Gender and Human Resource Management in the Middle East

Written by: Rachel Wells

This blog post is based on The International Journal of Human Resource Management article “Gender and Human Resource Management in the Middle East” by Beverly Dawn Metcalfe.

Women as Top Talent

As more women enter the workforce it has become an increasing concern that women in workplaces encounter a glass ceiling. The text refers to a glass ceiling as discriminatory practices that have prevented women and other protected-class members from advancing to executive-level jobs (85). This is especially true in the Middle East where Islamic values affect women's work experiences and Islam shapes gender and HRM policies.

This issue of gender and HRM polices in the Middle East is important because of the increasing support for equality between men and women in the workplace. There is also a growing importance of women's employment in the Middle East. As the economy in Middle Eastern states grows and changes, there is a greater need for government and organizations in the Middle East to integrate with government and organizations in different countries. “It is shown that Islamic banking, finance and insurance services offer significant growth potential in the global market, and that these sectors are likely to require female labor” (Metcalfe 56).

Study

Beverly Dawn Metcalfe is a Senior Lecturer in HRD, International Development at University of Manchester. Her study is based on an assessment of 53 survey responses and 27 interviews. All the survey and interview participants were female professionals from Arab states who currently work in Bahrain, and attended career development workshops. Out of the 102 attendees to the workshops, twelve had PhDs, 20 percent had postgraduate qualifications and 33 percent had professional level qualifications (Metcalfe 62).

The results identified key barriers to career development. Survey respondents identified child care responsibilities, limited female role models, and business culture and the limited support of organizations for women’s work as barriers (Metcalfe 62). Interview data identified the lack of HR policy planning relating to women and equal opportunities, limited training and development opportunities for women, and the significance of Islam in a work environment including Islamic dress as barriers (Metcalfe 63).

HR Policies

Two common means the text says are used to “break the glass” are: (1) allow for alternative work arrangements for employees, particularly those balancing work/family responsibilities, and (2) establish formal mentoring programs for women. But in the Middle East flexible work schedules or part-time work is not encouraged. For example, in Bahrain women are given eight weeks unpaid maternity leave, but are expected to look after the children and not return to work. Those that do return to work are given about a one hour reduction in work hours. As for mentoring programs, it would be difficult for organizations to implement formal ones because of a lack of female professionals to act as mentors. In Bahrain, most mentoring opportunities are often built on informal female relations and networks. Not through organization support (Metcalfe 68).

Metcalfe states that the lack of equal opportunity policies reflects the equal but different philosophy underpinning Islam. This philosophy holds men and women as equals, and respects and values the different, not lesser, skills and characteristics of women managers. Islam is so strongly embedded in the workplace that some organizations in Bahrain support sex-segregated work spaces (Metcalfe 64). However, this philosophy does place massive constraints on women's career development, especially relating to training and development. Because of this philosophy most training opportunities are given to men before women, if offered to women at all.

Conclusion

It is hard to tell if HRM policies in the Middle East will ever change to give women equal opportunities. It is something that probably won’t change for a long time, if at all. But I do think it is important for students to be well informed about HR related issues that are going on in other parts of the world. Learning about these issues gives you a greater understanding of things that we do and have here in America like equal employment opportunity laws and regulations, affirmative action plans, and Title VII.

Metcalfe, Beverly Dawn. “Gender and Human Resource Management in the Middle East.” The International Journal of Human Resource Management 18.1 (2007): 54-74.

Committed Employees Are the Key to Talent Retention

Written by: Stephen Grassi

This blog post is based on The China Business Review article “The Key to Retention: Committed Employees” by Jim Leininger.

An Emerging Market

In the emerging business market of China, companies face the double-edged sword of high turnover and high salary increases. In this increasingly competitive market, employers struggle to keep their employees. While traditional business logic indicates that the salary increases should be enough to ward off high turnover, this is simply not the case in China. Human Resource Management by Mathis and Jackson states on page 160 that turnover in the United States alone costs businesses billions of dollars each year. This is a situation that companies in China want to avoid, and a unique solution must be implemented. Jim Leininger has found that in order to combat high turnover and to retain top talent, a company must offer programs that inspire employees to a deeper commitment to the company.

Talent Shortage in China

In a land of over a billion people, it seems silly to think that there would be a talent shortage in China, yet this is the reality. Only in the last 20-30 years have the Chinese put an emphasis on business. Because of this, only the younger generation has the talent and tools necessary to perform in the international world of business. Young workers who have strong business acumen and technical skills are in high demand by both international companies and local Chinese firms. By recognizing that there is a talent shortage in the highly competitive Chinese market, it is a little bit easier to understand why turnover is so high and so problematic.

These workers are leaving their companies because they want better pay, better opportunities, and better training. These reasons for leaving align with traditional business logic, but because of the market conditions in China, the issue of high turnover and talent shortage cannot be dealt with in a traditional way. Because salaries are being increased by businesses across the board, companies must find a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. Companies must attain this by achieving long-term employee commitment.  

Drivers of Commitment

We have now discovered that employee commitment is the most effective way to curb high turnover in this unique business market, but what can be done to ensure employee commitment? Leininger offers several solutions:

1)      Clear communication

-        As discussed in my previous blog post, open and honest communication between management and employees is critical. Management must be clear about their expectations for employees, and employees must clearly state their goals and needs in the work environment. When both management and employees have a clear understanding of each other because of open communication, employee commitment will be increased.

2)      High job satisfaction

-        People who are satisfied with their job are likely going to be more committed to it. This seems to be an obvious fact, but job satisfaction isn’t always a straightforward thing. It is highly subjective and requires a large amount of work for a company. It stands to reason, though, that if high job satisfaction can be achieved, high turnover rates will then be reduced.

3)      Inspired leadership and management

-       Company leaders who encourage employees and inspire employees to do their best will likely reduce the high turnover rates. Having managers who motivate employees to success will also help build the loyalty and commitment of employees.

4)      Effective performance management

-        Establishing clear, objective goals and performance measures for employees and pay for performance initiatives are both helpful in improving employee commitment.

5)      Positive work environment

-        Employers who provide safe, healthy working environments and give employees the tools they need to succeed are likely to experience higher employee commitment. This factor goes hand-in-hand with job satisfaction.

Conclusion

In the highly competitive business environment in China, companies are fighting to attract and retain top talent, but the talent shortage and high turnover rates in China are keeping companies from achieving this. Leininger contends that employers must do something more than simply increase wages. He concludes that companies must take strong action to ensure that employees have a long-term commitment to the company. By taking the steps proposed above to improve employee commitment, companies can ensure that they will be able reduce high turnover and be able to attract and retain top talent.

“The Key to Retention: Committed Employees”

Jim Leininger

The China Business Review, Vol. 31, Issue 1 (January/February, 2004), pp. 16-17, 38-39

Published by: U.S. China Business Council

Article Stable URL: http://huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bft&AN=510329789&site=ehost-live

Top Ten Reasons Why Large Companies Fail To Keep Their Best Talent

Written by: Jeffin Johnson

My last Blog post is based on an article published on Forbes.com on April 10th 2012. This article titled “Top Ten Reasons Why Large Companies Fail To Keep Their Best Talent” is written by Eric Jackson. Jackson is the Founder and Managing Member of Ironfire Capital LLC. He completed his Ph.D. in the Management Department at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business in New York, with a specialization in Strategic Management.

As the title states, Jackson covers the top ten reasons why large companies fail to keep their top talent. In this blog post I will summarize the ten reasons he illustrates in his article. Jackson states that the number one reason why top talent quit is due to “Big Company Bureaucracy”. No one likes rules that make no sense. Employees feel more attached to their employer when they have a chance to voice their opinion and impact the decisions made in the organization.  

The second reason for departure is that top talent cannot find a project that ignites their passion.  Having meetings with employees to find out if they are enjoying what they do is vital to retention.  Jackson states that “Top talent isn’t driven by money and power, but by the opportunity to be a part of something huge, that will change the world, and for which they are really passionate.”

The third and fourth reasons run hand in hand. The third reason is poor annual performance reviews and the fourth reason includes not discussion career development.  Poorly conducted annual performance reviews and a lack of discussing about career development leave top talents wondering if the company even cares about his or her long-term future at the organization. Jackson states that “If your best people know that you think there’s a path for them going forward, they’ll be more likely to hang around.“

The fifth and sixth reasons are also related. The fifth reason is a lack of support or consistency from organizations on individual projects, and the sixth reason is a lack of accountability. Jackson states “top talent demands accountability from others and doesn’t mind being held accountable for their projects...they’ll appreciate your insights/observations/suggestions — as long as they don’t spillover into preaching.”

The seventh reason argues that you should surround top talent with other top talents. Incompetent employees are a very frustrating factor for top talents. The eighth reason is the fact the organization lacks a vision, this ties in with the fourth reason.  A vision for the organization is a future and purpose for the top talent.  
Reason number nine (A lack of open-mindedness) is closely related to reason number one. Top talent “want to share their ideas and have them listened to.” Narrow minded organizations are unattractive to Top talents. 

Bad bosses are the last reason why top talent leave. Jackson states that “If a few people have recently quit at your company who report to the same boss, it’s likely not a coincidence.” He concludes by saying that if you have a leader in your organization that is not getting along with others, it’s better to move them to another part of the organization. If this is not possible, it is a good idea to move your top talents that you want to keep to another part of the organization under the authority of another leader. Taking these reasons in account can help you become a better leader in the future.

Jackson, E. (2011, December 14). Top ten reasons why large companies fail to keep their best talent. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2011/12/14/top-ten-reasons-why-large-companies-fail-to-keep-their-best-talent/2/