Just as there isn’t a typical style of dress, there isn’t a typical style of office. That depends on the sector (public or private), the owner (international company or local company), and the sponsor (laissez faire or involved).
In the government sector and in companies that are locally owned, the workplace is hierarchical, and offices are one way of conveying status. The general population might have a white laminate work surface, a three-drawer pedestal, and a task
chair. Managers’ offices will have a similar configuration but a higher back chair,
a return unit, and a nicer finish on the furniture legs. Senior managers might have
a veneer top. Those who own or run the company have large, enclosed offices, lavishly outfitted.
In multinational companies, the offices tend to reflect the culture of the home office of the parent company, but the extent varies according to how involved the company’s Emirati sponsor is. Any company that isn’t local needs such a sponsor in order to set up shop in Dubai, and a hands-on sponsor can have an influence on the look and feel of the office space.
For example, a large multinational company may have corporate standards for workspace size, furnishings, and ergonomic support, but “those get lost in translation,” says Jennie Stallings, dealer and training manager for Herman Miller in the Middle East and Africa. “One European company had a height-adjustable desk and a particular chair as its standard package for its European offices. The local sponsor reviewed the plan and rejected it. His line of reasoning was that no one would work standing up, so there’s no need for height adjustable desks. And, since the company wouldn’t be able to use its standard package, anyway, it may as well open up the bidding process. Then he strongly encouraged the company to seriously consider his friend’s bid.”
Sending business to family and friends is part of the Arab culture. And having an involved sponsor can also work in a multinational company’s favor when the
sponsor urges his other contacts to use the products and services of the company he’s sponsoring.
The high value the culture puts on relationships is evident in the way people integrate work and socializing, as well. The work day begins around 8:00 a.m. and may go until 6:00 p.m. and includes morning and afternoon tea breaks, long lunches followed by a rest, and several breaks for prayer in the afternoon.
The long breaks provide the opportunity for connection that may result in business. “The time you spend with your customer or with somebody for lunch can turn out to be a business opportunity,” says Louda Mattar, Supply Chain Manager at H2O Concepts. “This is the culture here.” 7 Because so much time is spent socializing, meetings may run long, delaying the start of the next meeting. Or perhaps the next meeting will be cancelled altogether. It’s all part of the normal day for Muslims—but Westerners are still expected to be on time for meetings. In short, people and relationships are more important than schedules. “The rituals of daily life don’t change just because people are at work,” says Stallings.
The days are different, however, during the month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and eating in public is prohibited during those same hours. The business day is abbreviated, with workers going home at around 2:00 p.m. to rest, but when the sun sets, they gather with extended family and friends to eat and socialize. Although the setting is casual and children may be playing underfoot, these conversations often morph into work. In this way, work and life are tightly interwoven to form community.
Religion is a focal point of life every day, not just during the month of Ramadan. The work week begins on Sunday and goes through Thursday. Muslim men are required to attend Friday prayer, which is congregational and generally held in a mosque.
Some offices have prayer rooms. Public sector companies and multinationals with over 50 employees must provide separate ones for men and women and places to clean up before prayers. In small, private companies, a male manager will simply close his door and everyone will know not to bother him for five minutes. Workers who aren’t managers may take prayer rugs to the corner of a room that faces Mecca and pray there.
In the government sector and in companies that are locally owned, the workplace is hierarchical, and offices are one way of conveying status. The general population might have a white laminate work surface, a three-drawer pedestal, and a task
chair. Managers’ offices will have a similar configuration but a higher back chair,
a return unit, and a nicer finish on the furniture legs. Senior managers might have
a veneer top. Those who own or run the company have large, enclosed offices, lavishly outfitted.
In multinational companies, the offices tend to reflect the culture of the home office of the parent company, but the extent varies according to how involved the company’s Emirati sponsor is. Any company that isn’t local needs such a sponsor in order to set up shop in Dubai, and a hands-on sponsor can have an influence on the look and feel of the office space.
For example, a large multinational company may have corporate standards for workspace size, furnishings, and ergonomic support, but “those get lost in translation,” says Jennie Stallings, dealer and training manager for Herman Miller in the Middle East and Africa. “One European company had a height-adjustable desk and a particular chair as its standard package for its European offices. The local sponsor reviewed the plan and rejected it. His line of reasoning was that no one would work standing up, so there’s no need for height adjustable desks. And, since the company wouldn’t be able to use its standard package, anyway, it may as well open up the bidding process. Then he strongly encouraged the company to seriously consider his friend’s bid.”
Sending business to family and friends is part of the Arab culture. And having an involved sponsor can also work in a multinational company’s favor when the
sponsor urges his other contacts to use the products and services of the company he’s sponsoring.
The high value the culture puts on relationships is evident in the way people integrate work and socializing, as well. The work day begins around 8:00 a.m. and may go until 6:00 p.m. and includes morning and afternoon tea breaks, long lunches followed by a rest, and several breaks for prayer in the afternoon.
The long breaks provide the opportunity for connection that may result in business. “The time you spend with your customer or with somebody for lunch can turn out to be a business opportunity,” says Louda Mattar, Supply Chain Manager at H2O Concepts. “This is the culture here.” 7 Because so much time is spent socializing, meetings may run long, delaying the start of the next meeting. Or perhaps the next meeting will be cancelled altogether. It’s all part of the normal day for Muslims—but Westerners are still expected to be on time for meetings. In short, people and relationships are more important than schedules. “The rituals of daily life don’t change just because people are at work,” says Stallings.
The days are different, however, during the month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and eating in public is prohibited during those same hours. The business day is abbreviated, with workers going home at around 2:00 p.m. to rest, but when the sun sets, they gather with extended family and friends to eat and socialize. Although the setting is casual and children may be playing underfoot, these conversations often morph into work. In this way, work and life are tightly interwoven to form community.
Religion is a focal point of life every day, not just during the month of Ramadan. The work week begins on Sunday and goes through Thursday. Muslim men are required to attend Friday prayer, which is congregational and generally held in a mosque.
Some offices have prayer rooms. Public sector companies and multinationals with over 50 employees must provide separate ones for men and women and places to clean up before prayers. In small, private companies, a male manager will simply close his door and everyone will know not to bother him for five minutes. Workers who aren’t managers may take prayer rugs to the corner of a room that faces Mecca and pray there.
