UAE VP says low employee satisfaction rates at gov agencies ‘unacceptable’

UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on Monday that low employee satisfaction ratings at federal government agencies were “unacceptable”.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter he had been informed of the results of satisfaction surveys at 40 federal government agencies.

“Satisfaction in some quarters is 39 per cent. We have five destinations with a satisfaction rate of 60 per cent! These ratios are unacceptable,” he said. “Employee satisfaction [is] key to customer satisfaction.”

The vice president warned he would give agency managers six months to change the business environment.

اطلعت على تقارير رضا الموظفين في ٤٠ جهة حكومية اتحادية .. تصل نسبة الرضا في بعض الجهات ٩٣٪
لدينا ٥ جهات تقل فيها نسبة الرضا عن ٦٠٪ !
هذه النسب غير مقبولة. رضا الموظفين مفتاح لرضا المتعاملين .
٦ أشهر مهلة نعطيها لمدراء هذه الجهات لتغيير بيئة العمل
رأس مال الحكومة الأغلى هو موظفيها

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) July 30, 2018

Sheikh Mohammed has become known for his more direct approach regarding performance at government departments.

Last week, he promoted 821 immigration officers and staff after visiting Dubai International Airport.

Read: Dubai ruler promotes 821 immigration officers, staff

Famously in 2016 he also fired top officials at Dubai Municipality after conducting a surprise inspection and finding none of them were in the office.

Read: Dubai ruler says dismissed Municipality officials had stopped working

That same year, the Dubai ruler set a goal of making the UAE one of the happiest countries in the world by 2021.

Read: Happiness in the GCC