DOHA: The ‘Job Satisfaction in the Middle East and North Africa’ survey, recently conducted by Bayt.com and YouGov has revealed that 84 percent of respondents in the Qatar find it most important to work for an organisation that encourages learning and personal growth.
Data for the survey was collected online throughout March 2015, with 5,774 respondents, all of whom were employed men and women over the age of 18 years old.
The survey polled people from varying nationalities including GCC Arabs, North Africans, Levant, and Western and Asian expats from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The most important factor related to job satisfaction in Qatar is “learning and personal growth”, according to 84 percent of respondents. This is followed by “pay” (81 percent), and “team spirit” (80 percent). Other important factors are “the sense of achievement” (78 percent), “the flexibility” (76 percent),” and “exercising my creativity” (74 percent). In Qatar fewer respondents (64 percent) believe that “contributing to the community” is a matter of importance, when compared to their counterparts in the Middle East and North Africa.
Overall, 45 percent of respondents enjoy coming to work every day; 36 percent are satisfied with their present job, with 19 percent of them being “very satisfied”. 30 percent of respondents see themselves working for the same company for the next two years, while 61 percent are actively trying to move to another organization. And 62 percent of respondents strongly believe that they could easily find a similar job in another organization. A low base salary (67 percent) followed by a lack of career growth opportunities (63 percent) are the main reasons for leaving an organization.
The benefits received in Qatar are better than the overall average in the Middle East and North Africa region.
About 50 percent of respondents have medical insurance for themselves; 60 percent have holiday pay; and over half receive sick pay.
In terms of preference, accommodation (53 percent) and medical insurance for family (30 percent) and self (29 percent) are the most popular benefits. Qatar employees also prefer the following benefits: flexible working hours (22 percent), holiday pay (26 percent), and school fees for children (25 percent).
About 59 percent of respondents believe that they use their skills and knowledge to their full potential. On the other hand, only 35 percent say that they have a clear career path within their company while 40 percent of respondents strongly think that training in their company is not designed in a way that would help them grow professionally.
The Peninsula
