Job Spectrum

After a string of lay-offs during the last few years, firms in Dubai are recruiting once again, but this time more companies are opting for the bond or, provisional hiring route, say experts. “I would say around 30 percent to 40 per cent (though it isn't officially reported figure); firms are taking contract staffing route.

Due to the downsizing during 2009/2010 the business needed to be managed with high potential staff, who, were retained. Now, with return of a positive trend, firms that are under-sized are recruiting provisional staff,” Prabhu Dahrmarajan, Senior Manager, Dulsco HR solutions told Emirates 24/7.

According to HR professionals, the popularity of temporary hiring instead of permanent staffing is picking up in Dubai as businesses depend on temporary solutions to support shoulder growing workloads.

“Contract recruiting is on the rise now, since the businesses have started progressing on the positive growth curve. Learning from lessons of the economic slowdown, firms have realized the significance of keeping their payroll and headcounts at the minimal and within a budget.

"Cutting down their excess has turned out to be an effortless remedy. Expecting a project long lasting is not a trend anymore. Contract employees could be onboard for the time the project subsists, hence, a solution for keeping the budgets within control,” added Dharmarajan. Lama Ataya, CMO of Bayt.com, believes that although permanent placements are liked by employers in Dubai, provisional staffing is mounting.

“Dubai companies continue to largely favor enduring hires versus temporary or contract hires for a number of factors which includes perceived benefits vis-a-vis long-term staff stability, firm ethnicity, overall staff confidence as well as present market forces and dynamics which enable employers to handpick top professionals for permanent positions at a very competitive packages.

"Local employers are still very cognizant of the importance of employee engagement, continuity and retention after the high turnover years of the mid-2000s and therefore are reluctant to return to the time of staff musical chairs with the inefficiencies that presented,” she told this website.

“Nevertheless, we have seen a lot of reshuffling and reorganization take place recently in Dubai and in many instances professionals are being brought on short-term and consultancy agreements to spearhead and implement the change. Moreover, many experts, who for several reasons left highly paid positions in Dubai in recent years in industries including management consultancy, media and monetary services, to name just a few, have setup small consultancies and prefer to offer their professional services to several clients on a project or freelance basis.

"They tend to be professionals at mid to senior career levels who've a good reputation in the region, an impressive track record and fantastic professional networks, which they can tap into to ensure a continuous supply of projects and ongoing success in their field. We expect the demand for self-employed talent to continue to be vigorous while domestic employers continue to expand their talent pools and sources of talent to accommodate their varying internal needs and the rapidly changing profile of the professionals’ marketplace,” she added.