The real estate industry is still suffering the side effects of a muted property market. Abu Dhabi’s largest property developer, Aldar Properties, in October announced it would slash its workforce by 24 percent as it seeks to cut costs. The developer plans to shed 105 jobs to match its manpower needs to its scaled-back construction schedule, the company said in a statement to the Abu Dhabi bourse. “Aldar’s new strategic plan takes into account the existing market environment,” the company said in the statement. It will “selectively target new developments where there is demonstrable demand, and increase Aldar’s large-scale fee-based development activities. The main objective of this new strategic direction is to return Aldar to long-term growth,” said chairman Ali Eid AlMheiri.