Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INDEX INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
in 2017. This implies that everyone will receive an increase
of X%. Nothing could be further from the truth.
2 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 3
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS OF EMPLOYEE SURVEY
EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS FINDINGS FOR 2017 Full breakdown of results shown on page 64
Career
Hiring Trends Career Progression When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
Hiring activity in the GCC reduced in 2016 compared to While salary remains the single biggest factor for employees a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
the previous 12 months, with a noticeable reduction in the when considering a new job with a new organisation,
demand for additional headcount from employers across career development, benefits package, organisational 2016
the region. As our last report correctly predicted, salaries culture, work-life balance, job security and flexible working
were generally less buoyant than in 2015 across the market were found to be of relatively equal and increasingly
14%
Salary increase 1
and there was evidence of employers adopting a cautious significant importance. Specific to career development,
mentality to spending. This was in direct response to the our survey found that 55% of employees working in the Benefits package 2
weak oil prices with organisations reporting a reduction in GCC feel that there is no scope to progress at their current 35%
market activity and consequential business restructuring and organisation and the same number anticipate moving 12%
A new career path 3
cost cutting exercises. employer in 2017.
37% of employers reported a reduction in headcount in their These aspects are therefore important considerations for
Lack of future opportunities 3
organisation in 2016, which was in contrast to 17% in 2015
and to the 11% who anticipated a reduction when surveyed
employers looking to attract top talent in order to achieve
their business objectives for 2017 and beyond. Reinforcing
Organisational culture 5
last year. The number of redundancies also doubled
year-on-year, with 4% of employees reporting to have lost
this, is the strong competition in the region, as cited by 30%
of organisations who identified competition from other
19% Concerns about job security 6
their job in 2016. These factors, along with the ongoing
relocation of talent into the GCC in pursuit of tax-free
employers as a recruitment challenge in the next 12 months.
We have noticed talent acquisition to be an increasingly
20% Location 7
salaries, have seen an increase in the number of available
candidates in the local hiring market. Competition amongst
prominent focus for employers who seek to identify realistic
yet distinguishable offerings in order to attract talent and
End of contract 8
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years
prospective employees is therefore fierce and we have
noticed recruitment/application processes becoming much
maximise the capabilities of their workforce, to successfully
compete in the market.
Other 8
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
more rigorous in approach, as employers are hiring from
an increasingly large pool of talent and are willing to invest Between 1-2 years
in headcount only if they can be confident that it will add What factors are keeping you with your current employer?
value to their business.
Looking ahead to 2017, there is evidence of an uplift in 2016
How do you feel about your career prospects for the next
market activity in the GCC region. This is supported by the 12 months?
72% of organisations who plan to recruit additional staff Job security 1
in the next 12 months and the 40% of employers who feel Positive Uncertain Negative
positive about the outlook for their company. The GCC also I am happy in my role 2
remains an attractive region for business and we are seeing 62% 33% 5%
ongoing investment from new market entrants, particularly Salary 3
SMEs, to the area.
Salary
Benefits package 4
Salary Trends
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the
Organisational culture 5
48% of GCC working professionals salaries changed in 2016, next 12 months?
which was similar to the 52% in 2015. However, while the
Career progression 6
average change was once again a 5-10% increase, there was
a significant uplift in the number of employees who received
Other 7
a pay cut. 9% of professionals working in the GCC saw a
reduction to their salary, compared to 1% the year before.
Following on from this, employees salary expectations for
If answered yes:
2017 have declined year-on-year, with fewer anticipating
By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
increases of over 15% and 2% expecting a decrease in the 39%
next 12 months.
From an employer perspective, the majority (43%) anticipate
salaries within their organisation to increase by up to 5%, Increase by less than 5% 16%
Decrease 6%
Yes No
4 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 5
EMPLOYER SURVEY
FINDINGS FOR 2017 Full breakdown of results shown on page 70
Headcount
By how much do you expect headcount within your organisation How would you describe the outlook for your business in the
to change in the next year? next year?
25% Salary
31%
By how much do you expect salaries within your organisation to
change in the next year?
Skills
Which areas within your organisation are you experiencing skills shortages (if any)?
Managerial/Leadership 24%
Sales 19%
Engineering 13%
HR 12%
Finance 9%
Marketing 8%
Technicians 7%
Administration 7%
Medical 4%
Languages 3%
Facilities 1%
Other 4%
6 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 7
SALARY
GUIDE
Insights, survey findings & salary brackets
ACCOUNTANCY & FINANCE
Salaries
There was a slight reduction in the average salaries of
Accountancy and Finance professionals in 2016. Of the
51% of individuals whose salaries changed in 2016,
14% saw a decrease compared to just 1% the previous year,
and fewer individuals experienced a significant pay rise
of over 20% than in 2015.
The most common change to salary was an increase of up
to 5%, which is lower than the average 5-10% across the
other professions surveyed. Of the 44% who received a pay
rise, Standard annual pay increase was the single biggest
reason as fewer employees started A new job with a new
company compared to 2015, the most common reason for
a salary change that year.
For the first time since compiling this survey, a small number
of Accountancy and Finance professionals in the region
(3%) are anticipating a decrease in pay in 2017. That being
said, salary expectations remain largely optimistic for
Accountancy and Finance employees, with 61% anticipating
pay increases for 2017, most of whom expect a rise of 5-10%.
ACCOUNTANCY & FINANCE
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
Job Security 1 4
Better benefits
8%
2%
Career development 1 2
23% I am happy in my role 2 n/a
2015 33%
Benefits package 2 1
Career development
29% 33% Salary 3 3 Organisational culture 2 5
External factors 13% Organisational culture 4 2
(better location, working hours) 18% Work-life balance 4 6
Benefits package 5 5
71% Increase your salary
16%
25%
Job security 5 3
Career progression 6 1
77%
Made redundant
13% Challenging role/project 6 4
5% Other 7 n/a
Location 7 7
10%
Other
0%
Yes No
5%
This is my first job How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
10%
17%
Lack of future opportunities 5 2 A new job with a new company 3 1
A promotion within
Location 6 6 51% 50% 50% 49% the same company 4 3
21% 24%
You requested a pay increase
19%
Organisational culture 7 5 and were successful 5 5
Salary increase 8 1 Other 6 7
A pay decrease across
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years Other 9 n/a the whole company 7 6
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
ACCOUNTANCY & FINANCE
12 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 13
ACCOUNTANCY & FINANCE ACCOUNTANCY & FINANCE
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
16%
Increased by 11-15%
9% Position Range Average
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes Finance Manager 22,00043,000 24,000
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change? Financial Analyst 14,00028,000 19,000
Yes No
0%
Decrease more than 5%
n/a
job offers and candidate registrations with Hays GCC. Many factors
can affect salary, including: location of role, size of the business,
industry, and the candidates level of experience.
14 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 15
CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY
Hiring activity in the Construction For those who received a pay increase in 2016, individual
performance related pay, was more prevalent reason
and Property market reduced quite than in 2015 when company-wide pay increases, were
considerably in 2016 compared to 2015, more common. This supports a recent trend that we have
seen within the profession, with organisations being more
primarily in response to the weakening strategic with remuneration by awarding performance on
oil prices, which resulted in organisations a discretionary basis in order to nurture talent and minimise
company-wide costs.
reducing budget spends. There was
a decline in the number of available
In Demand
appointments as many projects were put
There is a large volume of available Construction and
on hold and we witnessed a number of Property candidates in the market, many of whom possess
businesses actively redeploying resource similar skills and experience. In greatest supply are project
managers, as well as candidates looking for commercial
to other areas of the organisation rather roles. In high demand and in more limited supply, much
than recruiting additional headcount. the same as last year, are Quantity Surveyors, Contracts
Managers and HSEQ specialists.
Cautious budget spending and reduced hiring activity
With regards to talent attraction, salary remains the main
were evident with regards to salaries and attrition levels
contributing factor for candidates when reviewing whether
of Construction and Property professionals during 2016.
to join an organisation. However, factors such as benefits
4% of employees in the sector faced redundancy (versus
package, job security and flexible working are becoming
2% the previous year) and a further 12% experienced
increasingly significant to employees and are important
a pay decrease, which was in contrast to 1% in 2015 and
considerations for employers looking to hire top talent.
10% across the GCC employment market as a whole.
This has not however reduced employees expectations for
2017, with the majority anticipating a pay increase of 5-10%
in the coming months and two thirds feeling positive about
career prospects in the market. Mobility of labour within
the Construction and Property sector is also relatively high
compared to other industries surveyed, with 61% of those in
employment anticipating moving employer within the next
12 months.
Competition amongst candidates in the market is on
the up, as the pool of talent has increased in volume
in response to redundancies, a willingness by those in
employment to move organisations and the reduced
number of roles available. In line with this, we have noticed
application processes becoming more rigorous in approach
as employers endeavour to hire candidates who they can
be confident are the right fit within the organisation and
who possess skills that will add significant value.
Salaries
50% of Construction and Property professionals salaries
changed in 2016, comparing similarly to 45% in 2015.
However, 24% of those experienced a decrease, which
was significantly higher than the previous year and the
GCC employment market as a whole. That being said,
CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
Salary 1 1
Career development
35%
38%
Benefits package 1 1
Job security 2 3
34%
2015 14%
Career development 2 2
33%
Increase your salary
27% Benefits package 3 5 Challenging role/project 3 4
External factors 12% I am happy in my role 3 n/a
(better location, working hours) 14% Job security 4 3
67% Career progression 5 2
66% Better benefits 11%
5%
Location 5 6
Organisational culture 6 4
Made redundant
11%
Organisational culture 6 7
7% Other 7 n/a
Work-life balance 7 5
Other 9%
n/a
Yes No
6%
Organisational culture How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
6%
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
2016 Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
13%
Salary increase 1 1 compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
12%
Benefits package 2 8 2016 2015
2015 2016
18 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 19
CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
Senior Project Manager 38,00068,000 54,000 Senior Property Manager/General Manager 28,00057,000 45,000
Decreased 24%
Contracts Manager 30,50065,000 42,500 Valuations Manager RICS 20,00030,000 26,000
2%
Claims Consultant 23,00050,000 38,000 Sales & Leasing Manager 24,00030,000 26,000
15%
Increase by 16-20%
60% 68% 15%
Decrease by 5% or less 4%
n/a
Salaries shown here represent the total monthly salary package for
each position, in Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) as of December 2016.
20 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 21
ENGINEERING
The hiring market in 2016 progressed Despite this, the most common change to salary was a 5-10%
increase, which the majority of Engineering professionals
at a steady but slower rate than the (38%) anticipate again for 2017. Employee salary expectations
previous year for the Engineering industry for the next 12 months have slightly reduced with one third
expecting an increase of over 15%, compared to nearly a half
in the GCC. While companies were of employees anticipating this when surveyed in 2015.
actively hiring, the volume of roles
available was reduced year on year. In Demand
This was reflected in the 28% of The reduction in hiring activity in 2016 compared to 2015,
Engineering professionals who started along with the continuing relocation of candidates to the
region has resulted in a high volume supply of available
a new job with a new company in 2016 Engineering candidates. As a result, there is strong
compared to 39% in 2015, as well as the competition amongst prospective employees for roles and
we have witnessed an uplift in the number of speculative
rise in the number of redundancies that applications being submitted to employers.
took place within the sector. Qualified Engineers with local experience are competencies
that are required as an absolute minimum by hiring managers
The low oil prices have had a knock on effect in all
looking for candidates in the market. As mentioned above,
industries and within the Engineering sector, this was
demand for facilities managers with retail experience
visible with the cancellation or delaying of projects,
(including MEP and HVAC sectors) has increased most
resulting in a reduction in the number of employment
notably compared to previous years.
contracts renewed year-on-year. Company budgets were also
reduced and the hiring of additional headcount therefore
dropped. These factors, along with redundancies and the
ongoing relocation of candidates to the region in search of
tax-free employment, has seen labour supply increase
further in the last 12 months. Moreover, 58% of Engineering
professionals anticipate moving to a new employer in 2017,
a marginally higher figure than those other professions
surveyed and highlighting the significant mobility of labour
within the sector. As a result, competition for jobs in the
market is fierce and we have noticed that more candidates
are willing to accept lower salaries, with 6% of Engineering
professionals experiencing a decrease in 2016. That being
said, the majority of salaries that changed in the last 12
months increased by 5-10%, the same as the average rate
for the GCC employment market, according to our survey.
Positively, hiring activity did pick up towards the end of
2016 for the Engineering profession and we anticipate this
to continue into 2017 as confidence in the market grows.
Most notably, there has been an increase in the number
of mall developments going ahead in the region and
consequently, there has been an uplift in the demand
for facilities managers with retail experience.
Salaries
40% of Engineering professionals experienced a change to
their salary in 2016 compared to 51% in 2015 and once again,
the main reason was due to individuals starting a new job
with a new company. Different from the previous year and in
line with the reduced company budgets mentioned above,
was the rise in the number of pay decreases experienced.
Of those whose salary changed, 16% received a pay decrease
compared to 6% in 2015.
ENGINEERING
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
Salary 1 1
Career development
28%
38%
Benefits package 1 1
Job security 2 3
28%
2015 23%
Career development 1 2
Increase your salary
34% I am happy in my role 2 n/a
39% Job security 3 3
Better benefits 12% Career progression 4 2
13% Challenging role/project 4 4
61% Benefits package 5 4
Made redundant 11%
4%
Work-life balance 5 7
72% Organisational culture 6 4
Other
8%
Location 6 5
n/a Other 7 n/a
Organisational culture 6 6
Organisational culture 8%
n/a
Yes No
External factors 6%
(better location, working hours) 7%
How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
8% 10%
A new career path 2 4 2016 2015
2015
2016
10% 38% Benefits package 3 6 A new job with a new company 1 1
40%
Lack of future opportunities 4 2 A promotion within
2 2
the same company
2015
23%
21% Concerns about job security 5 8 40%
Individual performance
3 4
related pay increase
19%
Location 6 3 Standard annual pay increase
4 3
51% 49% across the whole company
20%
Organisational culture 7 4 You requested a pay increase
5 5
60% and were successful
End of contract 8 7 A pay decrease across
5 6
the whole company
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years
Other 9 9 Other 7 7
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
24 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 25
ENGINEERING ENGINEERING
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
38%
2015 Increase by 5-10%
28% 20%
39%
15%
Increase by 11-15%
23%
15%
Increase by 16-20%
61% 21%
72%
Decrease by 5% or less 4%
n/a
Yes No 2%
Decrease more than 5%
n/a
Salaries shown here represent the total monthly salary package for
each position, in Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) as of December 2016.
26 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 27
HUMAN RESOURCES
Salaries
48% of HR professionals salaries changed in 2016, compared
to 60% in 2015 and in contrast to the 71% who anticipated
it would change when surveyed last year. Of those who
witnessed an increase, the single biggest reason was due
to individual performance related pay. Again, the survey
found this to be related to cost-conscious employers as
individual pay rises were typically lower than company-
wide increases within the profession. As with 2015, the
average change to salary was a 5-10% increase for HR
professionals working in the GCC.
The reduced market activity at the start of 2016 has seen a
decrease in employee salary expectations for 2017. A smaller
54% of HR professionals expect salary to change in 2017
than the 71% who did in 2016. While 3% anticipate a drop in
pay, which is the first time a decrease has been predicted by
survey respondents, the majority expect a 5-10% increase.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
I am happy in my role 1 n/a
Career development
29%
42%
Career development 1 2
26%
Job security 2 3
2015
Made redundant
19%
Benefits package 2 1
10% Salary 3 2
38% Organisational culture 3 3
Increase your salary 18% Organisational culture 4 4
22% Job security 4 4
62% Benefits package 5 5
Better benefits 13%
5%
Work-life balance 5 6
74% Career progression 6 1
This is my first job
10%
Challenging role/project 6 5
5% Other 6 n/a
Location 7 7
External factors 4%
(better location, working hours) 3%
Yes No
4%
Organisational culture How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
13%
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
2016 Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
12%
Salary increase 1 1 compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
12% 30%
Lack of future opportunities 2 2 2016 2015
2015
2016
14% 30% Benefits package 3 8 Individual performance
related pay increase 1 3
16%
Organisational culture 4 4 Standard annual pay increase
across the whole company 2 2
2015
A new career path 5 6 A new job with a new company 3 1
40%
22% 20%
21%
Concerns about job security 6 3 48% A promotion within
the same company 4 4
52%
23%
Location 7 7 60%
You requested a pay increase
and were successful 5 5
Other 8 9 A pay decrease across
the whole company 6 5
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years
End of contract 9 5 Other 7 7
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
30 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 31
HUMAN RESOURCES HUMAN RESOURCES
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
2016 2015
2016
20%
Increase less than 5%
22%
33%
2015 Increase by 5-10%
29% 37%
46% 17%
Increase by 11-15%
16%
54% 16%
Increase by 16-20%
15%
71%
Decrease by 5% or less 4%
n/a
Yes No
2%
Decrease more than 5%
n/a
32 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 33
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Salaries
34% of salaries changed in 2016 compared to 46% in 2015
and 48% in the GCC market as a whole in 2016. While 12% of
this change was a pay decrease, salaries in the professional
were relatively stable, with a higher percentage remaining
the same year-on-year compared to the rest of the GCC
employment market.
Of those IT professionals whose salaries did change,
the majority (59%) increased by up to 10%, a higher than
average increase than in 2015 and a significant growth
indicator for the profession in 2017.
The main reason for a change to salary in 2016 was
individual performance related pay rather than a standard
annual pay rise across the company or a new job with a
new company as was the case in 2015. This is indicative of
budget saving efforts by organisations, as individual pay
rises were typically lower than company-wide pay increases
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
34 hays.ae
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
Career
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
Job security 1 1
Career development 25% Benefits package 1 2
39%
23% Benefits package 2 5
24%
2015
Other
18%
Career development 2 1
0% Organisational culture 3 4 Work-life balance 3 5
Better benefits
14% Salary 3 3
4% Job security 4 3
I am happy in my role 3 n/a
76% Increase your salary
14%
21%
Organisational culture 5 7
Career progression 6 2
77%
Organisational culture
11%
Challenging role/project 6 4
7% Other 7 n/a
Location 7 6
7%
Made redundant
7%
Yes No
This is my first job 7%
How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
4%
External factors 4%
Positive Uncertain Negative
(better location, working hours) 18%
2016 61% 33% 6%
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
2016
compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
12%
Salary increase 1 1
9%
Benefits package 2 8 2016 2015
2015 2016 Individual performance
12%
13%
35%
A new career path 3 4 related pay increase 1 3
43% Standard annual pay increase
Organisational culture 3 3 across the whole company 2 1
34% 2015
A promotion within
13%
17% Lack of future opportunities 5 2 the same company 3 4
26%
Concerns about job security 6 5 46% A new job with a new company 4 1
54%
You requested a pay increase
20%
End of contract 7 7 and were successful 5 5
66% A pay decrease across
Location 8 5 the whole company 6 6
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years
Other 9 9 Other 6 7
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
2016 2015
2016
15%
Increase less than 5%
16%
21%
2015 Increase by 5-10%
34%
39%
38% 18%
Increase by 11-15%
23%
24%
Increase by 16-20%
62% 11%
61%
18%
Increase more than 20%
16%
2%
Decrease by 5% or less
n/a
Yes No
Salaries shown here represent the total monthly salary package for
each position, in Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) as of December 2016.
Salaries
A significant 59% of Legal professionals received a pay
increase in 2016, which is comparably higher than other
professions surveyed (where 38% experienced a pay rise)
and aligned exactly to last years survey predictions.
For those who received a change to their salary,
the average was an increase of 5-10%, marginally higher than
in 2015. More prevalent in 2016 was a pay rise as a result
of individual performance related pay compared to the
previous year whereby company-wide increases were the
single most common reason for a pay increase. We expect
this to continue as a theme for 2017 as organisations look to
maximise productivity of the workforce through individual
incentives and benefits packages.
Moving into 2017, salary expectations are on the up for
employees. 68% of Legal professionals anticipate a change
next year, 19% of whom expect an increase of over 20%
compared to just 4% the year before.
LEGAL
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
Job security 1 1
Career development
45% Benefits package 1 1
33%
Salary 2 2
2015 33%
Career development 2 2
22%
21%
Increase your salary
22% Benefits package 3 5
Job security 3 3
External factors 11% I am happy in my role 3 n/a
(better location, working hours) 12% Work-life balance 4 6
79% Career progression 5 4
78% Organisational culture 11% Organisational culture 5 5
11%
Other 6 n/a
0%
Challenging role/project 6 4
Made redundant
22% Organisational culture 7 2
Location 7 7
0%
Better benefits
0%
Yes No
0%
Other How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
0%
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
2016 Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
9%
Salary increase 1 1 compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
42 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 43
LEGAL LEGAL
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
8%
Increased more than 20%
14%
Decreased 4%
0%
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
2016 2015
2016
31%
Increase less than 5%
42%
31%
2015 32% Increase by 5-10%
21%
41% 15%
Increase by 11-15%
17%
68% 19%
Increase more than 20%
4%
Decrease by 5% or less 0%
n/a
Yes No 4%
Decrease more than 5%
n/a
Salaries shown here represent the total monthly salary package for
each position, in Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) as of December 2016.
44 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 45
OFFICE SUPPORT
Salaries
Of the 51% of Office Support professionals who experienced
a change to their salary in 2016, 18% saw a decrease, which
is a significant uplift from the 2% experiencing this in 2015.
The main reason for a change to salary was due to a new
job with a new company. This is indicative of the reduced
salaries employers in the region are paying to more junior-
level Office Support employees, where competition for
appointments is high.
In contrast, we have seen organisations invest more money
in hiring candidates with specialist skills and who possess
all of those in demand attributes (mentioned above),
believing that the right person will add significant value to
the business.
Despite the number of pay decreases, the most common
change to Office Support salaries in 2016 was a 5-10%
increase and most anticipate the same again for 2017.
OFFICE SUPPORT
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015
2016
Job security 1 2
Increase your salary 23% Benefits package 1 1
37%
I am happy in my role 2 n/a
31% 2015 21%
Career development 2 2
Career development
30% 30% Salary 3 1 Job security 3 3
Better benefits
16% Benefits package 4 5
2% Work-life balance 4 4
Organisational culture 5 4
70%
69%
Made redundant
12% Organisational culture 5 6
14%
Other 6 n/a
Other
12%
Challenging role/project 6 5
n/a Career progression 7 2 Location 7 7
External factors 10%
(better location, working hours) 9%
Yes No
4%
This is my first job How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months?
n/a
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
2016 Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
Salary increase 1 1 compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
21%
15% 2015
Benefits package 2 4 2016 2015
2016
34%
39% Lack of future opportunities 3 2 A new job with a new company 1 2
14% Individual performance
A new career path 4 3 related pay increase 2 2
10% 2015
Standard annual pay increase
Concerns about job security 5 4 across the whole company 3 1
17% 43% A promotion within
20% Organisational culture 6 6 51% 49% the same company 4 4
14%
57% You requested a pay increase
16%
Location 7 7 and were successful 5 5
End of contract 8 8 Other 6 7
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years A pay decrease across
Other 9 9 the whole company 7 6
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
48 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 49
OFFICE SUPPORT OFFICE SUPPORT
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
5%
Increased by 16-20%
3%
Decreased 18%
2%
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
2016 2015
2016
12%
Increase less than 5%
18%
32%
2015 Increase by 5-10%
36% 33%
35%
18%
Increase by 11-15%
14%
20%
Increase by 16-20%
65% 24%
64% 12%
Increase more than 20%
11%
Decrease by 5% or less 3%
n/a
Yes No
3%
Decrease more than 5%
n/a
Salaries shown here represent the total monthly salary package for
each position, in Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) as of December 2016.
50 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 51
SALES & MARKETING
Salaries
Salaries within the Sales and Marketing profession were
directly impacted by cost-cutting exercises in 2016.
Not only were salary changes down year on year
(49% of professionals received a change in 2016,
compared to 57% in 2015) but 20% of those changes were
a decrease, compared to 3% the previous year. Moreover,
the majority changed by an increase of up to 5%, which is
less than the 5-10% average pay rise experienced within
the profession in 2015. The main reason for change in salary
for Sales and Marketing professionals was due to a standard
annual pay increase across the whole company, rather than
being individually determined a further cost cutting
strategy since the survey found that inflation rates,
specific to the Sales and Marketing profession, were typically
SALES & MARKETING
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
2016 Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
10%
Salary increase 1 1 compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
10%
Benefits package 2 7 2016 2015
11% 2015 2016
34%
37% Lack of future opportunities 3 2 Standard annual pay increase
across the whole company 1 2
17%
Organisational culture 4 4 A new job with a new company 2 1
2015
A new career path 5 5 Individual performance
related pay increase 3 3
22% 17%
22%
Concerns about job security 6 3 49%
43% A promotion within
the same company 4 4
51%
20%
Location 7 6 57%
You requested a pay increase
and were successful 5 5
End of contract 8 7 A pay decrease across
the whole company 6 n/a
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years Other 9 9 Other 7 n/a
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
Yes No
SALES & MARKETING
54 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 55
SALES & MARKETING SALES & MARKETING
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
Decreased 20%
3%
Sales
Position Range Average
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes Sales Director 40,00091,500 60,000
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
Head of Business Development 35,00045,000 40,000
13%
Increase by 16-20%
61% 15%
71%
Decrease by 5% or less 3%
0%
Yes No
1%
Decrease more than 5%
0%
56 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 57
SUPPLY CHAIN
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months:
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year?
Salary
2016 2015
Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year If answered Yes
2016
Salary increase 1 1 compared to last? What was your salary change a result of?
16%
Benefits package 2 8 2016 2015
18% 2015 2016
Standard annual pay increase
40%
A new career path 3 4 across the whole company 1 1
10%
6% 42% Individual performance related
Lack of future opportunities 4 2 pay increase 2 2
2015
9%
Organisational culture 5 6 33% A new job with a new company 3 3
13% A promotion within
25%
Concerns about job security 6 3 49% 51% the same company 4 4
A pay decrease across
Location 7 4 the whole company 5 n/a
21% 67%
You requested a pay increase
End of contract 8 7 and were successful 6 5
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years Other 9 9 Other 7 n/a
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
60 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 61
SUPPLY CHAIN SUPPLY CHAIN
EMPLOYEE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SALARY GUIDE
Decreased 29%
0%
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered Yes
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
2016 2015
2016
12%
Increase less than 5%
22%
33%
2015 Increase by 5-10%
28% 36% 35%
25%
Increase by 11-15%
14%
16%
Increase by 16-20%
64% 72% 13%
11%
Increase more than 20%
16%
0%
Decrease by 5% or less
n/a
Yes No
3%
Decrease more than 5%
n/a
Salaries shown here represent the total monthly salary package for
each position, in Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) as of December 2016.
62 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 63
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
CAREER, SALARIES & WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Career
Did you start employment with a new organisation this year? If answered yes: What factors are keeping you with your current employer? Aside from salary, what is the most important factor to you when
What made you move to a new organisation this year? considering a new job?
2016 2015
2016 2015 2016 2015 2014
2016
Job security 1 3
Career development
31% Career development 1 2 1
37% I am happy in my role 2 n/a
27%
2015 18%
Benefits package 2 1 3
31% Increase your salary
27%
Salary 3 2
Job security 3 3 n/a
13% Benefits package 4 5
Made redundant
8% Organisational culture 4 6 n/a
69%
Organisational culture 5 4
73% Better benefits 12% Work-life balance 5 5 4
6% Career progression 6 1
External factors 9%
Challenging role/project 6 4 2
(better location, working hours) 11%
Other 7 n/a
Location 7 7 n/a
Other 8%
0%
Yes No
6%
Organisational culture When it comes to benefits specifically, which are important to you when considering a new role?
8%
3%
This is my first job
3%
Flexible working 91%
When do you anticipate you will next move to a new job with If answered within 6 months or between 6-12 months: Financial support for 63%
a new organisation? Why are you looking to change your job within a year? professional studies
Life insurance 61%
2016 2015
2016 Share incentives 59%
Salary increase 1 1 Onsite subsidised facilities
14% 35%
(e.g. gym, healthcare)
12%
Benefits package 2 8 Childcare vouchers 34%
2015 35%
12% 35%
A new career path 3 3 Above statutory 30%
13% maternity/paternity leave
Lack of future opportunities 3 2 Discounts on company
products or services
22%
18%
Organisational culture 5 4 Other 28%
19% 22%
Concerns about job security 6 5 None of the above 22%
20%
Location 7 6
End of contract 8 7
Within 6 months Between 2-3 years Other 8 n/a
Between 6-12 months More than 3 years
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
64 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 65
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
CAREER, SALARIES & WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Salary
How do you feel about your career prospects for the next 12 months? Did your salary change (increase or decrease) this year compared If answered yes:
to last? By what percentage did your salary change?
Positive Uncertain Negative
2016 2015 2014
2016 62% 33% 5%
20%
2015 65% 31% 4% Increased by less than 5% 23%
2016
24%
26%
48% 52% Increased by 5-10% 28%
Do you feel you have the skills needed to fulfil your current role? Do you feel that there is scope for career progression within
37%
your organisation?
3% 13%
Increased by 11-15% 11%
2016
14%
23%
2015 2014
Increased by over 15% 34%
2015 38% 23%
3% 52% 48% 6%
45%
Decreased up to 5% 0%
62% 0%
55%
5%
Decreased by 6-10% 0%
97% 1%
Yes No
97% 7%
Decreased over 10% 4%
1%
Yes No Yes No
If answered yes:
What was your salary change a result of?
Other 6 6 4
A pay decrease across the
7 7 5
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
whole company
66 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 67
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
CAREER, SALARIES & WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Work-life balance
Do you realistically expect your current salary to change in the If answered yes: Do you currently use any of the following flexible working options?
next 12 months? By how much do you realistically expect your salary to change?
14% 12% 3% 2%
2016 2015 2014
16%
2016 Increase by less than 5% 17%
21% Working from home or Flexi-time scope to change Compressed hours for example, Term-time working - paid
39% working remotely work hours outside of core fitting a five-day week into or unpaid leave during
31% business periods four days school holidays
2% 2% 2% 61%
Increase by 5 - 10% 32%
38%
61%
18%
Increase by 11 - 15% 51% Annual hours agreed hours Part-time working Job sharing splitting full-time None of the above
41% split into set and reserve shifts, hours with another person
worked as demand dictates in the same role
2015 2014 21% 29%
32% Increase by more than 15% n/a
n/a Are any of the following flexible working options important to you when considering a new role?
6%
Decrease n/a
68% n/a Working from home or working remotely 35%
79%
Flexi-time scope to change work hours
34%
outside of core business periods
Compressed hours for example,
18%
fitting a five-day week into four days
Yes No
Annual hours agreed hours split into set and 7%
reserve shifts, worked as demand dictates
Part-time working 6%
Are you happy with this expected salary change? If answered no: What is the reason? Term-time working paid or unpaid 6%
leave during school holidays
2016 2015 Job sharing splitting full-time hours
5%
with another person in the same role
2016
31%
Cost of living None of the above 30%
50%
Other 2%
Yes No
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
Average
68 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 69
EMPLOYER SURVEY RESULTS
HEADCOUNT, SALARIES, SKILLS & CONTRACTS
Headcount
Did your organisation experience a change to staffing levels If answered yes: By how much do you expect headcount within your organisation Do you expect to encounter any of the following challenges when
(increase or decrease) this year compared to last year? By how much did staffing levels change in the last year? to change in the next year? recruiting staff in 2017?
Yes No Unsure 2%
Decrease by over 10%
2%
Cost cutting 29%
2%
Decrease by unknown amount
Business restructuring 25% n/a
Downsizing 3%
Contract finished 3%
How would you describe the outlook for your business in the next year?
Other 14%
Positive Neutral Negative
Are you planning on recruiting additional staff in 2017? If you do you plan to recruit contract staff in 2017, what are
the reasons? 2015 49% 41% 10%
18%
Yes permanent No
and contract staff
70 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 71
EMPLOYER SURVEY RESULTS
HEADCOUNT, SALARIES, SKILLS & CONTRACTS
Salary Skills
Did your organisation offer a company-wide pay increase this year If answered yes: Do you think your organisation has the talent needed to achieve its 2017 objectives?
compared to last year? By how much, on average, did salaries change by?
Managerial/Leadership 24%
Sales 19%
Engineering 13%
Yes No
Operations (principal 13%
function of the business)
UAE Nationals 13%
If answered no: By how much do you expect salaries within your organisation to
Did your organisation offer a pay increase to individual high change in the next year? HR 12%
performers?
Finance 9%
2016 2015 2014
Marketing 8%
43%
less than 5% increase 36% Technicians 7%
56%
Administration 7%
12%
Increase by 5 - 10% 25% Research and Development 7%
45% 35%
Medical 4%
4%
Increase by more than 10% 9% Languages 3%
55% 9%
Facilities 1%
39%
Remain the same 27% Other 4%
n/a
2%
Decrease 3%
Yes No n/a
EMPLOYER SURVEY RESULTS
72 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 73
EMPLOYER SURVEY RESULTS
HEADCOUNT, SALARIES, SKILLS & CONTRACTS
Employment contract
Which of the following benefits does your organisation offer employees as part of a standard employment package?
Other 12%
65%
Flexitime scope to change
39%
Home or remote working
40% work hours outside of core
business periods
60%
20%
Part-time working
5%
Job sharing splitting full-time
hours with another person
in the same role
Yes No
4%
Compressed hours
4%
Term-time working paid
for example, fitting a five-day or unpaid leave during
week into four days school holidays
1% 6%
EMPLOYER SURVEY RESULTS
74 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 hays.ae GCC Salary & Employment Report 2017 75
OUR SPECIALIST AREAS
76 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2016 GCC Salary & Employment Report 2016 77
ABOUT US
32
From our offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
we focus on offering permanent and
contract recruitment solutions across
the GCC. Were proud of the long-lasting Specialist recruitment consultants
300+
relationships weve built with all of our
clients since first launching in 2005.
Our overriding aim is to build enduring relationships with
all our clients across the GCC and find you the right people Total years of recruitment experience
to match your specific needs and help your organisation to
2005
flourish.
Counting a client portfolio that spans from small and
medium-sized enterprises to leading multinational
organisations, we draw on our in-depth industry expertise
and local market knowledge to provide solutions that work The year Hays GCC was established
for you.
We can source candidates from an international talent pool
and whatever your competency requirements, we can find
you the people who can not only fit into your culture but
can make a real difference to your organisation.
100,000
Database of candidates
Our consultants are all experienced experts in their field.
They will take time to discuss your needs and ensure that
they deliver the optimal and most cost-effective solution
every time.
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