Emirati citizens strongly support UAE government’s efforts to bolster private sector development, found the recent Emirati Employment Report 2015. According to Oxford Strategic Consulting’s survey report, 41% of working-age Emiratis viewed the private sector as ‘Very Important’ to national employment. A further 33% of nationals considered private sector development as ‘Extremely Important’.
When given a choice between the public and private sector, many Emirati citizens prefer working in the public sector. Yet when asked exclusively about the importance of private sector development, 96% of UAE citizens surveyed felt that the private sector was ‘Somewhat’, ‘Very’ or ‘Extremely’ important for employment.
Emiratis’ acknowledged of the importance of the private sector will not necessarily translate into greater private sector employment. Indeed, lower wages, less benefits and social stigmas serve as real barriers to increasing the number of Emiratis employed in the UAE’s private sector.
Nevertheless, these results reveal that UAE citizens must be viewed as allies, rather than obstacles, in the development of the UAE’s private sector. While many may ultimately prefer to work in the public sector, the vast majority of citizens recognise the importance of the private sector for employment and are aligned with the government on this strategic country goal.
