Indian women secretaries thrive in Oman job market

Muscat: As more and more expatriates get replaced in Oman due to Omanisation and pandemic-driven cost-cutting measures, a sizeable segment of Indian women have gone undetected by the radars of Omanisation and work retrenchment.

Their dedication to work, and bonds established by years of working together in close proximity as executive secretaries and personal assistants, have tilted the balance in their favour.

As per the 2020 Statistical Yearbook data from National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) Oman, Indian women topped the list of expat women employed in government sector. The data also revealed that Indian women comprised 37 per cent of the total Indian workforce employed in the government sector in 2019. However, over the last two years, many new labour laws introduced in the country, saw lesser employment opportunities for expatriates and more so for expatriate women in government and private sector. Omanisation drive is on a priority footing and several jobs handled hitherto by expatriate men and women are now earmarked for Omanis.

“I lost my job in 2017 when the administrators’ posts, which were mainly handled by Indian women, got Omanised. One of the early job posts to be Omanised a few years back was that of executive secretaries or executive coordinators and administrators,” Malavika Kumar, who was working in a leading airline in Oman, said.

Kumar said there were well-qualified Omani women with the right vocational qualification in the job market, for these positions.

While major banks, telecom companies and airlines have almost done away with expatriates, especially expatriate women, there are some lucky ones still in service as executive coordinators or secretaries in these industries.

'Indispensable'

Gaurav Sharma, who works as a Managing Director in a leading FMCG distribution company in the capital, said his executive coordinator has been working with him for the last 15 years. “Though the post of an executive assistant or coordinator is much lower in the organisational ladder, the minute and clerical work that they do make them almost indispensable. The executive coordinators have not only to deal with their own mood swings, but also of their bosses, the departmental staff and yet act and work like everything is normal. Over a period of time, we get used to them managing a proper balance in our work and we resist replacing them.”

Sameer Al Zadjali who heads a growing real estate company in Muscat said it is difficult these days to get someone who can do the secretarial jobs for the salary that he pays to his current secretary. “She has been working with me for over 10 years and knows the job so well. So, why should I replace her, by paying more for someone whose work capability I am not sure of?”

“The hard-working secretaries over a period of time form a special bond with their employers and that helps them retain their jobs as we have seen in the recent times. And the fact that they are working with top tier management also helps,” Maryam Moosa, who runs a recruitment agency, said.

Not everyone is in agreement with this trend as Sara Al Balushi, working with a leading bank in Oman, said.

“There are many Omani women in the market who are in need of jobs. I know of Omani ladies who need the jobs more than the expatriate women. They have parents and younger siblings to look after and their qualifications make them a good fit. I am sure the government will address these issues as this is one of the major focus areas for Oman Vision 2040.”