Women in UAE feel less opportunity for career advancement compared to men

The survey, which saw participation from more than 1,000 employees, both male and female, in the UAE, also reveals that less than a third (31%) of women would stay with their current organisation if a comparable job were available elsewhere.

This is compared to the more loyal 46% of male employees, and a 52% global average.

Towers Watson's study found that a lack of trust in senior management and opportunities to progress in their careers elsewhere were found to be two of the top five reasons why a woman was likely to leave her current role.

The research also found that half (49%) of women working in the UAE do not feel that they have adequate opportunity to advance in their career, compared with only 31% of men and a global average of 27% A further 50% of women also felt that their organisation did not provide adequate feedback on how they could advance in their career.

"There is clearly a disconnect between female employees and their organisations in the UAE, employers should ensure that they effectively communicate the opportunities available within the organisation and have clearly defined engagement strategies for their female employees to reduce the risk of voluntary departure," said Marjola Rintjema, senior consultant for talent and reward practice at Towers Watson.

"Employers should focus on career development for both their female and male employees, especially in terms of establishing and sustaining a transparent and well-defined career advancement programme. A global career framework that lets employees see potential career paths and understand the skills and competencies they need in order to follow those paths is a significant factor in retaining top talent and maintaining engagement levels," Marjola added.