Private companies woo Saudi workers offering big incentives

The demand for Saudi workers in the private sector has increased dramatically in recent months as many companies find it difficult to get adequate number of qualified Saudi nationals to meet their manpower requirements.
The Nitaqat system introduced by the Labor Ministry has changed the strategy of many companies as they compete with one another to employ more Saudis in order to benefit from the ministry’s services.
Many private companies believe that employment of Saudis would strengthen their market position and increase their sales. This strategic turn in private sector recruitment policy is good news for the thousands of Saudis who pass out from universities.
“We have advertised in so many newspapers on so many occasions to fill vacant positions and meet manpower requirements of our expansion plan. Unfortunately only a very few Saudis turned up,” said Hussein Al-Marzooq, HR and administration director of the United Yousef M. Naghi Company, an affiliate of Naghi Group.
The company is seeking a large number of Saudi workers to take up important positions in its showrooms, warehouses and maintenance centers across the Kingdom.
“We have invested a lot of money in our new expansion projects and we want Saudis to be part of our success,” Al-Marzooq said. “At present we have about 1,000 employees and we intend to double the number in the coming few years.”
Executives of a number of other companies have also complained that they are not getting qualified Saudis to fulfill Nitaqat conditions. According to the Labor Ministry, more than a million Saudis, mostly women, have applied for its unemployment allowance.
Al-Marzooq disclosed his company’s plans to employ more than 300 Saudis immediately in different positions including accountants, cashiers, showroom supervisors, civil engineers, architectural engineers, secretaries, administrators, training and development manager, warehouse manager and drivers.
Al-Marzooq emphasized United Naghi’s policy of creating more job opportunities for Saudis after providing them with on-the-job training.
He spoke about Naghi’s efforts to attract Saudi employees by giving them incentives such as good salary and benefits including yearly ticket allowance. “Our minimum salary is more than SR 3,000.”
Asked why Saudis are not applying for private sector jobs, Al-Marzooq said: “We don’t know the real reason.” However, he pointed out that most Saudis prefer government jobs as they find them more comfortable.
He said Naghi provides Saudis a good working atmosphere and incentives and hoped that it would encourage them to continue with the company for several years.
“We don’t fire any staff member without any genuine reason,” he said.
Al-Marzooq said his company was seeking Saudi workers for its showrooms and maintenance centers in Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah, Hail, Bisha, Unaizah, Baha, Hafr Al-Baten, Al-Ahsa and Tabuk. “We are also looking for qualified Saudi women to take up jobs in the company’s Customer Service and Marketing Department,” he said.
Naghi has embarked on a new program to recruit and train university graduates to employ them in various departments. “We will participate in the career day of Saudi universities to recruit qualified graduates,” he said. At present the company is training 35 Saudis to take up jobs such as salesmen and service technicians.
United Yousef Naghi Co. Ltd. is part of Naghi Group of companies. With their headquarters in Jeddah, the group operates throughout the Kingdom with a network of offices, warehouses and showrooms as well as active companies in the UAE, Egypt and India.
Naghi Group’s businesses cover automobiles from luxury cars to commercial vehicles and buses; consumer goods and foodstuffs; electronic and electrical goods; operation and maintenance services; catering and restaurant operations; retail outlets; perfumes, cosmetics and personal care products; pharmaceuticals, medical technologies and services; insurance & risk management services; and Haj and Umrah
service. Major multinational companies such as Roles Royce, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Hyundai and LG Electronics, have chosen to work with this successful group.