A majority of both GCC nationals and expatriates in the region rank ‘family’ as the most influential motivator, a report said, adding that ‘status’ and ‘easy life’ were among the least influential factors that motivate them in life.

The findings of the latest survey commissioned by Oxford Strategic Consulting (OSC), a UK/Dubai-based HR consultancy, challenge widespread employer stereotypes about GCC nationals, such as an obsession with status and a tendency to opt for low-pressure, public sector employment.

In these findings, ‘status’ ranked the least influential motivator for nationals (at 2 per cent), and only 6 per cent of nationals mentioned an ‘easy life’ as an important motivator.

The survey consisted of nearly 3,000 responses from GCC nationals and expats. The survey asked participants what three things motivated them most in life as well as what three things discouraged them the most in life.

Motivations

“The importance of family to both nationals and expats reflects the fact that most expats in the GCC are from similar ‘collective cultures of South East Asia and the other Arab countries – this supports our view that models of leadership and human resources coming from Western ‘individualistic’ societies may become less and less useful in the new world economy,” said Professor William Scott-Jackson, chairman of OSC, and Fellow at the University of Oxford.

In addition to ‘family’, both sets of respondents listed ‘finances, ‘striving to achieve’ and ‘religion and beliefs’ as important factors that motivate them the most in life. The close similarity in responses challenges another often heard employer stereotype that GCC nationals and expats possess very different sets of motivations and expectations when it comes to juggling the work-life balance.

“These findings reveal important similarities between nationals and expats, which have real implications for GCC-based companies seeking to increase employee engagement and organisational effectiveness,” said Professor Scott-Jackson.

The survey also found that GCC nationals were significantly more likely than expats to feel discouraged by their own negative feelings (40 per cent cf. 27 per cent), finances/cost of living (32 per cent cf. 23 per cent) and lack of achievement (18 per cent cf. 14 per cent).

Demotivators

That many GCC nationals are discouraged by their own negative feelings reinforces Oxford Strategic Consulting’s recommendation that GCC business leaders should work to develop individual positivism among national employees, said Professor Scott-Jackson.

Nationals demonstrating a more positive attribution style will help boost engagement levels in GCC organisations, he pointed out.

Motivated employees tend to be more committed to their work, and this can result in major benefits for their organisations. Research found, for example, that organisations with the highest engagement scores averaged 18 per cent higher productivity than those with the lowest engagement scores.

“The most successful GCC companies will incorporate these findings, and indeed similar studies, into their recruitment, development, retention and engagement strategies by focusing on individual motivation – mostly impacted by the first line leader and the individual’s own personal attribution style,” added Professor Scott-Jackson.

“Using advanced techniques, both of these can be changed for the benefit of the person, the organisation and society,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service