At a time when headlines on the ‘great resignation’ are splashed regularly across newspapers and the internet, a new study has shown that all’s not lost for employers as they reopen their offices in a post-pandemic world.
Two-thirds (66 per cent) of employees in the UAE feel loyal to their current company, a survey by job portal Bayt.com and market research agency YouGov shows.
Of the respondents, 44 per cent had been working with their current company for four years or more. Only 11 per cent reported not feeling loyal.
Benefits of employee loyalty
In the UAE, 86 per cent of employees feel highly engaged in their daily work and 51 per cent will stay in their current organisation for a long time even though other companies might offer them better salaries. Loyal employees who are engaged and satisfied at work are the cornerstone of a business. A whopping 77 per cet of employees feel proud when talking about their company’s products and services and 71 per cent would recommend their company as a good workplace to others.
Engaged and loyal employees are more productive, creative, and lead to reduced costs. Better work quality (75 per cent), increased productivity (65 per cent) and going the extra mile (60 per cent) are some of the top perceived benefits of employee loyalty, according to survey data.
Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com, says: “Our latest research sheds light on what connects employees to their current organisations. Factors such as recognition, salary and benefits play a major role in making employees feel that they are valued. The UAE’s most loyal employees not only bring success to their organisation, they are invested in their work and consistently try to improve themselves to drive better business outcomes.”
Factors affecting employee loyalty
This research highlights that having an employee engagement strategy gives employers a competitive advantage in recruiting, retaining and engaging employees. Basic salary (48 per cent), employee-job fit (34 per cent) and additional benefits offered by the company (31 per cent) are the top three factors perceived to impact employee loyalty the most across the UAE.
The survey also showed that employees want their employers to develop a positive culture. In the MENA region, lack of trust in the management of the current employer (55 per cent) is the top reason for not feeling loyal towards the company. This is followed by the lack of job security with 39% of the employees saying so.
When asked about what can employers do to increase the loyalty among their employees, a higher proportion of UAE respondents believe that creating growth opportunities for the employees (54 per cent), rewards/recognition (48 per cent) and providing benefits (43 per cent) are some of the major factors that can create an impact.
On the other hand, lack of opportunities to grow (54 per cent), heavy workload at all times/unequal distribution of work (52 per cent), consistently disregarding employee suggestions (49 per cent) and lack of open communication with direct managers (49 per cent) are some of the top perceived catalysts that can cause damage to employee’s loyalty.
Zafar Shah, Research Director at YouGov, says: “Employee loyalty is a key driver of workforce stability in today’s fast-changing professional landscape. Several factors including compensation and benefits, career development, work environment and workplace relationships drive employee experiences and loyalty. Hence, becoming more competitive with employee compensation and total rewards would be a wise investment for most organizations.”
