2016 is to be a less buoyant year for salaries in the GCC compared to the previous 12 months. While employers sentiment for the year ahead is positive, there is less optimism than in 2015. Hays GCC 2016 Salary & Employment Report, published today by recruiting experts Hays, found that 49 per cent of employers feel positive about 2016 compared to a higher 69 per cent who felt the same in 2015.
Nicos Nicolaides is Compensation and Benefits Director at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Fresh from speaking at the Compensation and Benefits Forum in Dubai, he details the steps IHG has taken to improve its reward offering and how these now align better with business goals.
According to a survey of 1,021 UAE residents by YouGov, 46% hope to retire before the age of 60. Zurich’s survey also finds 36% of respondents expect to live in retirement between 10 and 20 years with another 39% expecting to be retired for over 20 years.
For the 3rd year, this research study, conducted with 161 GCC organisations across the full spectrum of industry sectors, highlights the continuing need to manage and control C&B budgets to avoid spiralling costs, whilst simultaneously motivating the workforce.
GCC wages are set to rise at an average of 5% in 2015, rebounding from a brief dip to 4.8% last year, according to Towers Watson’s latest Salary Budget Planning report. However, figures collected from general industry indicate that this rate of salary will descend back to 4.8% into 2016.
Those lucky enough to receive a company bonus may get excited at the prospect of a bumper pay packet during the ‘bonus season’ in March and April, but the reality is that the majority of people in the United Arab Emirates are using this extra cash to settle debt or pay bills.
Having Flexible Benefits can be critical for some multinationals that are based in countries where the state provision is relatively low and therefore have a multitude of private offerings. These organisations then apply the same Flexible Benefits strategies that are suitable for their specific countries on the global level, importing them to other regions. However, the same Flexible Benefits programmes that are so big in the US or in Europe become a lot less prevalent in the Middle East
The Middle East’s largest HR event is just around the corner with over 60 free seminars and 70 leading HR solution providers. To help you make the most of it, we put together a list of 9 things you should do at the show.
A current hot topic touted by many in the Human Resources and Organization Development fields today is one of flexi-hours and/or remote working conditions. Many present-day corporate environmental elements impact flexi-hours and remote working conditions. For example, the nature of the business, the trust level of the leader, the discipline of the individual, the needs of the customer …
Head of Rewards at Siemens plc had a chat with the HR Observer when in town for the 18th Compensation and Benefits Forum. We had the chance to catch up with Karen and ask her a few questions about rewards at Siemens.
