57% of the job applicants in UAE have never asked for a promotion

It’s often assumed that the goal of every professional is to get promoted at work until they reach the highest level possible within their organisation. But is promotion the primary goal of all employees? And for those who do seek promotion, how confident are they that it will help them in their careers?

To investigate further, Michael Page surveyed nearly 1,793 candidates in the United Arab Emirates. We asked how important it was for them to climb the ranks in their company, what they valued most about being promoted and how clearly, they perceived their career paths.

We were also interested in how proactive candidates were about getting ahead. Had they asked for a promotion, or did they prefer to wait for their manager to put them forward? Relatedly, should companies do more to encourage people to raise their hands and ask for a promotion?

Let’s dig deeper into the survey results to learn more about candidate sentiment regarding promotions.

Bottom line? People want to get promoted

An overwhelming 92% of survey respondents said that promotions were either “very important” (38%) or “important” (54%) to them. Indeed, 13% said they would consider resigning if they did not receive an expected promotion.

This data speaks to how ambitious employees are these days — and how willing they are to switch jobs to pursue those ambitions.

Workers are also impressively clear-eyed about their career goals. A majority of 74% of our interviewees say they know where they want to be in their careers. Working in a company having an established career path for its employees is also a critical component of feeling engaged at work — “very important” for 61% of respondents and “important” for 36%. Naturally, it helps to have a manager who prioritizes helping employees advance their careers. About 39% of respondents said that they have a mentor to help them figure out a career progression plan.

Salary isn’t the only motivator for promotion candidates

No prizes for guessing the most important factor for employees when assessing a promotion. A full 91% of survey respondents put salary at the top of their list. Furthermore, more than half of our interviewees (54%) said they would prefer a salary raise without any change in the job title.

Still, money isn’t everything. Nine in ten respondents also thought having more responsibilities and accessing advanced training were crucial incentives when pursuing a promotion.

Majority (78%) named public recognition (internal and/or external communications announcing the employee’s new status) as a promotion perk.

Whom should employers promote?

About 97% of survey respondents thought promotions should be offered based on performance. However, while employees may have clear opinions regarding promotion criteria, they believe employers aren’t always transparent about these criteria. The vast majority (91%) of respondents said that companies should be completely upfront about promotion criteria. However, our survey data suggests this desire often clashes with reality. Around 41% of candidates said that their company offered no official information about promotion criteria. Furthermore, only 29% of candidates said their employer told them everything they needed to know about promotions, while 24% said the information offered was incomplete.

It’s a similar story with career paths. Around 33% of interviewees said their companies offer no clear criteria or information on this topic. That’s against 36% who said their employer provided the relevant information but only for certain positions. Just 27% of candidates thought their company told workers everything they needed to know about career paths.

Bottom line? Candidates clearly believe employers could and should do more to promote transparency around promotion criteria.

To ask or not to ask

Strikingly, a slight majority (57%) of our interviewees said they had never asked for a promotion. Why not?

First and foremost, there’s a perception among candidates that employers should make the first move. Less than quarter (21%) of interviewees believed that their managers should be the ones to raise the subject. The question was moot for around a fourth of respondents (40%) since they had always received promotions without asking.

Most interesting is the 12% of candidates who thought themselves ineligible for promotion and had, therefore, never asked for one. The gender gap is notable here, with women (10% of respondents) more likely than men (6%) to rule themselves out for a promotion. Employers must consider the possibility that women and less self-confident employees, however talented, are being unfairly overlooked for advancement. Read our article on how to get a promotion or negotiating a salary raise.

Companies have their work cut out

We noted above that candidates considered access to advanced training as one of the most desirable promotion perks. The bad news is that only 30% of survey respondents said their employers offered little or no chances for promotion, and just 29% of companies provide regular training to help employees develop their skills.

In the absence of formal training, candidates would at least like someone to guide them and offer career advice. However, 50% of interviewees said they lacked a mentor who could play this role — another shortcoming that companies would do well to address.

In the end, many of the missed opportunities we’ve noted come down to a lack of communication. Candidates are excited about getting promoted, advancing their careers and, in some cases, changing careers altogether.

Yet employers often fail to tell workers what they need to do to achieve these goals. And in work cultures that don’t promote transparency, it’s not surprising that many employees feel nervous about proactively seeking a promotion. Employers that offer upskilling programs, mentorship pairings and transparent information on promotion criteria will be well-positioned to attract and retain the talent they need.

Michael Page is committed to providing candidates with the best possible experience, for the benefit of both job seekers and employers. Start your search today by visiting jobs board. And if you’re an employer looking to hire top talent in your industry and location, don’t hesitate to contact one of our expert recruiters.