Business etiquette in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) involves a courtship between two distinct cultures, each with its own set of mores, customs, and cultural protocols. The UAE brings together a country founded on Islam and people from around the world, many of whom are not Muslims. Emiratis constitute roughly 10% of the total population, making UAE home to one of the world’s highest percentage of immigrants.
The first and most important thing to recognize is that in the UAE, Islam is not only the main religion, it permeates every aspect of most people’s lives, including the laws lived out in society and business, culture, the ways of interacting, and the world and business views of the leadership. Dubai, considered a very modern city, is a melting pot of many cultures with expats from around the world living and working there. Even with its modern and international feel, your business success depends on your being sensitive and respectful of the culture in which you are working.
Culture Around Islam
A westerner doing business here should learn some things about Islam before going to the UAE. The legal system revolves around sharia, or Islamic, law, which forbids things like proselytizing, criticizing Islam, and snapping photos of individuals without permission. While doing business in the UAE will likely emerge as a very enriching experience, your success will depend on being aware of and complying with the legal system. Learn more about doing business in, visiting, and investing into the UAE at the Official UAE Government Portal.
The Work Place
Since Islam is the country’s national religion, Emiratis’ along with other Muslims celebrate their day of worship every Friday. In the UAE, the work week is Sunday through Thursday, and the weekend is Friday and Saturday. Private companies adopt “straight” or “split” shifts. Straight shift companies generally open up between 7:30 and 9 a.m., and remain open for eight working hours, with a lunch break lasting at least 30 minutes. And companies known for their split shifts begin the working day between nine and ten and close between eight and nine p.m., broken by a hiatus of three or four hours.
Your schedule will need to allow for this and be flexible. Be prepared for the possibility that you may not get as many meetings scheduled into each day as you’d like.
If your business meetings are to take place during the month of Ramadan, a major religious event in the spring, be aware that it’s appropriate for you to participate in the strict fast. It is for everyone including non-Muslims. Throughout each day, you are expected to abstain from food and drink. Some of the larger hotels have special areas for non-Muslims to eat and drink if needed although no alcohol will be served.
Networking
Emiratis have always placed great emphasis on the strength of personal connections, and realize it takes time to build relationships. In fact, many will establish informal relationships at first before letting them build to a professional level. That is why it’s recommended that someone seeking to do business here prepare for a lot of casual chatting and socializing before getting down to business.
Business Cards
During initial contact, both parties exchange business cards with the one hand that Islam favors: the right. It would be wise to have one side of your card in English, the other in Arabic. It displays respect, and therefore will likely help make an excellent first impression.
Greeting People
Status is highly valued in the UAE. You should address someone by their appropriate title. For instance, you would greet a man as sheikh (chief) and a woman as sheikha. Also, Sayed is Mr., and Sayeda is Mrs. You should in turn expect to be addressed by your title, such as Mr. or Mrs., followed by your first name. Light handshakes between men is common. After the handshake, you will want to place your right hand on your heart or chest as a token of respect. Protocol allows for little or no touching between men and women in public. A woman may, however, choose to hold out a sleeve-covered hand for you to shake. You should never initiate the handshake yourself.
Meetings
In the UAE, people value relationships. The initial meeting is a time for both parties to get acquainted. Businesspeople want to know with whom they’re dealing. It’s customary to ask each other about their families — their health and well-being, for example. It’s common for a male host to lead his male guest by the hand, as holding hands among men is common in the region. It doesn’t carry the same negative connotations as it does in the West. Elders are often afforded special respect. This may be displayed by standing when an elder enters the room, greeting seniors first, and serving older people their meals first.
It’s also common for meetings, especially long ones, to be disorganized, even chaotic. Don’t be surprised if people arrive late, come unannounced, check their phones periodically, or change the course of the discussion.
Negotiating
Once you begin the negotiating process, your first goal should be to gain the other person’s trust. Flexibility when negotiating is key. You should already have a clear objective, but you should be able to alter it if the need arises. Keep in mind their socially conservative values. Business dealings in the UAE should, indeed, be tailored to fit the country’s socially conservative mindset.
Food & Drink
It’s not uncommon to share a lunch with your business contacts. It’s wise to avoid having alcohol during a meal. In the UAE, only non-Muslims can consume alcohol and the subject is controversial. Respect for your hosts in their country is always appreciated.
Muslims do not eat pork or shellfish. While your hosts may not be offended if you do order it as a Westerner, it’s wise to stay away from it just in case it’s found to be offensive. This is especially true if you’re meeting with government officials or religious leaders.
Given the hectic work environment in the Middle East, emails must be succinct. In fact, on the subject line you must be specific, or else your message could be overlooked. Remember to stick to standard punctuation and capitalization, and adhere to traditional rules of letter writing. It would also be best to avoid abbreviations and slang to prevent confusion.
How to Dress
Modesty is very important. Both men and women should avoid wearing anything that could expose too much flesh. Make sure you cover your arms, legs and shoulders and avoid open-toed sandals. People in that region view darker colors as more professional. Non-Muslim women, for whom modesty is still crucial, aren’t required to wear a hijab, or headscarf, unless they visit a religious site.
Both men and women should wear well fitting and stylish yet conservative business suits. Women can wear either pants suits or a below-the-knee skirt with low or mid-heeled closed toe dress shoes.
Social Media and Online Etiquette
Emiratis are always online. Smartphone penetration in the UAE is 73.8 percent. Social media penetration in the UAE stands at 81.1 percent. A recent government survey found that Emiratis between 18 and 21 use social media the most of any age group. The study also revealed that 97 percent of Emiratis use WhatsApp, 89 percent use Facebook, and 73 percent use YouTube. SnapChat and LinkedIn are the least popular, with usage spanning 16 to 27 percent.
When you’re in the UAE, it’s recommended that you monitor your online activity carefully, as everything you post in cyberspace is permanent. Since one slip could expose you to legal trouble, you should always err on the side of caution.
Aftermath of the Meeting
Decision making in the UAE is normally a long process, and should therefore not be rushed. In fact, patience is a valued trait in the UAE. Remember also that Emiratis often place greater weight on verbal rather than written contracts. Don’t be fooled by the large number of expats you may be dealing with in your early negotiations, most likely, the ultimate deal will be made with the Emiratis in charge.
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