Office Culture

[fatema]

Hello! Today my question is little different. I belongs to Middle East and I worked in several Arab countries even in Dubai. What I have noticed that in Arab countries usually they hire employees from their family, or any of of their friend or anyone who they know before. When they hire their personal contacts in company they give them a special favor like, they pay them more as compared to those employees who passed their hiring process (Like they post a job anywhere then someone applied and he appeared in interview and got selected). They don't have to follow company's rules, like company timings, leaves and other.
What I'm facing these days. my company is small size company based on 15 employees and we are the only two people here who passed their interview and and got hired and rest of employees are from company owner's family, or friend. So my boss pay them more even they don't have any work experience, in fact many of them are just fresh Universities passed out and have no work experience. I'm working here since last two years and now my boss hired one of his neighbor who is basically his friend and he is getting a good salary than me and my boss called me last week and said ABC is our new manager and you should follow all his instruction and you will send her all work report to him. This is really heartbreaking for me that i worked here two years and now a person who don't have any work experience will lead me now.

This is very common in most Arab countries. I just wanted to know do you all have faced this thing in your organization?

[Old_Geezer]

No. But then I've not worked in Arab countries so can't say what is normal there. I think, if it's legal to pay friends and family more, and it probably is up to the hirer to decide who gets paid what, then one has to accept the situation. Perhaps look for another employer who will pay more to those passing the interview because they value their skills properly.

[woofgang]

It happens everywhere, even in big organisations who have procedures in place to control it. I don't think that there is much that you can do apart from start looking for a new job.

[teacake44]

Family and friends always get looked after first. Would you not do the same?

[MallyJ]

I wouldn't employ anyone who was a neighbour or a friend.or both! unless I had worked with them and knew how good they were at their job and that person would be able to use their skills in my business. orked with them in the past it may make some sense to employ them rather than a stranger whose abilities you don't know. The problem comes from employing a friend who proves to be useless. Here in the UK I would ask my boss why I had not been chosen for promotion and what I could do to improve. If the answers given were unsatisfactory to me I would be looking for another job...on a higher pay scale...or starting my own business...now there's an idea.......

[woofgang]

teacake, no I wouldn't employ a family member or a close friend.