UAE tops Gulf for average salary rise in private sector

Dubai: The UAE witnessed a 16 per cent rise in the salaries of private sector employees in 2008 - marking the highest increase in the Gulf region, according to a recent study.

The study, conducted by a Dubai-based company specialising in administrative development, covered a number of private service companies in the fields of money exchange, finance, insurance, property development, oil and information technology.

The study put Qatar in second place with a 14 per cent average salary increase, followed by Oman with an average increase of 11 per cent.

Bahrain and Kuwait were in joint fourth place with a 9 per cent increase and were followed by Saudi Arabia with an average increase of 8 per cent.

Dr Ali Sharab, an administrative expert at the firm that conducted the study, urged businesses to open transparent dialogue with employees to evolve work environments that would suit both parties given that the size of demand for administrative cadres outstripped supply.