Bayt.com, the Middle East's #1 job site, has just released its annual Ramadan in the MENA Workplace survey2023. According to the survey, nearly9 in10 job seekers (87%) plan to make more time for finding a job during Ramadan. This correlates with the finding that37% of MENA respondents believe that more companies hire during Ramadan whilst22% believe that hiring activity remains the same.
Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: “During Ramadan, professionals in the MENA region often adjust their work schedules to accommodate fasting and prayer times, which can lead to a more efficient use of their time. Additionally, the emphasis on charity and community during Ramadan can also inspire professionals to become more engaged in philanthropic activities. As the region’s largest job site, we offer a range of resources and tools to help job seekers find opportunities that match their skills and experience, as well as provide guidance on how to navigate the job market during Ramadan.”
Productivity during Ramadan
The majority of MENA companies make special adjustments during the holy month of Ramadan. These include offering flexible working arrangements/shorter hours (59%), maintaining health and safety at work (21%), accommodating employees’ religious/spiritual needs (16%) and tolerating lower productivity/leniency with deadlines (4%).
Moreover,80% of MENA professionals agree that they feel more productive during Ramadan.12% of respondents said their productivity doesn’t change during Ramadan, and only8% said they become less productive. Although37% of MENA respondents agree that their workload increases during the holy month,39% said their workload stays the same during Ramadan, while25% of respondents said it decreases.
When it comes to taking time off from work during Ramadan,28% of respondents say that they take more vacation days, while72% claim the opposite is true. Across the region, most respondents (88%) are satisfied with the support they receive from their managers,5% of respondents are neutral towards this aspect, while only8% report being dissatisfied.
A month for reflection and growth
Most respondents (79%) agree that Ramadan lifts overall morale at work. This is due to several factors that drive a change in respondents’ lifestyle during the holy month, including more pious acts [fasting, praying etc.] (55%), more charitable activities and good deeds (18%), more focus on career goals (12%) and more time with the family (7%). Further,86% of MENA respondents agree that their company increases charitable activities during the holy month and9% say it says the same.
Data for the Ramadan in the MENA Workplace survey2023 was collected online from February3,2023 to March3,2023. Results are based on a sample of2,390 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.