Companies 'must follow banks on Emiratisation'

Al Ain, April 15, 2012

Major players in insurance and hospitality industry who are keen to boost Emiratisation numbers must follow the lead of the banking sector and implement quality recruitment and retention strategies, said an Emirati recruitment specialist.

Banks are leagues ahead in the recruitment drive because of more attractive graduate and career development programmes, remarked Hamza Zaouali, the managing director of IRIS Executives, the first UAE head hunting firm specialising in recruiting Emiratis.

He said while cultural barriers and low wages combine to make the hospitality and insurance unpopular career choices for Emiratis, more turn to banks, despite the fact that they offer little more in terms of salary packages, and also have their own cultural barriers.

“The banking sector has shown that every industry can develop its own unique selling points to attract the right Emirati talent,” observed Zaouali, co-founder last year of IRIS Executives, the official Emiratisation Partner for the Al Ain Education and Career Fair which runs from April 30 to May 2 at Al Khabisi Wedding Celebration Hall.

"Through effective and consistent recruitment strategies and career development programmes, the banking sector has shown that salary and cultural considerations are not the primary decision criteria for young UAE Nationals. Rather, their confidence in a potential employer is the most important factor," he added.

According to him, the UAE banking sector has the highest rate of Emiratisation for the private sector at 35 per cent. By comparison, Emiratisation stands at 6.5 per cent in the insurance sector, and at just over four per cent in the hospitality sector.

“The banking sector has proven that the Emiratis are not solely attracted by financial aspects and working hours,” remarked Zaouali.

"Like anyone else, Emirati job seekers are looking for companies that truly care; companies that train, promote, and inspire them," he said.

"These employers are usually the ones able to attract and retain them easily. Although it doesn’t offer much higher salary packages, the banking sector is still a driving force in the Emiratisation of the private sector,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service

Tags: | Bank | Emiratisation | company |