Dubai: There is an ongoing debate about what makes employees more productive and deliver great results. Some say people are much more motivated to work if they get to enjoy more benefits, public holidays or higher compensation. Others highlight the importance of good leadership and flexibility in the workplace.
But human resources (HR) specialists argue that today’s employees don’t just take into account the size of a paycheck or the frequency of holidays. Things that also matter to professionals include career progression and opportunities for learning and development.
According to Markus Wiesner, chief executive officer at HR consulting firm Aon Hewitt Middle East, the key ingredients include professional growth and confidence in leadership.
“The higher salary and better holidays typically serve as strong tools to attract the employees to join the organization. However, in the long term, in order to engage and retain employees, aspects such as career progression, confidence in leadership and learning and development opportunities become more important,” said Wiesner.
In Aon Hewitt’s recent study, UAE nationals in the private sector indicated that they are more engaged at work than their counterparts in the government. According to the new Qudurat study, Emiratis working outside the public sector reported significantly higher engagement levels (60 per cent) compared to their peers in the public sector (34 per cent).
This is because the private sector has made significant headway in terms of engaging their staff despite the widely held belief that the public sector offers more benefits and higher pay.
“Employees in the private sector report a significantly high sense of accomplishment from their work. They have opportunities to do meaningful and satisfying work and learn and develop their skills. These factors are some of the highest contributors to employee engagement levels in the private sector,” Wiesner pointed out.
