JEDDAH – More than 80 percent of employees in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region claim to feel very engaged at work, “Employee Engagement in the MENA” a poll recently conducted by Bayt.com, the region's number one job site, revealed. Six in 10 (57.1 percent) believe that their company's management makes job satisfaction a top priority. Engaged employees are willing to go the extra mile for their company, driven by passion and a profound connection that drives them to desire success. The majority of poll respondents (70.5 percent) say that their manager values their skills and the contributions they make to the company, while poor performance is addressed by 80.4 percent of poll-takers' companies. For the most part, senior management across the board is held accountable for achieving goals, according to 64 percent of respondents – though 76.4 percent strongly believe that it's the employees that bear the weight of achieving goals. Four in 10 managers always do a good job of sharing information, with only 25 percent rarely hitting that particular benchmark. Beyond information, 65.4 percent of employee respondents state that they have all of the resources that they need to do a good job. On the other hand, 34.6 percent claim to need resources that would help their job performance improve. According to 70 percent of poll respondents, communications channels are open in their companies; they feel they can disagree with their manager without fear of getting in trouble. The majority (60.6 percent) strongly agree that their company measures job performance in a way that is fair to all staff, with an additional fifth (19.6 percent) somewhat agreeing to the same statement. Just more than half (52.2 percent) say that they ‘always' receive feedback to help improve their performance, while 34.2 percent state that feedback is given ‘sometimes'. Almost half (49.7 percent) of regional professionals have regular career discussions with their manager, whereas 32.3 percent have the same on an irregular basis. Nine in 10 (88.7 percent) claim to have a good understanding of the mission and goals of their organization, and 95 percent understand how their work directly contributes to the company's overall success. The majority (93 percent) are involved in decisions that impact their work. Suhail Al-Masri, VP of Sales, Bayt.com, said: “Employee engagement is a hot topic in today's workplace with good reason; employees engaged in their work are likely to be motivated, to remain loyal to their employer and to stay focused on achieving business goals and driving the organization's future. Disengaged employees can drag down others and impact critical business areas. Beyond salary, psychological and social fulfillment can determine which employees are motivated to stay, perform, and contribute to organization success. Companies that realize the importance of employee engagement understand that encouraging high performance and aligning talent with business strategy requires getting to the heart of what matters to employees. At Bayt.com, we know that employee engagement is very important for a great business environment. As a testament to our commitment to the region, we are launching the Bayt.com Employer of Choice Awards, a platform that further empowers employers with intelligence feedback that can fuel workplace happiness.” The Bayt.com Employer of Choice Awards will recognize companies for their corporate wellness values as related to employee engagement and employer branding activities. Industry-specific ranking lists and awards will also be provided to help companies benchmark and assess themselves within their peer groups. The awards platform builds on the HR acumen and market insights and research Bayt.com has garnered after a decade and a half serving the region's employers in finding top talent and analyzing, understanding and leveraging regional HR and recruitment trends. “Our mission at Bayt.com is to empower employers and employees alike with the information and tools they need to build their lifestyles of choice,” said Suha Mardelli Haroun, HR Director, Bayt.com. “Employee engagement is very important to enhance productivity and employer brand building is important to attract top talent to any business, and winning a Bayt.com Employer of Choice Award reinforces the efforts by the HR community to build a solid employer brand with a happy and engaged workforce which will greatly contribute towards the key success metrics for any organization. The awards are the only ones in the Middle East that celebrate corporate culture based on the market perception of professionals in general, as well as each particular company's employees.” Entries for the inaugural Bayt.com Employer of Choices Awards for 2014 are now being accepted. Companies across the UAE are invited to participate, free of charge until May 10, 2014. To nominate your company for the Bayt.com Employer of Choice Awards, simply log on to www.bayt.com/en/company/award/ and follow the entry process procedures. — SG
