Dubai-based furniture chain The One has been named the Middle East's <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2022/03/15/uae-jobs-half-of-professionals-keen-to-work-for-start-ups/" target="_blank">best workplace </a>in the medium category in 2022, as companies in the region continue to focus on <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2022/01/27/gcc-companies-to-develop-financial-well-being-plans-for-employees/">employee well-being</a>, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2022/05/25/uae-jobs-employees-prefer-hybrid-and-remote-working-models/">work-life balance and learning opportunities</a> in the post-pandemic era, a survey by management consultancy Great Place to Work showed. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2022/06/23/gcc-jobs-the-best-workplaces-for-millennials-in-2022/" target="_blank">Dubai Police Academy</a>, financial services provider Century Financial, international fast-food chain Pizza Express and UAE-based property company Metropolitan Group round out the top five best workplaces in the medium category, the survey, released on Thursday, found. Other UAE companies in the list include Sharjah-based food manufacturing company Global Food Industries, piping materials supplier <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2022/05/20/these-uae-companies-have-happiest-employees-according-to-survey-on-morale/" target="_blank">PetroGas Piping</a>, the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/2022/02/06/tdra-helps-drive-uaes-digital-transformation-through-key-initiatives/" target="_blank">Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority</a>, building materials distributor Sara Group and public relations company Hill+Knowlton Strategies, among others, the survey revealed. “Despite the challenges we faced during the pandemic, we are proud to witness even more continuous growth in employee culture awareness among leaders in the UAE and the Middle East in general,” Ibrahim Mougharbel, managing director for the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait at Great Place to Work Middle East, said. “Our best workplaces for this year have persevered through the time of unprecedented upheaval and continued to persevere post-pandemic.” The survey included companies in sectors such as retail, social services, government agencies, transport, finance and media. Companies based in the Middle East that fall within these industries and employ 10 or more workers are eligible to participate in the survey. They are assessed based on employee feedback and an audit of management and HR practices. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, employees and jobseekers have been <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2022/01/06/uae-salary-guide-2022-how-much-should-you-be-earning/">increasingly requesting to work from home</a> at least two days a week, in addition to asking for flexible hours and training opportunities, recruitment company Robert Half said in its 2022 salary guide. A June <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2022/06/22/middle-east-jobs-30-of-employees-plan-to-look-for-a-new-role-this-year/">survey by global consultancy PwC</a> found that <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2022/05/16/vibrant-private-sector-crucial-for-boosting-menas-labour-market-world-bank-says/">professionals in the Middle East are prioritising opportunities</a> to improve their skills as well as seeking transparency, flexibility and well-being in the workplace. Meanwhile,<b> </b>Riyadh International Catering Corporation McDonald’s, which holds the fast-food chain’s franchise in parts of Saudi Arabia, was ranked as the best workplace in the large category, the Great Place to Work survey showed. McDonald’s, Ajman Police, air-conditioning company Leminar and DHL Express round out the top five best workplaces in the large category this year. Other companies in this category include Five Hotels, UAE food delivery company Talabat, Dubai-based luxury retailer Chalhoub Group, Saudi Arabian clothing retailer Alhokair Fashion Retail and international hotel chain Hilton, the survey findings showed. “Great workplaces throughout Saudi Arabia compete across different sectors in providing great workplace environments for all employees to ensure winning the war of local talent,” Tanzeel Rehman, managing director for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at Great Place to Work Middle East, said. Dubai-based foreign exchange and remittance company Hadi Express Exchange was ranked the best workplace in the small category in the Middle East. Hospitality company Oyo was ranked second in the small category, followed by recruitment consultancy Charterhouse, Saudi Arabia-based car rental company Ashjan Najd and lifestyle app Privilee. The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority is also listed in this category, the survey showed.
