Why It’s So Hard to Keep Good Staff (and How to Stop Wasting Money on Recruitment)

Across the UAE and Oman, one of the biggest frustrations I hear from business owners is:
“We hire good people, but they don’t stay.”

Here’s the real problem: every resignation triggers a costly cycle — agency fees, job ads, and time spent onboarding replacements. On top of that, many SMEs pay full monthly salaries to in-house recruiters or talent outreach staff, even though recruitment needs fluctuate. It’s a lot of money going out, without solving the real issue: staff retention.

To put it into perspective:

  • Replacing just 5 employees per year through an agency at an average of AED 10,000 per hire = AED 50,000 gone.
  • Add to that the annual salary of an in-house recruiter (AED 120,000–180,000), and you’re easily spending AED 170,000–230,000 every year — just to keep refilling the same roles.

Instead of throwing money at the problem, here’s what works:

✅ Smarter Employer Branding: Build trust and loyalty through simple, low-cost steps like structured onboarding, employee recognition, and showcasing your culture on LinkedIn. This reduces the need for constant external hiring.

✅ Strategic Workforce Planning: Map your staffing needs 6–12 months ahead, rather than firefighting after every resignation. This cuts down reliance on agencies and minimizes costly last-minute hires.

✅ Retention Over Replacement (triggered by Engagement): Exit interviews in this region consistently show avoidable patterns — lack of clarity, inconsistent policies, or no clear growth path. Fixing these issues is far cheaper than another round of agency fees or recruiter salaries.

👉 Here’s the bottom line: the most expensive HR strategy is always the one built on constant replacement. By focusing on retention and smarter planning, SMEs can slash recruitment agency bills, reduce in-house HR overhead, and keep their best people longer.

If your staff turnover is draining both your time and your budget, let’s talk. I can help you design a tailored HR approach that saves money while building a team that stays.