Workers in GCC are clueless in workplace

Dubai : Most employees in the GCC do not know or understand the strategic goals, mission and vision of their companies and what they stand for, new research on employee attitudes and workplace trends reveals.

The Global Workforce Study (GWS), a semi-annual survey conducted by global professional services company Towers Watson, noted that in the current climate of uncertainty and constant change, GCC employees seek clear and effective leadership but are not necessarily convinced they get it.

According to the survey, 68 per cent of GCC employees report that they feel energised when senior leaders communicate the mission and vision of the organisation.

But when asked how well senior leaders display the characteristics associated with effective leadership, responses are less favourable.

Employees interviewed by Gulf News seem to agree with the survey findings.

Eloisa, a document controller in a construction company, said: Our senior managers never made an effort to explain the company's mission and vision. We are also not aware of our company's strategic goals.

"We don't hold meetings to discuss our company standing and we don't set goals. We just go with the flow."

Kyrie Villaluz, a sales engineer in a trading company in Jebel Ali, thinks that smaller companies are able to communicate the mission and vision better to their employees.

"I think lack of communication, transparency and not letting the employee know his or her worth and value is more prevalent in bigger companies, where many employees are not being noticed.

"You end up being like a small fish in a very big pond," Villaluz told Gulf News. "In a small company like ours, I don't think that communication and transparency is an issue since we can communicate well on how to meet the company's mission, vision, objective..."

Nonetheless, the survey indicates that GCC employees generally rate their leadership more favourably than those in the US and Europe.

The survey results demonstrate that employees in the US have dramatically lowered expectations regarding their careers.

On-the-job advancement now takes a back seat to a growing desire for workplace security and stability all at the very point in time when traditional employment safety nets are eroding.