UAE salary rises to be more modest this year

Lianne Gutcher

Salaries are set to rise at a more “modest” rate in 2014 compared with previous years as the UAE becomes perceived as a more desirable place to work, said the recruitment consultancy Robert Half.

Salaries for professional occupations are forecast to increase an average 3.8 per cent this year, according to the 2014 Salary Guide.

But inflation pressures could build up this year, particularly rising rents, and the pay increases may not be enough to keep up with prices.

Jobs in accounting and finance, and technology will lead the way increasing on average 5 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively. The 2013 salary guide forecast an average increase of 5 per cent.

The forecasts for this year “are fairly modest because we have been so aggressive in the past couple of years as a region”, said James Maidlow, a senior manager at Robert Half in Dubai. “We’ve had really bullish 2012, 2013. Back in the day this used to be a little bit of a hardship location whereas [now] you’ve got lots of cosmopolitan factors here meaning that the salaries don’t need to be a huge increase on what they currently are.”

The Robert Half salary guide, published annually, covers 130 individual positions in the accountancy and finance, financial services, technology, human resources and legal professions.

Salaries in the Emirates – even with the more moderate increases combined with the 5 per cent inflation forecast by HSBC – remain competitive vis–à–vis other job markets, Mr Maidlow said.

The lack of qualified professionals in some roles means companies are likely to fight to attract and retain the top talent.

Salaries for accountants are expected to rise because of the expertise needed to handle the raft of compliance regulation emerging from the United Kingdom and United States. An influx of investment in construction and property – expected to increase in the run-up to Expo2020 in Dubai – will also encourage the hiring of finance professionals.

“Because of Expo 2020, real estate and construction, finance is huge,” Mr Maidlow said. “They are doing multimillion-dollar transactions. The more money that comes in the more the treasury, finance and departments get upgraded.”

lgutcher@thenational.ae

If you go

The flights

Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.

The car

Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.

The hotels

Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.

More info

To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.

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BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

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