CAIRO (MEMO) – More than half of professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have contemplated leaving their current job over a lack of a work-life balance, a recent survey has found.
According to the survey entitled “Work-Life Balance in the MENA Workplace” carried out by the region’s leading job portal Bayt.com, 52 percent of those surveyed said they had thought about quitting in search of a better work-life balance at least once during the past 12 months.
Around 23 percent of respondents also felt they had neglected their personal and family obligations due to being overworked, while 47 percent said they worked between 40 and 60 hours per week.
Sixty percent of those polled said family was the most important factor that influenced their happiness, while 30 percent chose their job and seven per cent cited hobbies and activities.
However, the survey also found that 84 percent of MENA professionals said company management respected their time and work-life balance, while 91 percent said they had time to exercise and take care of their well-being.
Ola Haddad, director of human resources at Bayt.com, said: “Our latest survey explores the benefits of finding a balance between work and home lives for MENA professionals.”
“When employees feel a greater sense of control and ownership over their own lives, they tend to have better relationships with management. Through our research, we aim to empower professionals to take control over their lives for greater satisfaction and performance.”
The data used in the survey was gathered online between 1 September and 3 October based on a sample of 4,012 respondents from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Sudan among others.