76 Percent of Omani are Motivated by Money for Job

MUSCAT:
Money seems to be the most common motivator behind considering the job as indicated by the Oman Employment Report – Insight for 2016, which was published by the Oxford Strategy Consulting.
Surveying 300 Omanis whom are less than 30 years of age, the report aims to “offer insights underpinning the current aspirations of Omanis which will serve as a useful tool for both private and public sectors as well as government and organizations”.
The survey covered their motivations, perceptions of the best employers, their ideal job role, the best way for employers to attract nationals, the most & least attractive employment sectors, the importance of the private sector and difficulties faced when searching for jobs.
According to the survey, 76 percent said that money was the top motivator in accepting a job. Those working in the private sector showed that they were more likely motivated by money than employees in the government sector.
“It is important to remember that money offers stability and security and this is especially true in Oman’s traditional social context. Money may bring social prestige but it also reflects great responsibility,” said the report.
Omanis are also motivated by challenges and travel which account for 28 percent, development with 23 percent and motivated by influences 22 percent.
When the survey asked what their ideal job role, unsurprisingly most answered ‘run my own business’ which translates to 34 percent. Following that, many wanted to work in administration-28 percent, serve as a business leader which made up 22 percent and join a family owned business which accounts for 17 percent.
“Rather than increasing wages, the government should help Omani entrepreneurs to make money for themselves. More Omanis ranked ‘running my own business’ as their ideal job role than for any other role. This inclination toward entrepreneurism in the Sultanate can be tapped into to help transition Omanis away from public sector roles and toward private sector enterprises,” said the report.
“In order to maximize the investment in entrepreneurism, high-potential entrepreneurs who actually contribute to employment growth, known as ‘gazelles’ should be identified and supported by the government. Providing seed funding and early support for high-potential entrepreneurs is much more cost-effective than employing the equivalent public sector employees for an entire career,” it added.
38 percent of Omanis say that Aerospace is their least favored job role, according to the report where 20 percent was recorded. Aviation is the second-least favorite with 20 percent and following that was Media with 13 percent. Real Estate and Construction followed with both recording 10 percent as being the least likely favorite.
The report also revealed the difficulties Omanis face while finding jobs. 41 percent said the hours are too long when they are faced with finding a job. 35 percent said that the pay is too low while 23 percent say that there aren’t enough suitable jobs.
“In order to productively increase youth employment and sustain its momentum, matching jobs with established skill-sets is imperative to create an enabling work environment,” said the report.
“Oxford Strategic Consulting found that four out of ten respondents felt the main difficulty Omanis faced when finding a suitable job was that the hours were deemed too long for what they considered was appropriate. In addition, over a further third felt the pay was too low for their educational level and skills,
“Given Oman’s substantial investment in education and national projects, recruiters and key stakeholders alike should consider employment challenges that Omanis face at the outset. This would allow employers to better identify and implement workable solutions,” the report continued explaining.