Dubai: A new federal decision to allow full-time skilled professionals, tradespeople and workers to work part time for multiple employers is good news for both UAE employers and employees, said a cross section of the labour market on Tuesday.
Companies can now secure talented part-time workers to bolster permanent employee rosters from a national worker pool that will deepen considerably since the decision announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation on Monday.
University and college-educated doctors, lawyers, scientists and skilled tradespeople and technicians who want to earn extra money over and above their regular full-time salary can now seek part-time work and are not obliged to inform their permanent employer of the additional work.
Residents who spoke with Gulf News on Tuesday were overwhelmingly in favour of the new multiple contract system saying it will bring the UAE into a more prosperous future and help workers counter growing costs of living in the country.
It could also boost quality of health care by allowing doctors to extend their care across the sector.
Inato Awomi, operations manager at Soundlines HR Consultancy in Dubai, said the decision will expand the job market considerably and provide much more flexibility for companies looking for skilled labour.
“This is good news for everybody,” said Awomi. “There’s no harm in earning extra money to counter higher expenses.”
Awomi said applicants to his recruitment firm don’t always land that first full-time job and may gain part-time work for experience that will eventually help land permanent work in the long term.
“This definitely gives skilled workers more options to get more experience,” Awomi said.
Girish Arora |
Girish Arora, operations manager at Number One Tower Suites, a 214-room hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road in Dubai, said the new rules will increase availability of skilled tradespeople needed to keep the hospitality industry running smoothly.
“This will definitely help us get the right people. All hotels will benefit, especially 24-hour operations,” he said. “We are always in need of air-conditioning technicians, plumbers, maintenance workers.”
Large multinational companies are also taking notice of the new rules to see how the provisions will help expand employee pools.
Christine Geary, human resources director at Nestlé Middle East, told Gulf News that the firm is weighing the new rules.
“Nestlé Middle East currently has part-time contracts in place as we are a company that encourages flexibility. This news looks interesting and we look forward to understanding further details on its application,” Geary said.
Health care professionals, meanwhile, said new part-time allowances will likely boost the quality of doctor care in the country
Dr Jean Marc Gauer |
Dr Jean Marc Gauer, head of the department of surgery and CEO of RAK Hospital, said: “This move to have multiple employer contracts for doctors is a very good one. For a hospital like RAK which has 60 beds and has to cater to the entire tertiary care in our emirate, very often getting a good super speciality doctor such as a neurosurgeon on board is a challenge.
“But now with doctors having multiple employers we will be able to manage to get the best as doctors will be keen on serving wider communities. For the doctors themselves, this will drive healthy competition and keep them on their toes,” Dr Gauer said.
Dr Anurag Sapolia |
Dr Anurag Sapolia, orthopaedic surgeon at Medeor 24/7 Hospital, Dubai, said the decision will benefit “patients who have to come from a neighbouring emirate for a doctor. In case where a patient cannot afford a particular health care facility on his health insurance cover, the doctor could have the opportunity to go to a smaller, modest clinic to serve such patients and provide them a chance at availing his consultancy.
“More practice, more exposure to challenging cases will only serve to enhance the professional skills of the health care professional and benefit both the health care community at large and the cause of better public health,” Dr Sapolia said.
