ABU DHABI // Employers must work harder to retain female Emirati staff and allow them more room for career progression, according to new research.
Turnover and staff retention is a sticking point when it comes to women in the workplace, said Dr Fauzia Jabeen, associate professor of management at Abu Dhabi University College of Business.
She and Dr Heather Friesen, the university’s director of institutional research and effectiveness, surveyed more than 300 women across 12 public-sector organisations in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for their study.
“Emirati women are very keen to learn and enhance their professional skills,” Dr Jabeen said.
“They are very interested in career progression, and can become disengaged if their organisation does not provide them the opportunity to develop their professional skills.
“Female employees also desire flexible options that will help them to balance family and work commitments.”
It is believed that unemployment among Emirati women is as high as 28 per cent, compared with 8 per cent for men – a figure that is “considerably high”, said Dr Jabeen.
Eighty-nine per cent of working Emirati women are employed at public-sector organisations.
A report on 17 ministries and 18 federal entities found that out of 1,400 cases of employee turnover, 64 per cent of those who resigned from their roles were women, Dr Jabeen said.
The research highlighted the changing values of the female workforce, their demand for international working standards and their need for more than just financial compensation, she said.
“This research confirms that financial benefits do not constitute the sole, or even primary, motivation for Emirati women,” Dr Jabeen said.
“The reason may be attributed to the lack of organised career development programmes in the UAE public sector.
“Career development involves various alternatives such as developing abilities, preserving current skills and getting ready for the future, ahead of simply receiving promotions.”
More flexible working hours would also help women, the research suggested.
“The UAE Government and policymakers may also address the conflicting demands of family and work life by enhancing flexible scheduling opportunities and other initiatives to help female employees, which will in turn reduce turnover intention,” she said.
One of the women surveyed, a senior telecoms analyst from Abu Dhabi, agreed.
The 33-year-old is studying part-time for a master’s in business administration, after being employed for 10 years.
Women in her field are given in-house child care and she has felt supported in her career growth, but she suggested that government entities should offer married women an option to choose to work fewer hours for less pay.
Balancing work with other obligations is difficult for the typical working woman. But the situation is improving, with more services, such as health insurance, education assistance for children and nurseries at work.
“It is much better than 15 years ago,” she said.
Co-researcher Dr Friesen said understanding Emirati women’s experiences were vital for Emiratisation.
“The more we understand the factors that influence Emirati employees’ decisions to either stay or leave an organisation will help to support the Emiratisation strategy,” she said.
“Emirati women, like employees everywhere, want to be challenged in their roles.”
Dr Kilani Ghoudi of UAE University, the project’s statistician, said that more research was needed to promote Emiratisation among women.
“One has to extend the study to different work categories, private sector, different emirates, before judging the impact on Emiratisation.”
mswan@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
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Arsenal 1
Bellerin 52'
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5pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
6pm: Liwa Oasis (PA) Group 2 | Dh300,000 | 1,400m
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 (PA) Group 3 | Dh300,000 | 2,200m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap | Dh70,000 | 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
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Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
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Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (Turf) 1,000m
7.40pm: Curlin Stakes – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (D) 2,200m
8.15pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm: Al Shindagha Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
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The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
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Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
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|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
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$88,702
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$177,403
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Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
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Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
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Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
