Managers suffer communication breakdown

Business managers in the UAE believe they are better at communicating their organisation’s objectives to their employees then they actually are, according to the findings of a new study.
The survey, conducted by YouGov Siraj for public relations firm Hill & Knowlton, found that while 77% of managers in the Emirates felt they did a fair job of communicating with their workers, only 54% of employees felt the same way.

The study measured the responses of 500 managers and employees in the GCC and found almost half (49%) of UAE employees surveyed did not feel that they receive the information they need to do their job well.

“The UAE findings... suggest that, although managers in the UAE understand the importance of communicating with employees, many of them are failing to get the message across,” Fran McElwaine, director of change and organisational communications for Hill & Knowlton Middle East, said in a statement.

“This is a vitally important issue for corporate managers in this region. Companies are under pressure to lift productivity and it is becoming harder to attract and retain top talent."

Results from the survey mirror the recent ArabianBusiness.com Salary Survey 2008, in which 90% of businesses in the Gulf region said securing the right candidate from the international job market was either a struggle or entirely impossible.

To view the results of the ArabianBusiness.com Salary Survey 2008, click here.

The survey revealed that recruitment and retention was a significant hurdle for managers in the UAE, with only 25% of managers saying they believe it is easy to find staff of the right calibre.

The study also found that 33% of employees do not feel valued for the contribution they make and one quarter of managers in believe it is not necessary for staff members to understand how their job connects to their company's business objectives.

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