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Does your company have different salary structures for different nationalities if they are in the same position?

It has been noticed that some nationalities are given an upper salary band in the same grade structure and others are on the lower level if they are in the same grade/doing the same job. There are so many methods available to avoid these discrepancies but still no one is initiating anything, just adjusting with what we are getting in hand, but internally demotivated, depressed and finally burnout.

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Question added by Cini Bhanumathy , Independent HR Consultant , HRD Consultant
Date Posted: 2016/12/29
Ramesh S Salur
by Ramesh S Salur , Plant engineer , Eigen engineering

yes diffrent nationalities & same positions

Manzur Ul Elahee Neesal
by Manzur Ul Elahee Neesal , Operation Executive , Multinational Shipping Company LID

Currently in my company the salaries are not based on nationalities but if a company apply this methods it could be their own perspective. 

Syed Rizwan Aftab
by Syed Rizwan Aftab , Customer Service Representative , IBEX GLOBAL SOLUTIONS

There is  no discrimination just because of Nationalities. But salary structure is based on the position and experience even another person is having the same qualification. If another colleague is having more experience definately he will get more salary from the company.

Hamza Amin
by Hamza Amin , Office Assistant , Oil And Gas Regulatory Authority

No, We were all on the same salary bracket.

Khethiwe  Mthabela
by Khethiwe Mthabela , IT , Talent Centric

In my country it depends on the department you at. It's not everyone getting the same amount of remuneration. 

Juned Khan
by Juned Khan , Inspector - Fire & Safety, Acting Manager - Facility Safety , Sidra Medicine

Yes, If you are working in Middles East.

There are salary structures, you may find with regards to nationality & passports

Rahul Verma SHRM-SCP
by Rahul Verma SHRM-SCP , Group HR Manager / HR Business Partner , DAG Bajaj UAE

My organization does not have a differing pay scales on the basis of the color of the passport. While I agree that differentiating employees within the same grade, on basis of nationality is wrong and should be deemed illegal, the question does need further exploring in terms of reason and the way forward.

Salaries are dependent on know how, accountability, challenges associated with the job and the working conditions. Largely, the above are the parameters which we use to design bands and grades. The other factors that usually affect the salaries within the same grade are - Seniority, Specialized skills required for temporary assignments and Mergers, where the salaries are usually not tampered with by the company taking over. 

Now, why do certain organizations pay more to certain nationalities within the same grade:

From an employer's point of view - mostly,  employees from the western part of the world have been found to possess some unique transferable skills, which (to the employer ) justifies them having a higher salary. From the employees' perspective - the demand for a higher salary is justified due to their opportunity costs that needs to be balanced with the cost of living in their home towns. Simply put,  an employee from Bangladesh would get more value for money for AED 1000 spent in his hometown, compared to an employee spending that amount in Denmark.This theory on value for money & therefore the salary is deeply flawed , since the value is relative.

Especially in organizations with less than 150 employees, the employer usually find themselves to be constrained by organizational structure - so the gamble is either higher designation & higher salary or higher salary & lower designation. They usually opt for the latter as the assumption is that higher designation combined with higher salary would disturb the internal parity. The employer also at the same time tries to keep the cost per hire low - which may negatively affect the next hire who does not negotiate well. Thereby starting the vicious circle of fluctuating pay scales and employee disengagement. What I find strange is that soon, the same becomes a self fulfilling prophesy within that organization-  employees who are being paid lower, over a period of time start delivering lower output , and the branding is done again on the color of the passport that certain nationalities are less skilled workers. That to me is tragically comic which ends with neither the employer gaining nor the employee.

The way forward is - Government frames certain laws promoting inclusiveness in work space as the above discrimination is deplorable and may lead to racial prejudices on a larger scale.

The HR community in the UAE needs to upgrade their skills on Comp & Ben management. It is this skill which will get them a seat at the table and I find it amusing when an HR professional is unable to justify a compensation and leaves it to the line managers to decide. 

          - Rahul Verma

PS : I would be most happy to assist and also learn from my fellow craft members about the C&B techniques. Pro bono, of course.

Lets Make UAE work culture, the best in the world!!!!

 

 

Shoaib Alam
by Shoaib Alam , Manager HR Operations , Almustafa Hospital

As I worked in small size industries so only local pay structure

Naeem Anwar
by Naeem Anwar , Manager Inspection , Punjab Health Care Commission, PHC Lahore Pakistan

The basic salary is the same the only difference is the allowances or the incentives.

Also depends on working experience, expertise and Skills.

 It is considered unethical and discriminatory for companies to have different salary structures based on nationality for individuals in the same position. Most reputable companies adhere to equal employment opportunity guidelines and strive for fairness and non-discrimination in compensation. We do the same.

 

MOHAMMED JASEEL ARAYIL
by MOHAMMED JASEEL ARAYIL , Project Engineer (TL telecommunication ) , SHABAKKAT KSA

MY  current Company salary structres depenent on Nationalites 

and position  not depending on expericence  and perfomance

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