Is low UAE salary giving you stress? You are not alone

More than half of respondents in a regional survey agree that workplaces today are more stressful than they were a few years ago, with low salaries a main reason contributing to their stress.

Bayt.com, a leading job site, said while 52 per cent of the respondents in its survey in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region reported workplace stress, more than two thirds (69.1 per cent) agreed that they felt more pressure at work this year in comparison to last year.


The poll titled, 'Stress in the Mena Workplace', revealed that a majority of respondents feel overwhelmed at work (83 per cent), with 26.2 per cent feeling overwhelmed 'all of the time', and 74.8 per cent claiming that jobs at their companies are more demanding than others. More than a third (35 per cent) claim to spend too much time at work, while a quarter say they spend just the right amount of time. Just 2.9 per cent admit that they are spending too little time at work.

According to respondents, stress does not affect work performance the most. For them, stress affects their family relations the most, with 27.9 per cent of the respondents saying so. This is followed by their friendships (21 per cent), work performance (19.9 per cent) and health (16.4 per cent). The three main stress factors for Mena respondents are their financial situation (40 per cent), their work (19 per cent) and their personal issues (18 per cent).


While almost a quarter of respondents (24.7 per cent) claim to experience an average amount of stress at work, 57.4 per cent of them find the workplace stressful; with 17.6 per cent admitting that their workplace is 'extremely stressful' and 19.7 per cent claiming to experience 'a little stress at work'. Some 18 per cent of the respondents claim their workplace is not stressful at all.

A low salary is the main stress factor at work for 28.2 per cent of Mena respondents. Other stress factors include a lack of job security (12.3 per cent), the workplace environment (9.7 per cent) and not having a work-life balance (9.1 per cent).

In addition, 40 per cent of the respondents claim that technologies, such as e-mail, laptops and phones, intended to make their lives easier, are actually contributing to work stress; 42.1 per cent believe the opposite to be true.

A quarter of the respondents (25 per cent) agree that engaging in regular team meetings and working for a company that offers flexible hours (23.9 per cent) will reduce the stress component. In fact, more than three quarters claim they could do a much better job if given more time (77.4 per cent).

Over two thirds of the respondents (67.9 per cent) admit they can express their thoughts or complain about their workload, and the majority receive adequate acknowledgment when their work is good (82.7 per cent). Moreover, 92.2 per cent have adequate control over their work duties and almost three quarters (73.6 per cent) agree that the management is sensitive to, and helpful, in resolving needs, conflicts, or other problems that are stressful for employees.

To resolve their stress issues, 43.6 per cent of respondents exercise more frequently, while 39.7 per cent turn to socialising with friends after work.
"Work-related stress can be caused by poor work organisation, poor work design, unsatisfactory working conditions, low salaries and lack of support from colleagues and managers," said Suhail Masri, vice-president of employer solutions at Bayt.com.

- issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai

Issac John

issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com