieved 48, 46, and 67 points, respectively.
“The job market has witnessed many changes over the past few months. The
Covid-19 pandemic that is being battled across the globe has redefined major
operations and processes, placing companies in every industry under pressure to
make the transition to virtual workplaces. As such, the vast majority of
professionals and businesses have adopted remote working, enabling them to
remain competitive and ensure continuity,” said Ola Haddad, director of HR at
Bayt.com.
However, fewer Emiratis – 50 per cent – said they would move abroad to work,
with strong community links as the potential reason behind their response.
“Restrictive immigration policies have already weakened the mobility trend,”
said Rainer Strack, senior partner at BCG.
“Covid-19 is a new variable that is making people cautious about considering
international relocation. And with the rise of remote working, many may feel
that they can further their careers virtually, without needing to move at all,”
he added.
|