Doha, 11^th November 2013: Research by Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON), reveals that Qatari nationals report an employee engagement level of 51%, the highest of all GCC nationals. Qatari nationals also report lower levels of attrition risk at 16% compared to the GCC average of 20%. Moreover, the overall employment engagement (both nationals and expatriates) in Qatar is the second highest amongst GCC countries. 

According to the study Qatar national report high levels of satisfaction with key aspects of their work life, 82% feel that they have a sense of accomplishment and meaning in the workplace while 83% believe they are trusted and respected at work. In addition, 63% Qataris believe that they are learning and developing their skills and capabilities in their current jobs.

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 and Dolphin Energy. 

The study also highlights some areas of improvement. Growth opportunities tend to be an area of dissatisfaction for Qatari nationals, with only one out of ten employees reporting that they are being promoted fast enough. The level of support received from their managers can also be seen as a key area for improvement with only 33.4% stating satisfaction.

Further findings from the report highlight that young Qatari nationals have very distinct workplace preferences. They have strong faith in their abilities and believe that their work makes the country a better place. The report shows that pay and benefits are not the top most priority; rather, they feel that interesting and meaningful work is of higher importance. They also demonstrate a strong desire to achieve high level managerial positions as quickly as possible with 72% of Qatari youth regarding their current role as a step to their next job.

Dr. Markus Wiesner, Chief Executive Officer at Aon Hewitt Middle East said: “Young Qatari nationals are clearly emerging as a unique demographic group with varying preferences and expectations to their older counterparts. Whilst pay and benefits will obviously help attract young talent, organizations will need to place greater emphasis on all aspects of the employee life cycle including meaningful roles, learning and career development. .”

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. 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.

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 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. 

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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