The importance of Emiratisation and how your company can attract the right UAE Nationals

There’s no getting around it: Emiratisation is here to stay, and it’s the key to future economic growth in the region. While Emiratisation has been a high-profile and contentious topic among UAE-based companies for the last decade, it’s now becoming an increasingly important consideration for businesses recruiting in the UAE.

Officials and economists have long warned that the lavish government spending that has sustained a robust Emirati middle class for decades is simply not sustainable. The UAE’s continued economic viability requires guiding more Emiratis into self-sustaining private businesses and weaning them from state subsidies.

In a bid to make the UAE more competitive in the global market by relying less on foreign investors and employees, the government has been scaling back these benefits, while encouraging the private sector to allocate training and jobs for Emiratis who would otherwise look to the government for financial support.

With the government pushing Emiratisation as a key component of its UAE Vision 2021, there are numerous initiatives and incentives for both candidates and private companies. Reduced charges on labour permits and waiver of bank deposits are just some of the incentives being offered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to private businesses that hire Emiratis.

For companies to remain competitive in the UAE’s increasingly competitive financial sector, embracing Emiratisation is the key to future success in the region.  The sooner more private companies come on board with this initiative, the more of an edge they’ll ultimately have in the market. With that in mind, here are some pivotal ways you can attract well-qualified UAE nationals who are right for your finance and technology company.

Refining Your Employer Branding

Building a magnetic employer brand allows organisations to attract the right people for future growth. Having a reputation that precedes client experience, allows you to compete beyond things like remuneration and job titles, allowing you, instead, to offer people opportunities that fit with their personal and professional goals. While the benefits of this strategy are numerous, the question is, what characteristics do you need to show to attract the best UAE talent?

As automation in the banking and financial services sectors leave candidates worried about their future, and growing numbers of applicants in the workforce make it harder to achieve long-term employment, people are searching more for reassurance from the brands they apply to work with.

Though salary and security are still at the top of the list for many candidates, the number of people who prioritise these factors has dropped significantly since 2014. This might be because things like cultural fit, company ethos, advancement opportunities and greater flexibility are starting to be more appealing to younger talent, than the promise of a large salary.

Ultimately, employer branding is about offering your future hires, and current employees something that will resonate with them. It’s a reputation that instantly makes any business more appealing, convincing the best UAE talent that the opportunities your brand can offer are more compelling than any job title or salary amount. Though branding your organisation can seem like a complicated process, it’s simply about clarifying what sets you apart as different and unique in the market.

Reassess your online appearance

Now that technology and social media has made it easier than ever for companies to promote themselves online, it’s not enough to advertise in your local newspaper. The average applicant wants complete transparency from the organisation they plan on working with before they ever consider taking part in an interview. Your online presence is your opportunity to show candidates what it’s like to work for your organisation before they get a job offer. The easiest way to assess your current reputation online is to look at the following:

• How engaging are your job descriptions? Have you worked with a specialist recruitment company to ensure that you’re attracting the right people with keywords, action terms, and useful information about your brand?

• What is the recruitment experience like? How simple or complicated is it for potential recruits to communicate with you and learn more about your available positions? Would you benefit from adding case studies that demonstrate how your staff feel about you as an employer?

• Are you optimised for the digital world? Are you adequately equipped to advertise your brand on the right platforms and does your digital media show up correctly on mobile devices?

Know what you’re looking for in a candidate

The more you know about the kind of UAE National talent you want to attract into your organisation, the more you can adjust your brand to appeal to the right type of person. For instance, if you’re a financial services business who wants to recruit experts who have a passion for all things new in the financial technology space, then you’ll need to demonstrate to your candidates that you have plenty of opportunities for them to work with updated technology.

On the other hand, if you’re searching for Millennial employees who can help you to take your financial company into the modern world, you might want to consider things like flexible working and corporate social responsibility programs, designed to attract people who are more interested in the experience they get from a job, than the salary offered.

A great place to start may be by writing up a list of critical characteristics you want for your company. Then, compare that list with your mission statement and business vision, and think about how you can incorporate specific features into your brand to engage key UAE National talent.

Thanks,

Mark

About Flow Talent

Flow Talent have been sourcing the best BankingTechnology & Financial Services professionals locally and internationally for leading organisations across the Middle East region since 2018.

The Middle East is a dynamic and growing market where identifying top talented professionals for your organisation is highly competitive and we offer a range of recruitment services to help you with this.

To find out more get in contact with one of our team today.