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Banks are splashing the cash on locals as they struggle to meet nationalization targets within a limited talent pool. But what do they really think about this?
The government in the UAE has decreed that in all firms 40% of employees should be locals, which is no mean feat when you consider that only 20% of the population are Emiratis. Add niche banking skills to the mix and it becomes even harder to attract the right candidates.
It’s no surprise that banks are playing against each other for talent, and as a result packages for locals are heading northwards.
Hani Hirzallah, head of human resources (GCC) at Barclays, which has grown from 100 employees to 900 in the last year in Dubai, and won two awards for its Emiratization programme, says: “We tend to review all staff salaries on an annual basis, but it is necessary to do it on an ad hoc basis for UAE candidates, such is the competition for positions.”
Salaries for locals in the UAE come in at around a third higher, or banks will reward them in other ways.
Tim Knight, head of compensation and benefits at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, adds: “We have expats and locals on the same grade, but pay our nationals a more generous allowance based on the qualification they have – cost of living allowance or bonuses. It makes it easier to manage, and costs don’t go to the bottom line.”
Elsewhere in the GCC locals don’t enjoy such a hallowed status. Alison Abu, executive director/head of human resources at Gulf Finance House in Bahrain, says: “Nationalization is on the agenda here, but we don’t have such an obligation to fulfil the quota. Generally, those from Western Europe get paid more than locals because they have better skills and experience. And you have to pay expats more to attract them here.”
Dr Ramakrishna Mowa, acting head of HR at Emirates Bank, reckons the number of locals in the bank varies at different levels. At associate level, 60% are UAE nationals, in middle management the figure’s 30-40%, and at the senior management end it shoots up to 70%.
He adds: “Expat employees are an integral part of the talent pool, and mixing it up helps internal competition and raises the performance bar.”
it is about talent and performance. a nationality earning more than others is illegal in the west and amounts to nothing more than racism.
expats does not have the right to compare themselves with UAE citizens, this is our country and if you dont like the idea, you are free to leave at once. This country has made generations of expats live with dignity & created a very safe and comfortable life which they never dreamed of. expats are well paid here. your countries did not pay you third of what you get on this land. Have some respect for those who feed, teach, protect you & your children. be polite with your host. thats the least you can provide to payback the favor. in all countries, priority is for the citizens and citizens ONLY. You Have To live with it.
Emirati ppl most of them cant get a job by comptency or talent.. I agree with Mr Emirati the previous post who said “” priority is for the citizens and citizens ONLY “”
but wat happens if the citizen can be comptent u can jus ignore or push someone in to job like most emiratis
for eg a co-lleague of mine ( i work for a investmen bank ) earns around 25- 30 AED/PM . he is an emirati who can write a proper sentence inenglish without a spelling mistake nor does he speak any other languge other than Arabic…what a shame…….
in any other part of the world ( australia,india,england,SA,usa,japan etc etc ) all the recruits have a pre-assesment competency interview etc etc but in this country if ur a emirati u r assured job even if u dont know a single S*&T
With regards to what the proud Emirati said… my dear, I think as a host you should be a bit more kind with your choice of words when refering to expats. By the way you don’t feed us, teach us and so forth… keep in mind expats work in all these fields and we pay for all these services with our hard earned money…. Unlike you who gets everything on a silver platter and still are not satisfied. Yes we do live here but we do go by your rules as well, so I don’t know what your big issue is. cheers!
I dont know weather to laugh or cry at ‘Emiratis’ comment! Emirati wake up and smell the coffee. If all expats were to leave your country your economy would collapse. You talk about the rights of the citizens but be honest with yourself, this fantastic life which you are enjoying today- the grand buildings, the coffee shops, the malls- who built this? It was designed by western expats and physically built by the poorer classes from the less privelaged regions of the world and islamically they have a right over you too. How exactly do you qualify the statement ‘those who feed, teach, protect you & your children’?!! If you pay someone a salary, its not a favour!- its for their hard work and dillgent service. You dont owe them nor feed them. I think your comment reflects v badly on the rest of the UAE people as well as muslims and arabs. Btw im muslim and arab but im sick of these double standards. I would say that expats should ‘respect’ the local customs and as far as I know, they do that. Btw expats live in ‘dignity’ in their home countries too (shock horror for you!) and perhaps YOU should show them some respect. As far as ‘payback the favour’ goes, they owe you nothing.