Local Time

Something was said to me yesterday by one of my local colleagues which reminded me of a conversation I'd had the previous week with an expat who has been here 7 years.

I was discussing training with my local colleague when he mentioned I shouldn't program any training to last longer than two hours each day.  He must have noticed my puzzled expression because he then attempted to expand and explain his original comment.  His English is better than my Arabic, but we did grapple with the meaning for several minutes until I realised he was trying to tell me that the locals don't have a very long attention span.  If we plan a working day longer than 2 hours the students will either loose interest; fall asleep, or wander off!

Then I remembered the earlier comments from the expat who works for a government department.  He told me the average Saudi isn't motivated and if he has to work then he wants a government clerical job.  The pay isn't as good as the private sector, but the hours you have to be at work are 8.00am to 1.30pm.  Moreover it's almost impossible to dismiss a public servant.  He went on to tell me the national telecommunications network struggles under the daily YouTube load! :-)

Apparently his office has now been fitted with a fingerprint recognition entrance/exit system.  If you arrive late; leave early; leave during business hours; the system automatically generates an email to you and your boss requiring you to explain your actions.  Of course the Saudi's can't be dismissed so they aren't worried.  It's the expats who are affected.

Another expat was telling me their office lighting is fitted with motion detectors as part of energy saving.  The lights turn off after 30 minutes without motion.  This includes the individual office lights.  Apparently he returned to work after an external meeting to find the building in darkness with the sound of many chainsaws running.  When he entered the main corridor the lights came on and that is when he noticed all the Saudi staff collapsed across their desks asleep.  He even managed to show me a photo!

The Saudi government has probably the highest expenditure on education per head of population of any country in the world.  But I do wonder how they are going to resolve the motivation issue?