The Suitable Salary

Ever think about how are salaries calculated? who determines how much I should get for my experience, my skills, my education? Are most of us underpaid or overpaid?

It is for sure that most of us feel underpaid and overworked, while some of us may be correct others do exaggerate. However; since Labor Unions exist only in some countries in the MENA region, and almost non existent in the GCC. It would be fair to say that Salaries in the GCC is mainly determined by nationality.

So, if you are an American, Canadian, or European then you are set, otherwise you should be working for a global company that values what you bring and offer to the company.

In the rest of the Arab world, it is almost the same. but since there is no national mandate to give priority to citizens of the country you can also get a good salary if you know someone in the company especially a relative.

It just seems to me that it is very contradictory to see a someone who is a Financial Controller in one company getting a huge amount plus benefits, while another with the same title earning scraps. Why doesn't an official entity determine positions in parallel with salary ranges. For example, using the previous position, this official entity should determine in details role and specification for the financial controller and set salary ranges, this way no one is overworked nor underpaid, regardless of the company size.

It is still up to the individual to work for less or not, but think about this, once an official government body determines roles and salary ranges, then companies can compete for the elite professionals through their benefit packages, this is where certain companies can show their unique HR models.

Another issue to settle is for finance is there would be a standard rate they can follow, to calculate cost, determine budget and go about their audits. it gets even easier for calculation on a national level. each country will end up determining salary ranges based on their economy level.

I understand there would be many challenges in what I am suggesting, I welcome your feedback. but I can seem to see some sort of fairness or even justice in such endeavor.