Office and business practices differ from country to country. Some countries practice very strict and formal culture while others have a more laissez faire approach. In the United Arab Emirates for example, office culture is different from what is practiced in the United States. The United Arab Emirates was created as a federation made up of seven emirates in 1971, the same year in which it became independent1. The seven emirates are Sharjah, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm al-Qaiwain. People of the Muslim faith, a factor that largely influences the business culture of the region, populate the United Arab Emirates predominantly.
For both the public and private sector, a working week begins on Sunday and ends on Thursday. The maximum hours in which a person can work under the law is eight hours per day though in the hotel industry, employees sometimes work for nine hours. Public sector employees typically work from 7.30 am to 2.30 pm. On Thursday, the working day for the public sector ends at noon. In the United Arab Emirates, work is categorized as either split or straight shift. A straight shift usually comprises 8 hours and starts at 7.30 am with a lunch break lasting no more than an hour. Split shifts start between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. There are three or four breaks in the shift and the working day ends between 8 and 9 pm. The split shift is designed to deal with the extremely high temperatures experienced during the summer and is especially beneficial to laborers working in places with no air conditioning.
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"Work Culture in the United Arab Emirates".
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims who are obeying the fast cannot work for more than six hours a day unless it is out of their own choice. Non-Muslim employees however still have to work the regular 8 hours a day2.
In the Muslim Culture, modesty in dressing is taken seriously. The culture of the United Arab Emirates places emphasis on one’s attire being modest. Both men and women are required to dress in a way in which the shoulders, arms and legs are covered. Suits are the formal business dress for foreigners. Foreign women can wear skirt suits and the skirt must be below the knees. When visiting religious sites, one is required to take off their shoes and women must wear a covering over their hair. For men, suits and ties are the standard dressing. Men do not wear visible jewelry especially around their necks. Shoes that do not reveal the toes are also recommended for both men and women in the office. The locals, however, in keeping with Arabic culture, will often dress in traditional robes and head coverings. It is however not recommended for foreigners to adopt local styles of dressing1.
The United Arab Emirates has a paternalistic culture and as such, managers have to act like the paternal heads of their units while those who serve under them are like their children. Managers give directions, which must be followed precisely. Managers who do not give concise directions to their subordinates risk creating confusion and will be considered as being poor leaders. For foreigners, this style of management could appear autocratic and managers will seem rude towards subordinates. This style of management also creates a culture where employees take no initiative because to do anything besides what is required is seen as disobedience. This could also be because most businesses in the United Arab Emirates are owned and run by families and the behavior at home is transferred to the workplace. By Western standards, the management style in the United Arab Emirates is definitely autocratic2.
Work related rewards are usually classified as either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic rewards are those generated by the person themselves and cannot be influenced by others. For example, a person who loves working as a rally driver cannot be motivated to hate it by other people. Extrinsic rewards on the other hand are material rewards and are subject to manipulation by other people1.
In the United Arab Emirates rewards are mostly extrinsic. As discussed earlier, most businesses are owned and operated by families. Certain positions of management are therefore reserved for locals unless they are foreign owned and operated companies. Salaries paid show some discrimination based on nationality and race.
Employment in the United Arab Emirates depends on qualification. Qualifications from some countries, especially Western countries, are seen as being more favorable and therefore attract higher salaries. Oftentimes, salaries depend on nationality and race and are higher for men than for women.
Typically, wages are highest for employees from North America, Europe, Australia and Arabs from the Gulf region. Employees from Japan, South Korea and Singapore also earn salaries similar to Westerners. South Africans, Eastern Europeans, non-Gulf Arabs, Taiwanese and Latin Americans fall in the second category. Employees from Thailand, Philippines and China come third and the lowest paid are usually from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Africans. The highest paid usually earn twice or thrice what the bottom group earns for similar jobs2.
Work culture in the U.A.E. is different from that of Western countries because of the culture and climate. Working hours, office dress codes and management style is very different from those of Western cultures too. Management is paternalistic and almost autocratic and the directions of managers are to be followed fully. While the major reward for work is extrinsic, the rewards differ based on the nationality and gender of the employees. Just like in any other culture, though, emphasis is placed on respect, work ethic and results in the workplace.
