UAE jobs: Majority of citizens expect salary hike in 2023, some even more than 10%

The majority of the UAE citizens – eight out of 10 – expect an increase in their salaries this year, said a new survey report released on Monday.

According to a report by Tasc Outsourcing, a leading recruitment firm in the region, 17.75 per cent of Emiratis expect a salary hike of 10 per cent and above while 27.8 per cent and 22.5 per cent of nationals hope an increase of 5-8 per cent and 8-10 per cent, respectively.

Around 13.6 per cent see an increment of less than five per cent while 18.3 per cent don’t expect a hike this year.

The survey is based on responses from 500 UAE nationals to understand the representation of Emirati citizens in the country’s workforce.

The survey comes as the UAE government is pushing to increase the quota of Emiratisation in the private sector to accommodate more UAE nationals in the job market.

Majority not happy with salary

A majority – 64 per cent – of the nationals said they were not satisfied with their current salaries while only 36 per cent were happy with what they were getting.

“Employers would do well to review compensation strategies to ensure motivation levels remain high amongst UAE nationals and secure long-term success for their Emiratisation efforts,” Tasc Consulting said in its 46-page guidebook – Making Emiratisation a Success 2023.

The recruitment agency noted that offering attractive salaries will put firms in good stead in the competitive job market as not just attracting but retaining Emirati talent is also crucial for private sector entities.

“We are seeing the reality of an alarmingly competitive employment landscape, one in which employers must re-strategise if they hope to retain local talent. This means providing support for professional studies and investing in upskilling Emirati workers more than ever so that they have clear career advancement paths and job security,” said Mahesh Shahdadpuri, founder and CEO, TASC Outsourcing.

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Apart from salary, the study found that benefits and packages, job security, career development, work-life balance, employer brand and remote/hybrid work options also influence UAE citizens when considering a new job.

Tasc Outsourcing warned that companies which neglect these factors “risk losing out on top Emirati candidates to competitors”.

“While salary remains the key consideration for Emiratis, it is not the only factor that influences their job search. Employers who understand these motivations can build a work environment that meets the needs of both the employee and the employer, resulting in increased job satisfaction and employee retention overall,” it said.

Average salaries of Emiratis (in dirhams)

Non-technology sectors

Job Average Salary

CFO 180,000

Finance manager 75,000

General accountant 22,000

Operational and general management

CEO 200,000

COO 70,000

Operations manager 38,000

Procurement

Director 80,000

Purchasing manager 47,000

Procurement officer 9,000

HR & Administration

CHRO 95,000

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com