A new survey by Bayt.com, the Middle East's leading career site, investigates the key factors driving employee loyalty towards the workplace. According to data,63% of the employees that responded have been working with their current company for four years or more and over three in five of the employees are satisfied with their current employers.
Loyal employees who are engaged and satisfied at work are the cornerstone of a business. In Kuwait,43% of those who are currently working feel ‘very loyal’ to their current employer, while14% feel ‘somewhat loyal’. More than half (62%) of employees would recommend their company as a good workplace to others and78% of employees feel proud when talking about their company’s products and services.
High levels of loyalty and engagement can also result in improved financial performance for businesses. A whopping92% of employees feel highly engaged in their daily work and44% will stay in their current organization for a long time even though other companies might offer them better salaries.
Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com says: “According to our latest survey, employers are investing in technology and training to support remote work and ensure that employees have the necessary resources to be successful in their roles. It is also essential for organizations to acknowledge the significance of employee recognition programs, as it can lead to higher job satisfaction and motivation. Additionally, offering competitive salary and benefits packages can attract and retain top talent in the industry.”
In terms of benefits to business, engaged and loyal employees are more productive, creative, and lead to reduced costs. Better work quality (83%), increased productivity (73%) and going the extra mile (65%) are some of the top perceived benefits of employee loyalty, according to survey data.
The latest research highlights that having an employee engagement strategy gives employers a competitive advantage in recruiting, retaining and engaging employees. Basic salary (57%), additional benefits offered by the company (39%) and employee-job fit (31%) are the top three factors perceived to impact employee loyalty the most.
The survey also showed that employees want their employers to develop a positive culture. Lack of trust in the management of the current employer (60%) is the top reason for not feeling loyal towards the company. This is followed by the lack of job security with (43%) of the employees saying so.
When asked about what employers can do to increase loyalty among their employees, a higher proportion of the respondents believe that rewards/recognition (50%), creating growth opportunities for the employees (51%) and providing benefits (52%) are some of the major factors that can create an impact.
Consistently disregarding employee suggestions (46%), heavy workload at all times/unequal distribution of work (51%), lack of open communication with direct managers (52%) and lack of opportunities to grow (48%) are some of the top perceived catalysts that can cause damage to employee’s loyalty.
Zafar Shah, Research Director at YouGov says: “Successful companies create a positive work culture that fosters employee engagement, motivation, and loyalty. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work, leading to higher productivity and better business outcomes. Additionally, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth can help employees develop new skills and advance their careers within the organization.”
Data for the2023 Bayt.com Employee Loyalty in the MENA Survey was collected online from February27 to March10,2023. Results are based on a sample of2,040 respondents from countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Sudan among others.