Mid-East employers told to foster loyalty for higher productivity

Almost all – nine in 10 – Middle East workers believe that employee loyalty is tied to higher productivity, but ‘loyalty’ for them is no longer about remaining in the same company for a long period of time, a survey suggests.

Recruitment website Bayt.com surveyed 8,223 respondents from countries including the UAE, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, Qatar, KSA and Yemen between November and December 2016.

Its ‘Employee Loyalty in the Middle East and North Africa’ (MENA) poll found that employee loyalty is among the top success indicators companies look to achieve, while more than three-quarters (76.6 percent) of respondents agreed that their managers were interested in having loyal employees.

Respondents said the top benefits of employee loyalty include higher efficiency (32.1 percent), stronger team relationships (30.8 percent) and higher employee satisfaction (25.3 percent), Bayt.com said.

In addition, the poll revealed that more than nine in ten (91 percent) respondents said they were highly engaged at work, more than three quarters (79.4 percent) said they were “very loyal” to their current company and more than half (55.3 percent) agreed they were “satisfied” with the company they work for.

However, views of what constitutes loyalty were wide-ranging. Only around 11.1 percent said it meant staying with the same company for many years, while 33.3 per cent of employees said loyalty means maintaining the company confidentiality even after resigning.

A further 30.3 percent said it meant being dedicated and abiding to the company’s values and rules, and 25.3 per cent said it meant being proactive and investing in promoting the company’s vision.

A total of 28 per cent of respondents cited salary as the top factor factors influencing employee loyalty. Other factors included good management (19.1 percent), compensation and benefits (19.2 percent), good team members (17.4 percent) and strong direct managers (16.3 percent).

Respondents said employers should treat all employees equally and fairly, reward them for their achievements and help them to achieve work-life balance, in order to foster employee loyalty.

Suhail Masri, vice-president of employer solutions at Bayt.com, said: “Employers in the Middle East and North Africa should be well aware that granting opportunities for growth and advancement and truly listening to what matters to the employee are among the best ways to win their loyalty and support.”

He added: “We are not simply talking about retention here. Employee loyalty is parallel to dedication, trustworthiness, and positive work ethics. Targeting loyalty plays a central role in furthering the success strategy of any organization or company, regardless of size and activity sector.”