Abdul Aziz, executive president of the Saudi Institute for Retail and Marketing, has expressed concerns that 84 percent of Saudis who leave their jobs do so due to pressure from “foreign bosses”. Aziz was referring to a study carried out by Panda, which has over 13,000 employees and a Saudization rate of over 38 percent. “The study summarized the other reasons for Saudis leaving their jobs as low salaries, a lack of well-defined job descriptions, poor financial incentives, and an unhealthy work environment,” he said. “The rate of Saudis abandoning their jobs in the retail sector is huge, and retail companies need to address the issue and investigate the reasons for it,” he said. “Saudis in retail find themselves under a lot of pressure even though they've proved their worth in the sector. If Saudi employees remain in their work, they will by definition climb the ladder until they reach the top of the pyramid. Then there will no longer be a foreigner above them in the hierarchy to put pressure on them.” According to Aziz, the retail sector is a “strong arm of the economy” providing a wealth of job opportunities. Ministry of Labor statistics put the rate of Saudization in the sector at 16 percent. “We need to change the myopic view that certain types of work are inferior,” he said. “It's a cultural perception, and is wrong, and as a society we should encourage the younger generation to accept any work that allows them to earn an honorable living.” Aziz said that training formed a large part of the Saudi Institute for Retail and Marketing's program. “One of the main objectives is to develop youth skills in retail through professional training and encourage them to work in the sector,” he said. “This can only be achieved through promoting advantages by which they can achieve job security.” “Don't get me wrong,” he added. “I appreciate the efforts of everyone who has served the country, but there is a national strategy for Saudization and the localization of jobs in accordance with global standards which are strictly applied by the institute.”
