The Silent Worker:
When I first came to Saudi Arabia 5 years ago before the
thought of starting to work in Saudi Arabia the thought of it terrified me; not because I didn’t think I couldn’t do it
but because it was a whole new work environment that I had yet to learn or to
experience.
My work experience from working in America when you see
something wrong you were always encouraged to speak up and most times rewarded in
some rare cases you could be reprimanded and sometimes employers will
indirectly find a way to get rid of you or to let you go in some cases even if
you didn’t do something wrong a potential competitor that would see you as a
threat could say anything to try to get you fired but in my country you can
easily take them to court and sue them for being unethical.
My work experience in Saudi Arabia wasn’t the easiest and
finding a job here without a wasta *Influence* in some places difficult when I
started looking for work many companies don’t want to hire someone who didn’t
get to complete their major or doesn’t have the right amount of 5 or more years
of experience but if you’re lucky some companies may give you a chance if you
have the right connections. The first company I worked for my Ex-husband was
had a friend he worked for who knew a guy that gave me my first opportunity I
was so excited even though the salary was low I didn’t care the first thought that
came to my mind was I need to gain experience before I can request and demand
any high salary.
My first day I was so happy my driver came to pick me up I
met with the girl *Safi* that would be
my manager I thought the world of her she was so nice to me helping me learn
about the products how to talk to the clients we went to business conference’s
together with the CEO than later on as my time progressed and I started to get
better acquainted into my work the lady I had worked for had to go on holiday
for personal reasons leaving me with the CEO most of the time; me I was helping
the CEO to practice his English speaking, I felt that our relationship started
to get a little bit stronger he made so many unrealistic promises I had hope
that he was being honest. When the girl that I was working with came back and
realized we’d gotten close the day she came back she had called me and told me
that her and the driver were on the way to pick me up, that’s how it always was
the driver would pick up me and then her but that morning it was her first and
then me for some strange reason during the 10 minutes I waited for them to pick
me up my son had accidently put my phone on silent so when the driver was
waiting with my friend that I worked with they called and I didn’t hear my
phone that made Safi mad it was an honest mistake she didn’t even let me
explain in what happened instead she went to the CEO to tell him that I wasn’t serious
about my work only to be removed from marketing to be moved to the factory the
(medical department)
When I transferred to the factory I was so angry but kind of
relieved because when I worked with Safi there was never really much work to do
most times we’d wait in the women’s area waiting to know if we had clients to
visit when I worked in the factory I enjoyed it, it was more technical work and
writing sending emails etc. the factory manager had family emergencies and
needed someone to finished editing all of papers to be sent to be finalized I
was happy to take all of those documents home with me and finish editing them
and sending back and forth with the factory manager he liked my work, he wanted
me to work as the assistant manager for the factory when my time was finished
in writing all the papers they sent me back to the marketing office Safi had
learned about the factory managers plan in requesting me to be factory manager
and her she was to travel to Tabuk to a university to do marketing I wanted to go
with her but ironically I wasn’t able to go with her and the CEO wanted to
speak with me the next morning, I felt so scared that night I felt it I felt a
slump in my throat that I was being let go everyone assured me that I was going
to be fine even the girl *Safi* she lied to me she stabbed me in the back she
smiled to my face as she was dropped off first to her home the last day we
worked together and said if I needed anything that I could always call her. The
next morning came the driver came to pick me up I was brought to the main
office to speak to the CEO but only to find he wasn’t there his secretary and
assistants were the ones who talked to me and to inform me that I’d been let go
my probation period had ended, they asked me if I had any conflict with Safi I
told them that we did but I thought things we’re fine *safi* later called me to
ask what happen she said she knew but deep down I know she said something that
influenced the CEO to let me go I was so devastated that the person I thought
was my friend stabbed me in the back.
As the time past I started looking for another job, I
applied for everything it took me 4 months after losing my first job to find
another one a friend of mine had contacted me before and mentioned that his
brother that he had been working for was looking for a secretary and asked if I
was interested I immediately said yes and this company was the break that I
needed, I had little experience in secretarial work I mean the last time I used
Microsoft Word or Excel was before I graduated High School and my first year in
college so it was a long time I was rusty but I lucked out in having very
skilled people to teach me how to use excel, how to create purchase orders, to
sales invoices etc, how to talk to clients make contact I was hired as a Sales
Representative, but was also the CEO’s secretary at the time I was the only
woman in the office I kind of liked being the only woman I don’t mind working
with women but from the past company it kind of made me on edge working with
ladies in who I could trust.
I worked for this new company for a good year I stood by
their side through thick and thin to the point I defended our CEO even received
threats from a former angry employee but I was okay because the CEO said we
were a family so family stuck together and I was happy with my new claimed
family later on the company had ran into some issues I was temporarily laid off
until things were resolved during that
time I was frantic I don’t like siting and doing nothing it made me nervous and
over think to much so the moment I was called back to work I was so happy as if
I won the lottery then everything was fine again, until one morning I was
talking to warehouse and a mysterious woman walked into my office no one knew who she was I was told that she’d
be working on tenders but they wanted me to help show her how to make
quotations, sales orders etc. I was happy to comply little by little I found my
work load getting slower and lighter to the point the lady I was training
slowly started taking over my work by responding to the CEO’s phone, sending
invoices to my assigned clients I had sat with the CEO and told him I was
unhappy things we’re not the same over I asked him who’s this girl ‘’he assured
that it was only temporarily” 6 months passed she’s still there and me? I’m
being given petty work just to keep me
silent It felt humiliating that this new girl who was working with us that was
working on a visiting visa was now trying to act as my manager and demanded I
had to listen to her that didn’t settle well at all, 2nd time I
complained to the CEO about the situation I was assured that I was important to
the company boy I didn’t feel important at all I felt betrayed by the 3rd
time I complained and nothing was done the message was clear that she would
replace me but why? I don’t know and I may never know why so I set out to find
a new job.
When I found a new job I was so excited to put my
resignation into the company that I happily worked with for over a year it was
kind of bittersweet because no one wanted me to leave but I felt my work wasn’t
appreciated that I had to move on. The new Company I started to work for I was
the Executive Assistant I felt yes
finally I will work with a company who will see my potential and who will
appreciate my work, but during the time I waited for my offer I felt a little
hesitant because I waited over 2 weeks I felt okay this company is a little
slow but I’ll still give them the benefit of the doubt before I had started
working for the new company I had brought them new projects I felt happy to
prove myself as strong that I was there to work and was serious to prove my
dedication to the company that wanted to give me this new opportunity only to
learn that I left a company hoping to leave drama to come to a new company to
face what I’d say a dead end company I decided to start a day before my
starting date to get an update on the project I had brought them 2 weeks prior
no one acted no one contacted the company that I had brought them causing them
to lose many projects at that moment I felt and knew I had made a huge mistake
leaving the previous company but I tried to be patient and keep silent but for
me to keep quiet when there’s obviously a problem is beyond complicated I
normally call myself non censored because if I see something wrong I’ll call it
out as I see it but I tried to give everything I could I sat with our GM
*general Manager* I asked him what he expected of me in a time that he wanted
to let me go I addressed him and told him look if there is an issue than you
should had talked to me so I can fix it he did give me another chance to prove
myself but during that time I realized no matter how hard I proved myself he
was already set into letting me go any idea he would disregard than bring the idea back and claim it as if it was his own brought more projects no one reacted no matter what I wasn't good enough, now I’m facing legal issues in seeking my
rights with the ministry of Labor to retrieve my salary….
The moment I was let go of the my last job, I began to
question my ability to ever to be able to work in Saudi Arabia, will I ever
find a company that will take the time to help train me and will see my
potential dedication as a hard worker? A few weeks ago I sat with a couple
friends at a shisha café I had told them my bad work experience in Saudi Arabia
they applauded my boldness in telling it
like it was if there was a bad situation but they also reprimanded me for being
too out spoken, they said many will love you for being brave to speak out but
you will never survive the work environment in Saudi Arabia they told me in
order to survive the work force in Saudi if you see the corruption you’re
expected to keep silent and just let it
go if you want to keep your job and keep getting a pay check, just come do your job and keep your mouth shut
even if it means that the CEO Bob takes your idea you’re expected to tell him “wow
that’s a great idea” while you sit there and think about how you want to bop
Bob on the head for taking your idea you can’t..
They reminded me that in the Arabic culture that when many
have something they feel most will keep it to themselves and will just let things
go but me as an American this is the first time I’ve really felt out of place,
I’ve always told my kids in order to change things in life you have to speak up
otherwise nothing will change and now I’m being told in order to receive a
salary I must keep my mouth shut and just smile, I know my potential I know I’m
a good worker and I can act well but for it to cost me my dignity is the
hardest thing ever I’ve had to do from what I’ve learned so far in the
workforce here in Saudi is everyone is out for himself most of the time and to
never trust anyone I’ve even been instructed for job interviews to be open don’t
seem to be religious so I’m stuck between being myself and playing a double
role just to obtain and to keep a job I had much more higher expectations when
it came to working in Saudi I was terrified in the beginning I still am but I’m
ready more than ever to take on the next challenges that come my way.
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