Where are the best places for UAE parents to work in 2022?

Corporate training institute Blue Ocean Academy, Biogen and McCann Healthcare top the list as companies increasingly focus on work-life balance

To boost employee morale, organisations provided their staff with a work environment that encourages work-life balance. Getty

Dubai-based corporate training institute Blue Ocean Academy has been named as the UAE’s best workplace for parents in 2022, as companies in the region continue to focus on employee well-being, work-life balance and learning opportunities in the post-coronavirus era, a survey by management consultancy Great Place to Work has showed.

Biotech company Biogen, communication agency McCann Healthcare Mena, advertising company Commonwealth/McCann and public relations agency Weber Shandwick Menat round off the top five, the survey, which was released on Thursday, found.

Other companies in the list include defence solutions provider Beacon Red, medical device company Medtronic, Saja Pharmaceuticals, digital marketing agency Reprise Menat and medical device company CMR Surgical, the consultancy said.

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“Despite the challenges we have faced during the pandemic, we are proud to witness even more continuous advocation for work-life balance among leaders in the UAE and we are here to celebrate them,” said Ibrahim Mougharbel, managing director for the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, Great Place to Work Middle East.

“We are, therefore, not celebrating companies; we are celebrating heroes.”

The survey included companies in industries such as logistics, technology, finance, media, retail, fashion, FMCG, hospitality, health care and manufacturing.

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 increasingly requesting to work from home 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 survey by global consultancy PwC found that professionals in the Middle East were prioritising opportunities to improve their skills, as well as seeking transparency, flexibility and improved well-being in the workplace.

More than half of employees in the Mena region have considered leaving their current jobs to find a better work-life balance at some point during the past 12 months, an October survey by jobs portal Bayt.com found.

Dubai-based furniture chain The One was named the Middle East’s best workplace in the medium category in 2022, according to a separate August survey by Great Place to Work.

Dubai Police Academy, financial services provider Century Financial, international fast-food chain Pizza Express and UAE-based property company Metropolitan Group rounded off the top five best workplaces in the medium category.

Meanwhile, 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, according to the August survey.

Companies in the UAE that took part in the latest survey were polled on issues that consider how trustworthy and caring an organisation is for their employees.

The organisations were asked about their values, leadership methods, innovation processes and how they maximise employees’ potential.

To boost employee morale, organisations provided their staff with a work environment that encourages work-life balance, the consultancy said.

“This makes it easier for parents of both genders to not miss out on quality time with their children and also progress professionally,” it said.

Six national organisations were recognised in June by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority for earning the Parent-Friendly Label. They were HSBC, Masdar, Emirates Nature-WWF, Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, Etihad Airways and Silal.

The label provides criteria that employers can adopt to be recognised for their parent-friendly policies, practices and culture.

Top 10 best workplaces for parents in the UAE in 2022

1. Blue Ocean Academy
2. Biogen
3. McCann Healthcare Mena
4. Commonwealth/McCann
5. Weber Shandwick Menat
6. Beacon Red
7. Medtronic
8. Saja Pharmaceuticals
9. Reprise Menat
10. CMR Surgical