According to a recent survey, many UAE employees struggling to cope with stress at work, and a lot more needs to be done to boost workforce morale. Your employees’ wellbeing directly correlates with their levels of productivity and performance, which, in turn, corresponds to the performance of the entire organisation. In the UAE, however, corporate wellness is a major issue that needs to be addressed.
The latest Towers Watson’s Global Workforce Study (GWS) was conducted between February and May 2012 and covered 32,000 employees around the world, 1,000 of which are based in the UAE. It showed that work-related stress and money continue to weigh on the minds of UAE employees more than their global counterparts. If workers feel happy in their job, they are more likely to be motivated and work hard, which helps your company to achieve its goals. However, the results of the survey mean that UAE companies may suffer low employee productivity and financial performance, due to a lack of emotional wellness.
42% of those surveyed reported feeling excessive pressure from their job, and 56% are insecure about the future of their finances. The study also revealed that only 30% of employees feel their company supports policies that promote staff health and wellbeing, which is 12% less than the global average. This has led to a reduction in employee loyalty, with 44% believing they are likely to leave their company within the next two years, and a further 31% unsure if they can stick to their current job.
Billy Turriff, business leader for data, surveys and technology at Towers Watson Middle East, said, ‘The research paints a worrying picture of employee wellbeing and overall engagement levels within the UAE. Many organisations are currently operating with a disillusioned workforce that is not working to its full potential.’ He surmised that employees feel much less stable about their job because the employment landscape in the UAE, which used to be a jobseeker’s market, has changed.
He recommended employers introduce innovation, creativity and confidence back into their business, so that employees ‘can break through the current ambition ceiling we are seeing’ and feel assured of their career options. ‘Employers need to review their total reward offering [both financial and non-financial] and challenge if the current arrangements support the business strategy and are aligned to employee preferences,’ Turriff added.
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