Meet the experts
EOS Recruitment CEO Kamal Al-Samarrai: EOS was founded in 2012 to fill a gap in the market for required specialists by combining recruitment and headhunting services. Its consultants use their industry specific experience to bring a personalised touch to the regions recruitment.
Hozpitality Group MEA and North America founder, CEO & director Raj Bhatt: Headquartered in Dubai and used by employers and recruiters to broadcast job vacancies in Dubai and across the globe, Hozpitality.com specialises in matching candidates with opportunities in positions with hospitality suppliers, airlines, retail stores, or other positions in the UAE and beyond.
Konen & Lorenzen branch manager Daniela Sighart: Konen & Lorenzen has been in the international recruitment and consultancy market more than 18 years. Today, it is the partner for many of the world’s hotel groups as well as companies within the catering and tourism industry.
Novotel & Adagio Abu Dhabi Al Bustan human resources manager Alina Zapopadko: Novotel Abu Dhabi Al Bustan is a contemporary hotel in a neighbourhood for business and leisure guests. It offers a fitness & wellness centre and an outdoor heated pool. Meeting areas and a ballroom are also available for event-planning needs.
Gloria Hotels and Resorts area general manager Freddy Farid: Gloria Hotels & Resorts offers a living concept with contemporary spaces in locations across the UAE. Gloria provides alcohol-free properties for guests travelling on business or for pleasure.
What are the main challenges in recruiting qualified employees?
Kamal Al-Samarrai: Currently the main challenge is to convince potential employees that the Middle East market is as mature and rewarding as the western market. Prospective employees see that a majority of staff here have been with a regional hotel for a long time and worked their way up – this will give them comfort about the prospects of a career here.
Raj Bhatt: Recruiting the right candidate with the right attitude is the most important factor. Most of the hotels these days look for candidates who are locally available with similar experience, but with similar salaries in most of the hotels, it may be a challenge finding the right candidate.
Daniela Sighart: While employers are confronted with a constantly rising total cost of staff, the take-home salaries of individual employees has stagnated, despite the steep increase of living costs. In addition, the hire-and-fire mentality displayed by numerous employers during economically challenging times has caused distrust in the local hiring market.
Alina Zapopadko: Recently there is a tendency for redirection of qualified candidates back to their respective home-countries, where the quality of life is outweighing the offers available here, this is tightening the resource pool’s boarders. A supplementary obstacle is attracting and recruiting highly demanded Arabic speaking employees.
Freddy Farid: The economic growth in traditional source markets such as south East Asia and Eastern Europe is making the move to Dubai appear less attractive in terms of employment packages. Skilled and technical staff are now becoming a rare catch, especially for recruiters located here in the UAE market.
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