UAE employees set for 6% pay hike in the next year, according to survey

According to a new survey from Robert Half UAE, employees in the Emirates will receive a pay rise in the next 12 months. Just don’t bank it until the money hits your account.

Workers can look forward to a pay rise this year according to a new survey. Andrew Parsons / The National

At last - we are all going to get a pay rise. “Phew”, I hear as you collectively breathe a sigh of relief.

Many employees in the UAE have experienced minimal pay increases over the last few years. Some have even endured the dreaded pay freeze, where incomes have stayed the same for years on end with no hope of a salary rise in sight.

But fear not, this is all set to change.

The confirmation has come from a new survey from recruitment specialist Robert Half UAE, released today. It reveals that existing UAE employees can expect an average salary raise of 6 per cent in the next 12 months.

And just over half (56 per cent) of HR directors are more willing to negotiate salaries with leading job candidates than 12 months ago.

• Find out the going rates for hundreds of UAE jobs here

All good news but just remember, just because a survey says a pay rise is on the horizon, doesn’t mean it actually is. Endless studies can come out stating that UAE employees are going to benefit from a salary hike - but what really matters is whether or not your own company takes note. Until that happens, no survey really matters.

Delve deeper into the research from Robert Half UAE and the likelihood of a hike in pay heads into murkier waters.

The company’s study says the research comes at a time when salary inflation appears to be back. Two in five HR directors say they are operating in a job market where salaries are increasing, with no HR directors surveyed reporting a deflationary wage environment.

• Find out salaries for the global oil and gas sectors

But it appears that to really benefit from that pay rise, you need to be achieving more than your peers.

According to the poll, HR directors believe employees demonstrating technical competency and measurable output are the most likely to secure a pay rise. Other reasons influencing the decision to offer existing employees a wage increase include the time period since their last raise followed by their professional conduct, tenure in the organisation and willingness to learn and advance.

So, a pay rise isn’t guaranteed unless you are delivering the goods and doing so in a way that marks you above your colleagues.

There is good news for those moving to a new company though. It appears HR directors are now more open to discussing pay in the early stages of the interview process with a quarter believing it is appropriate for candidates to initiate remuneration discussions when they apply for a role or during the first interview.

It means the elephant in the room can now be voiced from the outset. Let’s face it - no matter how much we are enthused about a new job, what we really want to know is how much we are going to be paid for it.

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