Gender equality at work has always been a hot topic for research and debate around the globe. Today, two thirds (66%) of female respondents in Middle East report that women in their country of residence have reached the same level of workplace equality as compared to working women in western countries, according to the Working Women in the Middle East and North Africa survey released by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one job site, and YouGov, a leading market research agency.
This survey measures the perceptions of women in the region when it comes to equality at work, motivations for employment, challenges faced at work, as well as career and life ambitions. The survey revealed that nearly half (47%) of respondents feel that job offers are based on experience and qualifications and gender plays no role in the decision. In fact, nearly half (47%) of respondents have never been asked questions that made them feel discriminated against as women during a job interview.
When it comes to being employed in the region, nine in ten (91%) respondents stated that they have some familiarity with the labor laws of their country of residents, with nearly half (44%) claiming to be very familiar. Of those familiar with the labor laws, three quarters (75%) stated that they are fair to women, at least to some extent.
The mixed gender environment in MENA
Nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents reported having a mix of men and women working together in the same workplace. Three quarters (75%) of women who work in mixed-gender environments are comfortable with it, with nearly half (43%) reporting that they are extremely comfortable. Further, nearly half (46%) of respondents report that they are not treated less favorably or discriminated against as women in the workplace.
Eight in ten (80%) respondents who work in a mixed-gender environment report having a male manager at their current organization. Though when it comes to preferences, two thirds (69%) of respondents have no preference on the gender of their manager.
The treatment of men vs. women in the workplace
Nearly half (48%) of respondents working in a mixed gender environment believe that both males and females are treated equally, especially when it comes to working hours (64%), training and development (58%), and advice and support (50%).
Nearly two thirds (63%) of respondents agree that they work the same number of hours as male colleagues, while one fifth (22%) report that they work more hours. A majority (59%) of respondents believe that appreciation at the workplace is based on performance alone, without regard to gender.48% of women in MENA believe that their chance of being promoted depends entirely on job performance and gender plays no role.
“Women are fundamental players in building and shaping the region’s economies and contributing to the success of every business. The survey results show a very positive direction towards gender balance in the region, particularly when it comes to opportunities for promotion,” explains Suha Mardelli Haroun, Regional Sales Director at Bayt.com. “At Bayt.com, we are very proud of our equal opportunity practices. Women are employed at Bayt.com across all roles and departments, including technology, marketing, human resources, finance, sales, and leadership. Just as an example, in our Jordan office, we have106 employees,50 men and56 women. Our top management and executive board has a healthy gender ratio as well. In fact, women occupy a remarkable number of management positions in Bayt.com. Among the positions occupied by women are: Chief Marketing Officer; Regional HR Director; Regional Business Development Director; Head of Ad Sales; UAE Country Manager; International Unit Manager; Senior Technical Consultant; and many more. Our disciplined system of regular monthly, quarterly and annual appraisals is designed to give equal weighting to value adherence as to actual performance. This ensures that there is always place for great people, regardless of their gender, to climb up the ladder at Bayt.com.”
Challenges faced by women in the workplace
The top three challenges that MENA respondents face in their work environment are less opportunity for job promotions (51%), stressful and demanding work environment (39%), and a lack of sufficient job training and coaching (35%).
When it comes to raising families, nearly three quarters (70%) of respondents with children believe that their decision to have children has affected their career to some extent. Having said that, one third (33%) of respondents believe that their marital life has been affected positively by their career choices.
Benefits for women in the workplace
According to respondents, the top five drivers of happiness in their life are having a successful career (50%), maintaining good health (43%), traveling and visiting other countries (37%), spending time with their family (31%), and making money (29%). The top three reasons women seek employment in the MENA region are to become financially independent (57%), to broaden their perspectives on life (50%), and to be able to support their household (49%).
The top three benefits most important for working women are a higher salary (57%), opportunities for long-term career growth (34%), and flexible hours (30%).
“The opinions gauged by this survey provide an important outlook into the provisions and services employers currently offer their employees in the workplace – while also considering gender balance as a whole. Moreover, this survey also delves into what employers could be doing to further improve the workplace for their female employees – especially those that balance their work with a family,” said Arleen Gonsalves, Associate Research Manager, YouGov.
Data for the “Working Women in the Middle East and North Africa” survey was collected online from November6 to22,2016, with888 female respondents living in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.