Live updates on World Cup
Many employees across the Middle East are likely to call in sick or take annual leave to watch the World Cup, a survey of 7,000 professional has found.
Recruitment firm GulfTalent contacted people across different industries in nine countries in the Middle East. Based on their findings, they warned employers to expect a slowdown in their operations in November and December.
According to the survey findings, 77 per cent of employees in the region plan to watch at least some of the games, including 41 per cent who will do so during office hours.
Of these, roughly one third expected to be given permission to watch the games. However, one in six said they would secretly watch the games by live streaming them on their computers or smartphones.
Sixteen per cent of employees said they would take annual leave to watch the games and 2 per cent said they would simply call in sick to see their favourite teams play.
The survey showed that employees working remotely are twice as likely to call in sick to watch the games, compared to those working in the office full-time.
The survey also polled employers, whose reactions varied widely.
Some said they would enforce stricter attendance monitoring systems and give warnings to staff but others said they would give staff a level of controlled flexibility to work and watch matches.
Some staff respondents said they were permitted to take time off on days when business was slow and they could submit requests for time off to watch particular games.
Some companies have set up TV screens in the office for collective game watching at certain times or plan to take employees out to watch the games after office hours as a team-building initiative.
Travel to Qatar
Of survey respondents outside Qatar, 16 per cent plan to travel to the country to watch some games.
One fifth of these were regular World Cup visitors, having attended some previous tournaments.
For the overwhelming majority, however, this would be their first World Cup given that the host country is in the region. People travelling to Qatar are expected to take an average of one week of annual leave.
Emiratis are the most likely to visit, with one in three Emirati respondents planning to travel to Qatar. This was followed by citizens of Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, where one in four respondents stated their intention to travel.
The lowest attendance percentage was for Saudis, with just one in five respondents planning to visit Qatar despite the presence of the Saudi national team in the tournament.
Among the Gulf’s major expatriate groups, Indian and Pakistani professionals are the main segments expected to attend the games in significant numbers.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
More coverage from the Future Forum
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Brief scores:
Liverpool 3
Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'
Manchester United 1
Lingard 33'
Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Pakistan World Cup squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez(subject to fitness), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain
Two additions for England ODIs: Mohammad Amir and Asif Ali
Company%20Profile
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The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
