Results from the recently concluded Consumer Confidence Index survey conducted jointly by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one job site, and research and consulting organisation YouGov, shows that residents in Egypt hold an optimistic view of their personal financial future, as well as of the country’s economy. However, a majority of surveyed employees feel that the current remuneration is not in line with the cost of living, with only12% believing that now is a good time to buy consumer durables.
According to the Bayt.com quarterly MENA Consumer Confidence Index survey, expectations for the future are primarily positive amongst respondents from Egypt, with52% believing that their financial position will improve in a year’s time, which is a reflection of sentiments observed from across the Middle East region. In correlation with this,68% of respondents expect that Egypt’s economy will take a turn for the better within the same time period. A majority (70%) also believe that this will bring around better business conditions, which in turn, will open up more job opportunities, according to54% of respondents.
Despite this, there is a neutral sentiment expressed by a majority of the respondents (37%) towards the likelihood of increase in their organisation’s employee-count for the coming quarter. Less than a quarter of respondents (21%) think there will be a positive growth, though this is shadowed by25% sharing a pessimistic outlook on the same. The percentages closely resemble those obtained when respondents were asked what they felt about their organization keeping up with staffing requirements in the coming three months – the majority are neutral (a trend that is echoed across the region), with20% optimistic and23% pessimistic.
“The overall feeling is that while the coming year will be favourable for business and corporations, this may not necessarily reflect on employees’ benefits,” explained Amer Zureikat, VP Salesat Bayt.com. “At Bayt.com, we work towards creating a solid platform of statistics and a valuable insight to share with employees and employers alike. As the number one job site in the Middle East, we provide reliable date from a significant cross-section of the region’s population.”
With regards to the respondents’ present situation, the general feeling across the region is that the financial situation for them and their family is no different than it was within the previous year. In Egypt, only28% respondents state that they have had an improved financial position compared to last year, while32% have experienced no change, and the financial situation is worse for33% of survey-takers. The overwhelming majority state that in comparison to last year, their salary has not kept pace with the cost of living in Egypt.
This reflects on the current attitude towards the purchasing of consumer durable goods, with only12% of Egypt’s respondents feeling that this is a positive time to buy. The majority, at53%, believe that this is a bad time to make large purchase, with most opting to shy away from investments in property and purchasing new cars in the next12 months. Among a quarter of the segment (24%) who are looking to purchase vehicles,52% say they will invest in a new car, while44% will choose a used car. As far is property is concerned,67% of would-be investors will look to invest in new properties.
In terms of employment, only a small percentage (19%) of respondents appear highly satisfied with their current job and career prospects. Almost half report a neutral sentiment towards their current employment situation, and35% are displeased, with a collective70% reporting neutral (35%) or low (35%) satisfaction with the possibility for career growth in their current organisation.
Survey statistics show that feelings towards the level of job security in Egypt are relatively balanced; most respondents (36%) have a neutral opinion of their job security,30% are unsatisfied and27% are highly satisfied.
“Our survey demonstrates that the majority of employees in Egypt are indifferent or less to their current career status, which shows that there is definite room for improvement. The general sentiment is that an increase in salary could be due, in correlation with inflated costs of living,” concluded Zureikat.
Data for the quarterly Bayt.com Consumer Confidence Index survey was collected online from June1 – July17,2011, with7,245 respondents aged over18 years, covering GCC Arab, North African, Levant, Western Expatriate and Asian nationalities. Countries who participated are UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Pakistan.