Looking after your people

If you know me, you'd know that I've been around. In my eight years here in Dubai, I've worked in 4 companies so far. Averaging almost 2 years per company.

In any other place, they'd call me a job hopper. But not here in Dubai. I've seen people who have been bouncing around from one job to another almost every year. You'd think they are working for mediocre companies. But they are not. They are being snatched by top labels.

I get headhunters calling me at least twice a month. Some offering double my current package!

It is not a big secret and here is some of the reasons why, I think:

1. Cost of living in Dubai is exploding out of proportion. Employees are on the lookout for any opportunity that offers better rewards.
2. Companies are not doing that much to increase/raise salaries. As they are already suffering with climbing overheads in land, energy and material. Most people i know get pay cheques increase only when they change jobs!
3. Many business are looking at other growing emerging markets and dubai is still a favorite hub as home base for their expansion.
4. Companies are more interested in existing/established talents as apposed to getting ones from abroad. Hence, people who are based here, are more attractive than ones outside.
5. On the other hand, and because of many reasons (high cost of living, traffic..etc) many exapts -especially the talented ones- are not interested in coming to Dubai anymore.
6. Many talented expats are leaving Dubai to other maturing business environments such as Qatar, Saudi, Kuwait and so forth.

Looking at all that, and how targeted home-based employees are, Companies should work better and harder in retaining their employees.

It is far more profitable to retain good existing employees than to find news ones. Don't you think so?