It is no secret that supporting employees when they land in a new country can lead to higher productivity and employee satisfaction, ultimately increasing retention too. But, what kind of support should you provide your employees with to ensure that it’s actually helpful?
After speaking to over 300 Expats, we have collected the answers. Here’s the top 5 things Expat employees care about the most when moving to a new country:
If you’re moving from a Western, African or Eastern culture, moving to Dubai might require some adjustment. And even though there is nothing to worry about when moving to one of the most modern, safe and fast growing cities in the world, people still have so many questions. These tend to be around culture, integration within society, and other ad-hoc things like how transportation works.
It is super important to make sure your employees have access to a guide that can introduce them to UAE culture and helps them alleviate any stress they might have prior to their move. Luckily for you, this is included in all Corporate Packages offered by Matutto.
Finding the right place to call home is of paramount importance, no matter where in the world you move to, as the place where you live can impact your life more than anything else. Factors such as safety and amenities are considered very important by Expats, but the 2 that come up the most when we speak to people moving to Dubai are: Pricing and proximity to work. It is important you provide support to any incoming employee finding the right place to live, as it will most certainly have an impact over their productivity levels.
Something that also catches a lot of expats by surprise is the documentation required to rent a flat in Dubai. Especially as most try to get a long term let agreed prior to getting their Work Visa fully approved, which can cause conflicts. It may also shock some Expats the request for an up-front payment of several months, and in the form of Bank-approved Cheque. Our recommendation is always to make sure your employees have a dedicated advisor to not only support them through the process of navigating the house market, but also finding the right place to live and help them collect the required documentation.
This only applies for families, but the reality is that when moving as a family, the sense of urgency for finding the right school is certainly at the top of priorities for parents. Dubai has a range of top-rated schools with incredible, but diverse curriculums. School fees also vary quite a lot, so different families have different requirements when it comes to finding the right school. Having the support in the process of searching, applying and enrolling a kid at school, can be of paramount importance for Expat families.
A lot of European countries have national healthcare systems in which people can access services for no cost at all. The same doesn’t apply in Dubai, and many Expats highlight the importance of understanding how to access healthcare related services prior to moving to the UAE. Introducing not only the Insurance policy offered by the company but also what it covers, what is available and where it can be claimed is something our team of advisors focuses on, as it ultimately impacts incoming Expat employees their feeling of support.
Having a full understanding of Healthcare and Insurance policy helps Expats clear a lot if initial questions around co-pay for example, and get the most out of their available services.
Getting to know like minded individuals that share similar passions to you and who you can share experiences with, can make Expats’ time in Dubai so much better. People often ask us if we have tips for meeting other Expats. We wrote a dedicated blog about it with specific tips for this.
But more importantly, as part of our Business offering, we often work with different individuals who may want to connect over a coffee or some food - this is a possibility with the right network effects. We are also running exclusive socials for Expats to get to know each other. Reach out to our team to learn more.