Work Motivators of Saudi and Emirati Generation Y: A Pilot Study

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) practice labour nationalization policies for regulating localisation of the workforce. However, the success of these policies is debatable when measured as the fulfillment of quotas for numbers of nationals employed and complicated by the influx of a large Generation Y (Gen Y) demographic group into the labour markets. The sustainability of these policies depends on the ability of organizations to understand the recruitment and retention issues specific to young nationals. This study compares the work motivators of Saudi and Emirati Gen Y in KSA and the UAE respectively. Twenge et al.’s (2010) model was used to measure the importance of work preferences on five motivational dimensions. Quantitative and qualitative survey and interview data were gathered from 91 respondents comprising Saudi and UAE nationals. The findings showed differences in importance placed on work preferences and perceptions of inter-generational differences in work ethics that could be attributed to individual demographic and socio-economic factors. Specific recommendations for effective recruitment and retention of Gen Y were provided that could better inform human resource practices and contribute to management research in the Arabian Gulf region. This research contributed to existing knowledge on Gen Y, extended previous studies regarding this cohort at work and increased understanding of Saudi and Emirati Gen Y in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.