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The Hotelier Middle East Salary Survey 2015 revealed that 14.1% of hoteliers would leave their current job to move to a different location, while last year this percentage was much lower (8.2%).

One respondent, voicing concerns about the job market in Bahrain attributed the high turnover in country’s hotels to be down to being overworked and underpaid.

The respondent said: “Our HR manager resigned, our marketing manager resigned , our housekeeping manager retired and we have 5% of total staff from Bahrain and the others are all from India – 90%.

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“Nobody wants to work for 10 hours a day then you give them BD 250 (US $663) as a salary where is you have to get at least BD 500 ($1326.26) monthly to cover your expenses in Bahrain if you are single; if you are married you will need more than that.

“So in total we are disappointed with the current situation and hopefully my voice will represent any Bahraini who works in a hotel and has a 0% salary rise, no health insurance, no bonus, no incentives and nothing at all. There’s no transport allowance, no social allowance, no telephone allowance – we are in Middle Ages here!”

Another UAE-based respondent commented: “Hotels exploit their employees. They pay low salaries relative to the market and offer close to nothing in benefits. Furthermore, they force their employees to do more than the required hours per week by the Ministry of Labour and no one is held accountable.

“We have people working at our hotel since it’s opening in 2013, and they don’t have their Emirates IDs yet! You can’t even complain, because the company isn’t registered with the Ministry of Labour – it’s a joke! How can you call this ‘one of the most prestigious hospitality companies in the world?’ I’m out of here the minute I land something better.”

When those respondents that currently work in a booming market were asked whether they would move to another country for opportunities, 57.6% said they would, compared to just 43% who would not.

However, sentiment among those that commented was that they would prefer to stay with their current company while moving abroad.

One participant commented: “If the management is good and they have care to the employee I would not leave the company”, and another said “with the current company [I would move].”

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In terms of location, the UAE was the most popular destination for most of those considering a move (50.7%). One participant said: “I have been in Dubai and UAE for the past 14 years and I believe that we are in a very mature and stable market.

“We have all the requirements of a futuristic city and destination and it will continue to grow and I am sure there are plenty of opportunities in this market.”

Qatar achieved 37.9% of the votes, and Bahrain came next with 20.9% of respondents claiming that if they moved abroad, that is where they would go.

Oman followed closely, with 19.4% of the votes, and in terms of the GCC, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait lagged behind with 12.3% and 9% of the votes respectively.

“Qatar is expensive and it is almost impossible for hoteliers to move among companies which means you go there and you are stuck with the hotel you work at,” said one respondent. “I see Oman is the second place to be following UAE, possibly Bahrain as well.”

Interestingly, 19.9% of respondents claimed they would actually leave the Middle East, with some claiming they’d go back to the Far East or India.

One respondent said: “The cost of living is a major issue. It is not as beneficial to stay in the UAE like it was some years ago. I’m considering leaving the UAE and moving to South East Asia with better opportunities and lower cost of living.”

Political and economic uncertainty in the Middle East was alluded to as a reason to leave for one respondent, who said: “My next career prospect is to move to peaceful region away from danger of regional political unrest.”

The Hotelier Middle East Salary Survey 2015 garnered 527 responses from hoteliers in the Middle East, and revealed pay scales, job sentiment and the best companies to work for in the region.