The benefits of Emiratization to both the people of United Arab Emirates and the expatriates
Introduction
Emiratization is considered as the support given to the government and private sector in offering employment opportunities to the countrymen and women were the expatriates have grown in number as compared to the citizens. The United Arab Emirates is currently facing a similar problem hence struggling with the Emiratization issue. During the 20th century, the United Arab Emirates government was in the eve of the development and investment, thus, is called upon foreign investors and developers to undertake businesses in the country using lasses faire agreement (Al-Ali, 2008). This resulted into the increase of the expatriates’ number in the country. These companies are known of hiring the expatriates because they were competent enough to handle the tasks in the companies with less additional training as compared to the citizens. The citizens were less considered for the jobs due to limited skills and knowledge about the tasks rendered. In addition, the Emiratis were less considered for the Jobs since they preferred public sector firms since they offered reasonable remuneration as compared to private firms (Abdusheikh, 2012). The working hours in the private companies were not in favourable of the citizens hence left the Jobs to the expatriates. The expatriates covered more than 95 percent of the labour market and the locals only covered 5 percent of the market. 4 percent covered the public sector and only 1 percent in the private sector.
Emiratization is an essential tool towards sustainability of United Arab Emirates as a country. The country is facing an inflation rate of 10 percent and an annual growth rate of more than 30 percent (Meena, 2014). Despite the fact that the country is known for its oil production business, more than half of the population is less educated. The Emiratis were not concerned with the nature of work they had, but were concerned with the monetary benefits that come with work hence left private Jobs to the expatriates (Meena, 2014).
Due to the above concerns about emiratization the government of United Arab Emirates has developed policies to ensure that the people are not affected with the change and so that the natives will not be discriminated. One of the policies that the government has ensured passing is cabinet decree No. 10 (Adam, 2009). This will ensure that the number of Emiratis employee working in insurance and private banks are maintained and protected to make sure that the number of expatriates and natives are adhered.
Purpose of research
This study is intended to determine the benefits of Emiratization to both the people of United Arab Emirates and the expatriates. In addition, the policies that the government is coming up with to ensure that the country is able to balance and determine the best methods to ensure that the locals are able to benefits more from Emiratization will also be determined in this paper. The paper will also address the reasons why the expatriates are limited from the benefits of emiratization noting the country has a negative history about emiratization in the past.
Importance of Study
There are various significances that this study has depending on the needs and purposes that it is subjected to: To students; this study will offer students with both current and historical insight of emiratization in the UAE and other parts of the world (Adam, 2009). The students will also be acquitted with reliable information on the ways that they can help the country to enforce policies that support emiratization benefits.
To researchers; the study will act as a standing point for future researchers. It will offer them an outstanding platform that these individuals will be able to act upon for future analysis. Based on the information that this paper will offer, objectives to build upon.
To the government: This information is reliable to the government as it will help the government in drafting policies and laws that govern Emiratization.
Literature Review
Current Changes in Emiratization
Private sector employee are now keen to employ national through a variety of reasons. Private sector organizations and firms have negative view about the level or expertise and qualifications of its members towards the available Jobs offered. According to Al-Ali (2008), the number of Emiratis attending colleges and schools have increased over the past 20 years hence are able to take part in country growth and development in the coming years. They are now taking part in college and university learning so that they could have the skills and knowledge to meet the needed requirements to be employed. Thanks to the new laws and policies that cover the issue of Emiratization in United Arab Emirates as the citizens are now able to secure well paying Jobs in private organization of firms that they could not do before (Adam, 2009). The government of UAE has now come without fear and regulated the number amount of pay that both the nationals and the expatriates should get. A harmonization of the salary was one of the steps that the country has made to not only encourage the Emiratis to take part in Emiratization development and building (Al-Waqfi & Forstenlechner, 2014).
Contrary, to the benefits that the natives are now reaping from Emiratization, the expatriates are now facing problem in the country. Despite the fact the country’s laws and regulations are in favour for both parties the people are now trying to pay back they lost glory by rewarding the national with well-paying jobs and opportunities rather than their counterparts in the expatriates. The national are now being paid more as compared to the well-grounded individuals in the country (Al-Waqfi & Forstenlechner, 2014). Moreover, the government of United Arab Emirates, has come up with the provision of a minimum wage that applies to both the national and the expatriates working in both the private and public sector firms and companies; this adds to pension contributions for each of their Emiratis employees. This gives the nationals a chance to develop themselves social and financially hence an added advantage not only to individuals but also to the state (Forstenlechner, 2008).
Resource Benefits
Emiratization is a tool towards unification of resources in UAE. The natives can now see the representation of the resources their country produces or uses as compared to before when the expatriates managed everything (Forstenlechner, 2008). The seven emirates are now able to share resources they have towards development and growth as compared to before. It has an added advantage to the individuals who have taken part in investment such as in real estate development amid other structural investment.
United Arab Emirates has experience a lot of changes in their workplaces for some decades now. The reasons for these extraordinary changes are as a result of Emiratization that the county is facing for the last few years. If we consider Hofstede or Trompenaars dimensions, it is evident that these traditions have existed for 25 years ago and the culture is transforming due to some solid reasons. For example, there was a published article that once said that UAEs culture is mainly based on the nomadic culture that can change with time. Another published newspaper also seconded this and further said that United Arab Emirates attracts a lot of people based on its coastline culture (Forstenlechner, 2008). One renown historian compared both of these statements and came up with a comprehensive conclusion that the effects of Emiratization has been the reasons of these changes but it does not exist in the present-day in UAE. It has had a remarkable impact on the UAE culture. The effects of these dynamics are evident in workplaces as well.
As far as the culture of workplaces in UAE is concerned, there is a little impact of diversity over the last 25 years at the workplaces. There used to be a time that UAE as a region showed a complete qualities of diversity whereby expatriates were given same care and opportunities as the locals. This was mainly because they were not many in numbers in those days unlike now that they are so many that the interest of the government is concentrated on locals (Forstenlechner, 2008). For example, the UAE government as well as the private sector follows the policies of Emiratization which clearly states the reasons of these diversity and prioritization of this caliber. It is long gone the days that UAE used to follow the traits of diversity of people from all walks of life. This is evidently seen from the fact that the country has now regulated the numbers of hours that Women work; this is done to make sure that they are not at the same level with the hours their fellow men work (Randeree, 2009). This policy is adhered to at all work place in UAE much against what used to be followed about a quarter century ago.
Two decades ago United Arab Emirates had maintained coordinated efforts amongst their employees. Many individuals used to get their leaves on a common term also many families who worked at the same place always went on vacation together. But this condition has greatly changed over the past years (Randeree, 2009). Today, UAE is a country that is developing at a faster rate. Under these circumstances, there is no time for people to wait for a certain or appropriate time to comprehend the matter. There is hardly any time for people to relax or do any other thing for themselves. This generally means that whatever people do find time for themselves, they can make an arrangement to take a vacation, even though going to vacation in the country is considered as a tough task. This is because; in most of the families both the gender still works. Even we talk more about the decisions that are taken by the representatives; there is limited time that the whole group of delegates would be conducted (Randeree, 2009). If it was in the past decades, a committee would decide over the matter prior to making a decision. The management of the respective company or organization could afford the time for the same. But in the present-day, the workplace requires fast decision-making which is always done on the spot (Al-Waqfi & Forstenlechner, 2014).
The performance management structures at various organizations have also transformed considerably over the last decade. Today, the organizations believe that performance development is by virtue of special training and workshops for the employees. This scenario wasn’t the same in the past years this is because there was no special training that was given to any employees at the workplaces. The selection was easier for local but very hard to expatriates who carried a work experience (Al-Waqfi & Forstenlechner, 2014). The same is also present in UAE where expatriates are treated without care. UAE has tremendously improved on skill and training which is given to locals this in turn will keep off the expatriates from taking new jobs in United Arab Emirates as a result employees strength has strengthen over the years.
Another noticeable change that UAE work environment has seen over the last decade has been in the form of their altitude towards things that are done against them. One can make a rough estimation from the country growth and development that the people do not keep quite on any matter. So, the employees are no more toys and should be respected by any organization in UAE (Meena, 2014). Then again, if there is an indication of appreciation, the associations in the country will try their level best to appreciate the concerned individual however in the event that there are any disparities in the mode of working of the workers, the associations leave no stone unturned in making the representatives pay for whatever he/she may have done. In this way, we can see that the work environment has transformed into a solid and compelling working environment (Meena, 2014). The conditions were somewhat more liberal around twenty-five years prior. There was more space for slip for the workers who wanted to work at UAE and not outside the nation. There were less employment changes because of wrongdoing. As expressed above, a disciplinary panel would deal with the matter. Today, this is barely done whenever there is weight from the contenders even if the pressure is high to the point that the organization has no other choice yet to be strict with the execution of the representatives (Abdusheikh, 2012).
An alternate essential part of the changes that could be seen is worker’s inspiration in their work environment; this was not essential in the past since they were not given any kind of training at workplace as today. As a consequence of this, they were not given the expected inspiration or motivation they deserve (Abdusheikh, 2012). The organization improves worker motivation as a tool to set up a positive environment to deliver or convey his/her best in workplace. When this happens, the management might be guaranteed to get the best production or output that comes from the workers. They will have enough opportunity to express their perspectives straightforwardly to the organization.
Worker resourcing is about making sure that the organization retains and recruits the human capital it needs and utilizes them profitably and in a productive manner (Abdusheikh, 2012). Staffing positions in organization are subject to successful recruitment and determination strategies and may well speak to a standout amongst the most critical HR administration capacities (Al-Ali, 2008). Staffing from the inward and outer occupation business ought to preferably reflect work related choices and profit by basic learning, aptitudes, and capabilities that help a company’s general viability (Al-Ali, 2008).There are various methods in which departments and HR experts can deal with the relevant Emiratization policies, procedures and protocols (Al-Ali, 2008). One choice is to prioritize UAE nationals when enlisting for all available posts, paying little attention to the hierarchical division or level, subject just to the candidates’ capabilities and occupation experience. An alternate choice is to utilize a quota framework, in which case the firm endeavours to accomplish interior improvement targets or those needed by the administration. A third, authoritarian alternative is to hold certain parts, for the most part senior administration positions, strictly for Emirati nationals, subject to candidates’ competency and execution levels (Meena, 2014). Senior administration positions may be filled by exiles just if there are no qualified Emirati candidates accessible. An alternate straightforward alternative that could be investigated is the legislature’s diminishment of impetuses to working in people in general segment, for example, the bringing of wages down to those offered by private organization (Meena, 2014).
Conclusion
It is evident that the impacts of Emiratization is serious to the people of UAE. As a result the government of the time has reduced means to ensure that emiratization process is fair and meet both the demands of expatriates and Emiratis. Emiratization has changed the status of the country giving the Emiratis a chance to enjoy various benefits that come with it such as resource sharing amid the seven emirates, better jobs and remunerations among others.
References
Books
Abdusheikh, M. (2012). Emiratization: United Arab Emirates national workforce development program. Pepperdine University.
Al-Ali, J. (2008). Structural barriers to Emiratisation: analysis and policy recommendations (Doctoral dissertation, Victoria University).
Article
“Help government in Emiratisation, UAE paper.” WAM – United Arab Emirates News Agency. Asia Pulse Pty Ltd. 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2014 from HighBeam Research: HYPERLINK “http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-250396286.html” http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-250396286.html
“UAE – Emiratisation.” APS Review Downstream Trends. Arab Press Services. 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2014 from HighBeam Research: HYPERLINK “http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-124347206.html” http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-124347206.html
Meena Janardhan. “UAE: ‘EMIRATISATION’ CAUSING FOREIGNERS TO TAKE LOW-RUNG JOBS.” Inter Press Service English News Wire. IPS Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS). 2003. Retrieved September 18, 2014 from HighBeam Research: HYPERLINK “http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-78917045.html” http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-78917045.html
Journal
Adam, K. (2009). Women’s empowerment and leadership in education: A key factor for Emiratisation in the United Arab Emirates (Doctoral dissertation).
Al-Ali, J. (2008). Emiratisation: drawing UAE nationals into their surging economy. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 28(9/10), 365-379.
Al-Waqfi, M. A., & Forstenlechner, I. (2014). Barriers to Emiratization: the role of policy design and institutional environment in determining the effectiveness of Emiratization. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,25(2), 167-189.
Forstenlechner, I. (2008). Workforce nationalization in the UAE: image versus integration. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 1(2), 82-91.
Randeree, K. (2009). Strategy, policy and practice in the nationalisation of human capital:‘project emiratisation’. Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 17(1), 71-91.
