Discussion:
1- In the case of determining wether salaries should be adjusted based on where an individual lives, everyone has different opinions on this matter, wether salaries are just a means to pay the bills or wether salaries are a means to a better life and a luxury life, many people see this differently and disagree about this topic.
In my opinion, salaries should not just be based on fulfilling the basic human necessitates based on their location, they should also be an extra compensation and a way for individuals to seek a better life, more than just the basic everyday needs. This is why companies, based on their abilities, should make salaries enough to cover the needs and more, as a job should not just be a way to live, it should be a way to achieve your future hopes and dreams.
2- Yes Qatari companies faced the same challenges of the crisis and the precautionary measures taken had far-reaching consequences, particularly affecting industries like construction, contracting, hospitality, tourism, and travel.
Numerous employees lost their jobs, including those at Qatar Airways and Qatar Petroleum. Additionally, government agencies and institutions opted to eliminate various benefits for their employees, such as travel tickets and transportation allowances. In response, many private sector companies chose to cut salaries by up to 30%.
But there is one point I would like to highlight; we differentiate from countries like America with states and different rules and prices, so they can’t pay for the employee with the same position and same work and level differently because everywhere in Qatar the living prices and standards are the same.
You can use these articles in a way to benefit you massively in your future career, by using the positive outcomes of the covid-19 disease to your advantage. Many people find it hard to re-adjust to a new life after a sudden and unexpected change, however this article highlights to us that no matter what lifestyle changes may hit us, we can still find a way to make a great outcome and possibly find new ways to make life easier, just like the pandemic showed us.
For example, when the covid-19 disease hit and work became “from home”, many people found that working from home brought them closer to family and saved distances and money on transportation fees and the most important point that working from home increased productivity for many people. This teaches us to never assume it’s the end of the world when we’re struck with any life changing problem and I’ll reuse your As the proverb that, “necessity is the mother of invention.”
- Do you agree or disagree that salaries should be adjusted based on where you live? Why?
Totally agree, salaries should always depend several factors. Geographical location and cost of living being on of them. Salary packages should match the local market and should not go above the 115% - 120% mark with exceptions to larger organization that can afford the pre-existing package and employee retention being the key element. Considering the uncertainty, it is always important to communicate in advance regarding the company policies in case of relocation or change in the type of work from either on-site, remote, or hybrid. In the article Tracy Cote mentions that planning, reviewing policies and creating an environment where employees understand the change by explaining why is an important element as money is not everything that an employee considers.
- In your opinion, is this something that Qatari companies face? Why or why not?
Yes. Qatari companies face situations wherein they hire employees as remote, or hybrid employees where they must be in office for a limited period or 1-2 days a week. It is global issue and Qatari companies also face the same issue of adjusting salary based on factors like cost of living, type of work (on-site, hybrid, remote), and employee preferences. Employees that have this type of work cannot be provided with the same compensation and benefit package like transportation allowances as for an employee that has to work on-site. Cost of living is a major parameter in considering the compensation as someone who is living in the capital Doha is more likely to pay twice as rent for a house than someone who is living outside Doha in smaller towns and remote area. So, considering all of the above companies in Qatar is also facing similar issue.
- How can you use these articles in your future career?
These articles can help me in the future when considering compensation strategy for my employees that work from home, office, or anywhere in the world. Additionally, this knowledge of salary adjustment based on location and providing fair and competitive compensation can help me in my career being a part of the HR team. Another insight that I received through these articles are the global trend and the compensation practices of many big-tech organizations like amazon, meta, and google. In conclusion, decision making should be made by considering all the positive and negative aspects and legal framework of the country that may or may not make it possible for differentiation of pay for the same job. All these offer a foundation for understanding compensation, employee engagement, and nature of work, which are all essential HR practice.
