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Job site Bayt.com has just released its annual Ramadan in the MENA Workplace Poll. The majority of respondents (77%) said they feel more productive during Ramadan whereas 76% believe that Ramadan lifts overall morale at work.
Interestingly, 86% plan to make more time for finding a job during the holy month. This correlates with the finding that 19% of MENA respondents believe that hiring activity increases during Ramadan whilst 24% believe it remains the same.
Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: “Ramadan is a special time for MENA professionals as they are actively encouraged to engage in more charitable activities and be more considerate towards others. As highlighted in Bayt.com’s annual survey, this experience promotes a positive mindset amongst MENA professionals who feel more productive and actively work towards achieving their personal and professional goals.”
Productivity during Ramadan
Most MENA companies make special adjustments during the holy month of Ramadan. These include offering flexible working arrangements/shorter hours (59%), accommodate employees’ religious/spiritual needs (14%), maintaining health and safety at work (12%) and tolerating lower productivity/leniency with deadlines (2%). Thanks to these special measures, 83% of respondents are satisfied with their employer’s support during Ramadan.
34% of MENA respondents agree that their workload increases during the holy month, this is likely due to the fact that working hours decrease as stated by 59% of respondents. 37% of respondents said their workload stays the same during Ramadan, while 21% of respondents said it decreases.
Despite changes in workload, 77% of MENA professionals agree that they feel more productive during Ramadan, 17% of respondents said their productivity doesn’t change during Ramadan, and only 7% said they become less productive.
Interestingly, 14% of respondents say that they take more vacation days during Ramadan, while 77% claim the opposite is true.
A Month for Reflection and Growth
As professionals across the region prepare for Ramadan, the month of worship and charity, they anticipate changes in their daily routines. A majority of respondents said that they commit more pious acts (62%), more charitable activities and good deeds (15%), more focus on career goals (7%) and more time with the family (4%). In addition, 76% of MENA respondents agree that their company increases charitable activities during the holy month.
Data for the Ramadan in the MENA Workplace Poll was collected online from February 18, 2022 to March 22, 2022. Results are based on a sample of 1,881 respondents from countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Sudan among others.
