Talent is moving faster than ever — and in regions like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where competition for skilled professionals is high, retaining top performers has become a boardroom concern. Salary alone no longer holds people in place. Employees are seeking something more layered, more meaningful.
This shift has pushed companies across the Gulf to rethink how they reward their workforce. The answer? A Total Rewards Strategy — not just a compensation model, but a full-spectrum approach to retention, engagement, and performance.
What Do We Really Mean by Total Rewards?
The idea isn’t new, but how it’s being applied in the GCC is changing.
A Total Rewards Strategy blends traditional pay structures with benefits, recognition, wellness, development, and work-life balance. Think of it as the full package — not just what’s written in the offer letter, but what it feels like to work for your company every day.
It includes:
- Base salary and bonuses
- End-of-service benefits (EOSB) and pensions
- Health and life insurance
- Career growth opportunities
- Flexible work policies
- Performance-linked recognition
But more importantly, it’s not static. The most effective strategies are built to flex with your workforce’s changing needs.
Why It Matters in the Gulf Now
Across the GCC, businesses are facing a particular blend of pressures:
- Expat-heavy workforces with high mobility
- Rising national employment programs like Emiratization and Saudization
- Regulatory mandates tied to EOSB, pensions, and insurance
- Growing employee expectations shaped by global trends
A well-designed rewards strategy can help employers stand out in this mix — not just to attract talent, but to build long-term loyalty and reduce turnover costs.
What Today’s Total Rewards Strategy Looks Like
1. Start With Competitive Compensation — But Don’t Stop There
Salary benchmarking is a given. But smart companies are going beyond market rates. They’re building incentive structures that align with individual contribution, not just job titles.
2. Get EOSB Right
Too many organizations still rely on spreadsheet estimates when calculating gratuity liabilities. In today’s audit environment, that’s risky. Actuarial valuation under IAS 19 is becoming the gold standard. It gives finance teams and auditors the confidence they need — and helps prevent underfunding future liabilities.
3. Build Beyond Basic Insurance
Most employers provide mandatory health insurance. But only a few offer real depth — critical illness cover, mental health access, or financial wellness education. These are the benefits that signal long-term care.
4. Invest in Recognition and Growth
Retention is deeply linked to recognition. Regular, public appreciation still goes a long way. Couple that with access to certifications, mentorship, or internal mobility, and you’re building more than a job — you’re building a career.
5. Understand the Legal Landscape
In the GCC, compliance isn’t optional. You need to align with DIFC or ADGM regulations if you operate in those zones, meet GCC pension requirements for national hires, and stay ahead of evolving labor laws. That’s where advisory matters.
What We’re Seeing in the Region
We work with businesses that are actively rethinking their rewards frameworks. A few trends we’ve seen emerge in the past year:
- Shift from annual reviews to ongoing feedback and rewards
- Increased personalization of benefit plans
- Demand for digital dashboards that give employees real-time visibility
- Greater C-suite involvement in HR strategy
These aren’t just HR upgrades — they’re business shifts. Organizations that invest here see measurable improvements in retention, employee engagement, and even productivity.
Where RJAC Gulf Partners Fits In
At RJAC Gulf Partners, we help organizations across the Gulf bring structure and strategy to their rewards programs. We don’t just advise — we measure, model, and align.
- We conduct actuarial valuations for EOSB liabilities
- We support compliance with UAE labor law and GCC pension schemes
- We develop dashboards to track and visualize benefit usage
- And we work hand-in-hand with finance and HR teams to create benefit structures that actually retain people
We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We’re making sure it rolls forward — faster, smarter, and with less friction.