تعاطُف الرأي العام مع أي مواطن تنتهي علاقته التعاقدية في منشآت القطاع الخاص؛ لأي سبب أو مبرر للإنهاء، وتزامُن هذا التعاطف مع هجوم مضاد تجاه الأجانب العاملين في تلك المنشآت، وخصوصاً القيادات منها؛ كل ذلك لم يعد مناسباً في سوق عمل حر وجذاب في السعودية، بل لا يخدم التوجهات الإستراتيجية تجاه جذب المستثمرين، وتحفيزهم في سوق تنافسي عالمي.
نعم، ومليون نعم لأولوية السعودي في التوظيف، وأحقيته بذلك في وطنه، وهذا المبدأ لا نقاش فيه أو مساومة أو مزايدة عليه من أي أحد، وجميعنا لديه أولاد وإخوان وأخوات وأقارب ينتظرون فرصتهم بالعمل في وطنهم، وهو ما تعمل عليه سياسات ومبادرات سوق العمل، من خلال التوطين والإحلال، وكذلك برامج التدريب والتمكين والإرشاد، وهي جهود كبيرة جداً لتحقيق هذا الهدف، وأثمرت خلال فترة وجيزة عن تراجع تاريخي لنسبة البطالة بين السعوديين إلى 6.3% خلال الربع الأول من العام 2025.
ولكن التحدي اليوم؛ هو في حساسية البعض -وخصوصاً في شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي- تجاه توظيف الأجانب في السعودية، وتحديداً المدير الأجنبي، وظهور هذه النغمة المتكررة عند سرد قصص الموظفين السعوديين المنتهية عقودهم، أو من يواجهون تحديات أو ضغوطات في بيئات العمل، حيث تبدأ رحلة التعاطف من عاطلين آخرين، والأخطر من إعلام مضاد يبحث عن إثارة الرأي العام السعودي.
اليوم على السعودي أن يتعوّد أن يكون مديره أجنبياً، وزميله في العمل أجنبياً، وينقل تجاربه وخبراته لهم، ويستفيد منهم أيضاً، ويتعوّد كذلك على أن انتهاء العقد لا يعني أن الأجنبي أفضل منه، أو أقل منه، وإنما هو سوق مفتوح يحكمه عقد عمل بمدة زمنية، وإجراءات واضحة ومحددة في إنهائه، وبالتالي لا نحاول خلق قصص عاطفية لا يحميها القانون، وإنما مجرد إثارة رأي عام غير مبررة.
ضروري جداً أن تتحرّك وزارة الموارد البشرية والتنمية الاجتماعية بمنع أي منشأة قطاع خاص من إصدار بيانات تتعلق بالرد على توظيف أجانب في مواقع قيادية، أو إنهاء عقود سعوديين، أو إعلان نسب التوطين، أو تنفيذ فيديوهات مستفزة للرأي العام حول الموارد البشرية في المنشأة؛ لأن هذا باختصار يفتح الباب أمام إعلام مضاد لاستغلال هذه البيانات، والفيديوهات؛ للعزف على موضوع البطالة مجدّداً، والتقليل من الجهود والإنجازات الكبيرة التي تحقّقت في سوق العمل السعودي.
نقطة أخرى مهمة، وهي أن تبدأ الوزارة بإطلاق مبادرة تغيير السلوك الاتصالي للجمهور في سوق العمل، من خلال إدارة تغيير حقيقية للأفكار التي تجاوزها الزمن تجاه التعاطي مع موضوع الأجنبي في السوق، وغيرها من الموضوعات الأخرى؛ فلا يكفي تصميم إنفو أو تغريدة أو خبر علاقات عامة منشور في حساب الوزارة؛ لتغيير فكرة بهذا الحجم، وحتى لا تتراجع صورة الوزارة بسبب ملف البطالة؛ يجب أيضاً حوكمة إعلام منشآت القطاع الخاص في هذا الجانب، وذلك منعاً للإثارة والتشكيك والتأزيم الذي لم يعد مقبولاً السكوت عليه.
تابع قناة عكاظ على الواتساب
The public sympathy for any citizen whose contractual relationship ends in private sector establishments, for any reason or justification for termination, alongside this sympathy coinciding with a counterattack against foreign workers in those establishments, especially the leadership positions; all of this is no longer suitable in a free and attractive labor market in Saudi Arabia. In fact, it does not serve the strategic directions aimed at attracting investors and motivating them in a competitive global market.
Yes, and a million yes to the priority of Saudis in employment, and their right to it in their homeland. This principle is not open for discussion, bargaining, or bidding by anyone. We all have children, brothers, sisters, and relatives waiting for their opportunity to work in their homeland, which is what labor market policies and initiatives are working on through localization and replacement, as well as training, empowerment, and guidance programs. These are significant efforts to achieve this goal, and they have resulted in a historic decline in the unemployment rate among Saudis to 6.3% during the first quarter of 2025.
However, the challenge today lies in the sensitivity of some—especially on social media—towards employing foreigners in Saudi Arabia, specifically foreign managers, and the emergence of this recurring tone when recounting the stories of Saudi employees whose contracts have ended, or those facing challenges or pressures in work environments. The journey of sympathy begins with other unemployed individuals, and the more dangerous aspect is the counter media seeking to stir public opinion in Saudi Arabia.
Today, Saudis must get used to having a foreign manager and a foreign colleague at work, sharing their experiences and expertise with them, and benefiting from them as well. They must also get used to the idea that the end of a contract does not mean that the foreigner is better or worse than them; rather, it is an open market governed by a work contract for a specified duration, with clear and defined procedures for its termination. Therefore, we should not try to create emotional stories that are not protected by law, but rather merely provoke an unjustified public opinion.
It is very important for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to take action to prevent any private sector establishment from issuing statements related to responding to the employment of foreigners in leadership positions, or terminating Saudi contracts, or announcing localization rates, or producing provocative videos for public opinion regarding human resources in the establishment. This, in short, opens the door for counter media to exploit this data and videos to play on the issue of unemployment again, undermining the significant efforts and achievements that have been made in the Saudi labor market.
Another important point is for the ministry to launch an initiative to change the communication behavior of the public in the labor market, through a genuine change management of the outdated ideas regarding the engagement with the issue of foreigners in the market, among other topics. It is not enough to design an infographic, a tweet, or a public relations news post on the ministry's account to change an idea of this magnitude. To prevent the ministry's image from deteriorating due to the unemployment file, it is also necessary to govern the media of private sector establishments in this regard, to prevent provocation, skepticism, and escalation that can no longer be tolerated in silence.
Yes, and a million yes to the priority of Saudis in employment, and their right to it in their homeland. This principle is not open for discussion, bargaining, or bidding by anyone. We all have children, brothers, sisters, and relatives waiting for their opportunity to work in their homeland, which is what labor market policies and initiatives are working on through localization and replacement, as well as training, empowerment, and guidance programs. These are significant efforts to achieve this goal, and they have resulted in a historic decline in the unemployment rate among Saudis to 6.3% during the first quarter of 2025.
However, the challenge today lies in the sensitivity of some—especially on social media—towards employing foreigners in Saudi Arabia, specifically foreign managers, and the emergence of this recurring tone when recounting the stories of Saudi employees whose contracts have ended, or those facing challenges or pressures in work environments. The journey of sympathy begins with other unemployed individuals, and the more dangerous aspect is the counter media seeking to stir public opinion in Saudi Arabia.
Today, Saudis must get used to having a foreign manager and a foreign colleague at work, sharing their experiences and expertise with them, and benefiting from them as well. They must also get used to the idea that the end of a contract does not mean that the foreigner is better or worse than them; rather, it is an open market governed by a work contract for a specified duration, with clear and defined procedures for its termination. Therefore, we should not try to create emotional stories that are not protected by law, but rather merely provoke an unjustified public opinion.
It is very important for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to take action to prevent any private sector establishment from issuing statements related to responding to the employment of foreigners in leadership positions, or terminating Saudi contracts, or announcing localization rates, or producing provocative videos for public opinion regarding human resources in the establishment. This, in short, opens the door for counter media to exploit this data and videos to play on the issue of unemployment again, undermining the significant efforts and achievements that have been made in the Saudi labor market.
Another important point is for the ministry to launch an initiative to change the communication behavior of the public in the labor market, through a genuine change management of the outdated ideas regarding the engagement with the issue of foreigners in the market, among other topics. It is not enough to design an infographic, a tweet, or a public relations news post on the ministry's account to change an idea of this magnitude. To prevent the ministry's image from deteriorating due to the unemployment file, it is also necessary to govern the media of private sector establishments in this regard, to prevent provocation, skepticism, and escalation that can no longer be tolerated in silence.


