The2017 Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Salary Survey, conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one job site, and YouGov, a leading market research agency, revealed that over a third (36%) of respondents believe that salaries are increasing in Jordan, and42% believe that they are staying the same.
Current Salary
In terms of current salary package composition, more than half (63%) of those surveyed in Jordan only receive a basic salary. This was followed by21% who receive a basic salary as well as benefit.15% of those surveyed actually receive their basic salary plus benefits and commission.
Of those receiving additional benefits, personal medical insurance (34%) was the top benefit received by employees, followed by family medical insurance (19%), and a transportation allowance (17%).
When it came to end of service benefits in Jordan,18% claimed that their company offers a pension on retirement, and17% stated that their company offers an end-of-service gratuity.8% claimed that they have other forms of benefits. However,62% of respondents state that they do not receive any end of service benefits.
Only11% of respondents in Jordan claim that the salary they earn is the main loyalty driver, while almost half (45%) claimed their loyalty to the company is not linked to the salary they receive. Besides salary, management (37%), fun office environment (36%), opportunities for career advancement (34%), and colleagues (34%) emerged as the most important factors driving employee loyalty in Jordan.
“With salary being such an important driver for both employees and job seekers, we hope that the Bayt.com Salary Survey2017 will shed light on salaries, savings, and spending in the Middle East,” said Suhail Masri, VP – Employer Solutions, Bayt.com. “We conduct tens of comprehensive research reports each year in line with our mission as an organization, which is to provide people with the tools and information they need to build their lifestyle of choice. This survey was created in order to provide employers with insights into current employee satisfaction levels when it comes to their salaries and raises.”
Pay Raises
In2016, almost half (48%) of respondents in Jordan received a salary raise. On the other hand,49% of those surveyed did not receive a pay raise in2016 at all. Of those who did receive a raise,25% were very happy or modestly happy with their raise.
Over half (58%) of respondents in Jordan are expecting a salary raise in2017.
Future Plans and Expectations
The majority of respondents in Jordan (57%) claim that they are planning on finding a better job in the same industry within the next12 month, while31% of respondents stated that they will be looking for a better job in a different industry. Almost four in10 respondents (39%) stated that they plan on relocating to a different country in the Middle East in search of a better job.
When asked about salary trends, more than a third (36%) of respondents believe that salaries are increasing in Jordan. According to respondents, factors causing salaries to increase include inflation / rise in the cost of living (40%), good corporate performance / increased profitability (20%), and growth in opportunities and economic growth in the country (17%).
Masri adds: “For people interested in more specific information about salaries, tools such as Salary Search by Bayt.com can help employers uncover the salaries that are being paid in their industry. The same tool helps professionals gauge their earnings against market average, and thus, learn whether or not they are being fairly paid for the job they are doing. This information collected through the survey is important when it comes to guiding both employers and job seekers, so that the difference between salaries offered and expectations can be successfully addressed.”
Expenses and Savings
With regards to the rising cost of living in Jordan, the bigger proportion (17%) of respondents have seen their cost of living increase between16% and20%. Respondents claim to have seen an increase in their utilities (82%), food and beverage (76%), and rents (58%). When it comes to the future, the majority (89%) of respondents believe that the cost of living in Jordan is going to increase further.
Still,40% of respondents in Jordan claim that they manage to save a portion of their salary.
Spending and Investments
The top monthly expenses of respondents in Jordan were rent (29%), food and dining out (22%), and transportation (17%). When asked about the frequency of eating out,14% of respondents said they eat out every day,20% said they eat out a few times a week, and the rest do so less often.
In terms of financial investments, only6% of respondents from Jordan make financial investments on a regular basis.26% of respondents own their homes,54% are interested in owning a home in their country of residence, and46% would like to own a home in their home country.
Elissavet Vraka, Research Manager, YouGov , said: “It is interesting to note that64% of MENA respondents manage to save a portion of their monthly income, with63% of those living outside their home country being able to repatriate a portion of their savings to their home country. This is a good sign for both employers and job seekers, as the ability to save and repatriate savings will impact other factors such as employee satisfaction and loyalty towards the company.”
Data for the2017 Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Salary Survey was collected online from March23rd to April9th,2017. Results are based on a sample of3,879 respondents who live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.