Common Issues Facing Blue-Collar Workers In The Middle East

There are several challenges facing blue-collar workers in the UAE and the Middle East. And this poses a great risk to various companies as approximately 2.2 million blue-collar workers in UAE comprise 52% of the workforce.

Aside from the distinct stigma that circles around the nature of their work, such as low-paying and the physical labor is regarded as unpleasant, there are still more challenges that blue-collar workers are currently facing, and these are a few:

Difficult Hiring Process

The current job hiring process of most companies is not mobile-friendly. They require blue-collar workers to upload resumés in Word or PDF format or require them to answer cognitive ability examinations, which most blue-collar workers are not familiar with as they do not know how to use computers. The current hiring process is also a time-consuming and lengthy process that can take weeks or months, which makes blue-collar workers lose interest in applying.

What manpower supply companies should do is create a recruitment process that is easier for blue-collar workers to apply for. As they rely heavily on word of mouth, display advertisements, and various agencies, make sure to reach them in these channels and present the job in such a way that they will not be overwhelmed with the requirements.

Rigorous Work Schedules

Most blue-collar workers are overworked but underpaid. It is an issue most blue-collar workers face but has been overly mislooked by labour supply companies in Dubai. Many blue-collar jobs require employees to work a set number of hours per day with no option for shifting work, which risks their health and safety. The deprivation of flexible working hours for blue-collar job workers leads to dropouts and unemployment.

Idle Pay Structure

Many blue-collar workers are living paycheck to paycheck. They rarely earn enough to save and are completely reliant on their salaries to cover their expenses and provide for their families. Blue-collar workers are frequently paid unfairly, and the cost of living in countries like the UAE gives them a hard time surviving the day. Construction labour supply companies in Dubai that cut wages also add fire to the burning problem. And since blue-collar workers are desperate for work, they do not air their concerns or report the company only to keep the job.

The Absence of Upward Mobility

Unlike white-collar jobs, there haven’t been programs for skills development or higher position promotion for blue-collar jobs. The work is stagnant, mundane, and typically just the same old routine work every day. It has been a problem for many years now, but most companies are not doing enough to address this growing issue.

Automation

With the advancing technology, most companies are now considering automating their processes, posing threat to manual laborers. Some manufacturing companies have started integrating machinery into their operations which led to many blue-collar workers being laid off.

Despite these concerns, companies assure their employees that this has yet to materialize. Technology-related jobs may be initially affected, but most construction and mechanical jobs in which blue-collar workers abound are not yet fully affected.

Providing Better Solutions for Blue-Collar Workers

With the help of advancing technologies, various companies have launched platforms to help blue-collar job workers obtain training and assistance as well as share their feedback, and suggestions, and report any job-related incidents. Through SmartLife and SmartLabour, UAE blue-collar job workers are supported through having platforms that listen to them and help them enhance and upgrade their technical and communication skills. Aside from that, the UAE government also aims to provide blue-collar workers with the skills they need to advance to the next level of financial stability.

Having all of the present challenges for blue-collar job workers, there is an increasing expectation for authorized manpower supply companies in UAE to mitigate the risks surrounding the job and look for qualified workers. But with our help in World Star Manpower, being one of the top manpower supplies in Abu Dhabi, and having extensive experience in recruiting skilled and quality manpower for either short-term or long-term job positions you will be in good hands for your manpower needs.

Sources & further reading

See the ILO Arab States and World Economic Forum for blue-collar workforce trends.