Talent Management: What drives talent in the GCC

Aon Hewitt conducted a study on what drives talent in the GCC. The study involved in-depth research into individual strengths as well as workplace preferences, with a focus on national talent.

Key Findings

The study proved a need to revitalise the GCC workplace:

• 46% of employees have confidence in their senior leadership
• 1 of 2 employees fear getting penalized for making mistakes (As compared to using them as learning opportunities)
• 1 of 5 employees is at high risk of attrition
• 26% of all workers are comfortable working within a diverse environment
• 57% of employees feel free to express their views if different from manager
• 1 of 2 employees aren’t motivated to contribute beyond what is normally required

Employee Engagement

On an average, GCC nationals are significantly less engaged than expats (51% v/s 57%).

The study analyzed what differentiates engaged employees from others…..

Highly engaged employees have more support from their managers, take greater pride in their work and have the most confidence in their leadership. In addition, they felt like they are learning on the job and perceive their world of work to be fair and trustworthy. Finally, having a good and safe physical work environment and positive relationships at work makes a significant difference between those who are engaged and not engaged.

Building on strengths

To help revitalise the workplace the study emphasised the importance of organisations focusing on their strengths. The study found these strengths to be:

• 81% of employees derive meaning from their work
• 93% will support their team members, no matter what
• 73% are proud to be part of their organization
• 85% believe that they are impacting their customers in a positive way
• 74% feel valued by their co-workers

HR managers looking to combat some of these issues should read How to get engaged and Learning strategies – Growing local talent in the Middle East.

Click here to download the full report.