Riyadh, 11^th November 2013: Research by Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON), reveals that despite the perceived attractiveness of working in the public sector and its considerable increase in wages and allowances, GCC nationals working in the private sector report significantly higher levels of engagement (45%) compared to their national counterparts in the public sector (37%).

Favourable working conditions in the public sector such as job security, status and regulated working hours have traditionally been seen as key engagement factors for nationals. However, the research findings show that an average of 20% of GCC nationals working in the private sector are at high risk of attrition compared to 24% in the public sector. In addition, the satisfaction level with regards to pay for nationals working in the public sector (32%) was not significantly higher than the overall average (30%). 

The findings come from Aon Hewitt’s latest Qudurat study, a pioneering research initiative focused on understanding what drives and motivates talent in the region, with an emphasis on understanding national talent. The research includes participation from more than 100 public and private institutions including Gulf Air, Emirates NBD, Alghanim Industries, Dolphin Energy and McDonald's Saudi Arabia. 

The research also revealed that employee engagement levels of GCC nationals have decreased from 51% to 44% in the past two years. Currently in Saudi Arabia, four in every ten employees are engaged.

Findings from the Qudurat study indicate that organizations can retain and engage their employees by building a culture of belongingness that is grounded in strong organizational leadership, trust among peers and management, values, fairness, and respect for the individual’s contribution. At present, 38% Saudi nationals believe that their senior leadership is making the right decisions in running the organization and managing its employees and 42% report satisfaction with fair treatment at work. In addition, 39% of the Saudi nationals feel actively supported by their manager and 42% report that they have received adequate coaching and mentoring from their organization in the last 6 months. 

Dr. Markus Wiesner, Chief Executive Officer at Aon Hewitt Middle East said: “The Qudurat findings demonstrate a change in attitudes among GCC nationals towards working in the private sector. This is good news as a whole for the region as it continues to diversify and look towards its local talent pool for sustainable skills and future business leaders. Based on the findings, the private sector is clearly doing something right in terms of attracting and engaging national talent.”

GCC nationals aged 25 to 34 reveal the lowest levels of engagement at 40%. Alarmingly, the report also highlights a significant downward shift in engagement levels for nationals under the age of 25 from 64% to 48% in the last two years. 

“With an increasing number of youth entering the workforce, their declining levels of engagement are a cause for concern. Unfortunately, levels of work preparedness reported by GCC nationals are lower than their expatriate counterparts,” added Dr. Wiesner. “Whilst the Government of Saudi Arabia is making strong progress in developing and creating programmes to address youth’s work readiness, there is a need to ramp-up policy development and roll-out. In order to ensure a skilled young population is developed and to meet the needs of the future labor force, policies such as strong entry level programs will help bridge the critical skills gap and help reverse youth unemployment.”

The Qudurat report further reveals that employees (nationals and expatriates) across the Gulf have high career aspirations with an average of 8 out of 10 employees expecting a promotion within the next year and 48% stating this a given. 

As part of the Qudurat initiative, Aon Hewitt has also conducted a nationalization practices survey with participation from leading regional organizations who provided insights on the prevalence and effectiveness of their current nationalization initiatives. In addition, Aon Hewitt gathered the career preferences, choices and influences of higher education students. Insights gained have helped shape Aon Hewitt’s Nationalization Accelerator programme which entails five core solution offers geared to help clients envision, implement and measure the effectiveness of their nationalization practices.

The key findings of the research project were revealed yesterday by Aon Hewitt to over 100 HR professionals and heads of nationalization at an event at the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai. Guest speakers Zafar Raja, CEO of Serco and Essa Al Mulla, Executive Director of the Emirates National Development Program, also presented insights from the perspectives of industry and government. 

Aon Hewitt has been conducting the Qudurat survey since 2010, on the basis that only by gaining in-depth knowledge of the individual capabilities and motivational drivers that determine the performance and productivity of the region's workforce, can a true understanding of the talent landscape be gained.

The survey is part of Aon Hewitt’s suite of evidence-based, research-led studies including the Salary Increase Survey, Best Employers Middle East (BEME), Total Compensation Measurement (TCM™) and People Risk Index (PRI®).

A precis of the Qudurat survey's main findings can be downloaded here: http://www.aon.com/middle-east/thought-leadership/hr/qudurat-research-report.jsp

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About Aon Hewitt

Aon Hewitt empowers organizations and individuals to secure a better future through innovative talent, retirement and health solutions. We advise, design and execute a wide range of solutions that enable clients to cultivate talent to drive organizational and personal performance and growth, navigate retirement risk while providing new levels of financial security, and redefine health solutions for greater choice, affordability and wellness.  Aon Hewitt is the global leader in human resource solutions, with over 30,000 professionals in 90 countries serving more than 20,000 clients worldwide. For more information on Aon Hewitt, please visit www.aonhewitt.com.

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services. Through its more than 65,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to empower results for clients in over 120 countries via innovative and effective risk and people solutions and through industry-leading global resources and technical expertise. Aon has been named repeatedly as the world’s best broker, best insurance intermediary, reinsurance intermediary, captives manager and best employee benefits consulting firm by multiple industry sources. Visit www.aon.com for more information on Aon and www.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon’s global partnership and shirt sponsorship with Manchester United. 

About Qudurat

Qudurat is Aon Hewitt’s pioneering research study focused on understanding what drives and motivates talent in the Middle East, with an emphasis on understanding national talent. The study is the first and largest of its kind representing the voice of over 20,000 employees across 7 countries. Unmatched in scope and scale, the research is fully funded by Aon Hewitt and involved the cooperation of over 120 organizations.

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