Image used for representation only.
DOHA: The Bayt.com ‘Middle East and North Africa Salary Survey’, conducted amongst working men and women in the MENA region in partnership with YouGov, revealed a variety of insights on employees’ perceptions of salaries and benefits.
According to the survey, 59% believe salaries in Qatar are either increasing or staying the same. At the same time, over half (51%) of employees expect to receive a raise in 2018, with the largest proportion of these respondents (16%) expecting a raise of 6 to 10%.
The survey, administered by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job site, and YouGov, a global pioneer in online market research, aims to gauge employee satisfaction with their current salaries and the varying components that contribute to it, as well as explore the drivers of loyalty towards employers and the significance of salary in career satisfaction and general wellbeing.
In terms of salary, two thirds (65%) of Qatar respondents claim that their current salary package consists of basic salary with benefits, while one in five (22%) claim that it consists of basic salary only. 14% said they receive a basic salary as well as a commission and benefits. Around a half (48%) of Qatar respondents who receive a salary package along with other benefits and/or commission claim that their basic salary consists of up to half of the whole proportion of the package.
When it came to the preferred pay structure, 69% of Qatar respondents said they prefer a ‘100% fixed pay structure’, a quarter said they prefer a ‘partially fixed pay structure with a variable pay for commissions and incentives, while 5% prefer a ‘100% variable pay structure.
Among the various benefits employees in Qatar receive, personal annual air ticket (49%), personal medical insurance (35%), transportation allowance (35%), housing allowance (31%), gratuity (30%), and company provided accommodation (23%) emerge as the most common benefits. As for end of service benefits, nearly three quarters (74%) of respondents say their company presently offers end-of-service gratuity, 5% receive pension on retirement, and 4% receive other forms of benefits.
Suhail Masri, VP of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com
Looking back at last year, almost half (45%) of respondents received a salary raise in 2017. Nonetheless, over half (51%) of respondents from Qatar expect to receive a raise in 2018, with the largest proportion of these respondents (16%) expecting a raise of 6 to 10%.
Among respondents in Qatar respondents who believe salaries are increasing over a third (35%) attribute it to inflation and a rise in the cost of living. Over a quarter (29%) believe salaries are increasing as a result of growth in opportunities and economic growth in their country of residence, 27% believe it is due to good corporate performance and increased profitability, and 15% say it is caused by intense competition for attracting and retaining talent.
“Surveys like this help uncover extremely valuable insights for employers and employees alike. It’s no surprise that as the cost of living increases in the MENA region, so do salaries and raise expectations,” said Suhail Masri, VP of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com.
