Businesses are expected to experience a slow down over the summer months, new research from Robert Half highlights why this is.
- Majority of UAE finance leaders report a negative impact on business over the summer months
- Lost productivity and less managerial direction due to annual leave a concern for nearly half (46%) of finance leaders
- The summer offers employees the opportunity to relax, recharge and catch up on their work
Dubai, 12 August 2015 – The summer months are well underway in the UAE and the majority (93%) of finance leaders acknowledge this time of year has a negative impact on their business, according to new independent research1 from leading recruitment specialist Robert Half UAE. Only seven per cent of finance leaders said the summer months would have no impact.
The largest impact is due too annual leave (46%), ‘less managerial direction’ for teams with senior leaders absent (27%) and lost productivity (19%). While more than one third (35%) say the commercial activity will slow down, a further 13% say their workforce is less motivated over the summer months.
Gareth El Mettouri, UAE Associate Director of Robert Half, commented: “The summer months often results in a slowdown of commercial activity for many UAE businesses. This is a good opportunity for employers to encourage employees to take their annual leave. By preparing for the slowdown of activity and employees taking annual leave, businesses can optimise use of resources and focus on completing unfinished projects.
“Encouraging your employees to take advantage of the summer months to relax and recharge will see them return to work higher morale and increased productivity.”
Robert Half offers five recommendations developed for companies to ensure their employees can leave on holidays stress free:
- Have a team plan – As a team, asses what projects need to be completed over the summer months, and where possible each employee can understand what responsibilities they have and can schedule their work and holiday in advance.
- Be prepared – It is important for colleagues to understand expectations and deadlines so that all tasks are completed. Good preparation and clear agreements in what needs to be managed will mean that teams feel supported and have the ability to carry out their work with direction.
- Allow flexibility – Employees who have the ability to work flexibly leading up to their holiday will be more inclined to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently.
- Encourage annual leave – everyone is entitled to a minimum number of holidays and it is important to encourage the use of them. Employees who take their holidays are generally more satisfied and productive throughout the year.
- Appoint a leader while you are away – With managerial direction being one of the biggest impacts on lost productivity, it is important that your team know who they can go to for advice. This is also a good opportunity to offer one of your employees a chance to develop their leadership skills, and ability to handle certain tasks without direction.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
1 The survey was developed by Robert Half UAE and is conducted by an independent research firm. The study is based on more than 75 interviews with senior finance executives from companies across the UAE, with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic location.
About Robert Half
Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialised recruitment consultancy; a member of the S&P 500 and #1 in our industry on FORTUNE® magazine’s “World's Most Admired Companies” list (2015). Founded in 1948, the company has over 340 offices worldwide, including the UAE, providing recruitment solutions for accounting and finance, financial services, technology, legal, human resources and administration professionals. Robert Half offers workplace and job seeker resources at roberthalf.ae.