NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
Apr 15th 2023, 9:24 pm
#1909
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 28
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
As I understand it, weighting based on location doesn’t matter a bean unless you’re actually earning it. They’ll look at your payslips / contract and uplift off that, end of story. In my case, the uplift took me beyond the grade I’d applied for so they upper the job title and grade at point of offer - it was only one or two grades though (I’ve not seen the grade/title matrix thing anywhere official). I’d imagine that has its limits though - if you’re applying for a Manager job but you happen to be particularly well paid, I don’t think you’d end up being given an Exec Director job.
Of course we’re not applying for jobs based on an equivalent salary - you have to be the right fit. They’re not going to employ you as a Director if you only have Manager experience, no matter how much you used to get paid. Or maybe they will - have seen suggestions that the title is only for salary purposes and you’ll do the job you applied for regardless of the title you get given?
Do take all this with a pinch of salt though. I haven’t started yet and don’t speak for NEOM, albeit I am at the very end of the process, so have been through the same questions you’re facing.
Of course we’re not applying for jobs based on an equivalent salary - you have to be the right fit. They’re not going to employ you as a Director if you only have Manager experience, no matter how much you used to get paid. Or maybe they will - have seen suggestions that the title is only for salary purposes and you’ll do the job you applied for regardless of the title you get given?
Do take all this with a pinch of salt though. I haven’t started yet and don’t speak for NEOM, albeit I am at the very end of the process, so have been through the same questions you’re facing.
Apr 16th 2023, 3:13 am
#1910
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 2
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
It used to be that getting onto the family housing wait list was linked to having a child enrolled in the school and being physically present in Neom. We enrolled our daughter in the school in Jan 2022 and joined the family housing wait list same day. We got a single bed cabin at NC1 in June 2022 and a family cabin in Jan 2023.It's much harder now as the school is no longer accepting enrollments and the family housing waitlist for NC1 is closed as it is full. Lots of movement is happening with different teams moving to new camps closer to site and new school in Oxagon coming online so hopefully by the end of the year things are looking better.
it would be great to get an insight from those slready out there.
TIA.
Apr 16th 2023, 7:20 am
#1911
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 6
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
So this is why I had questioned the simplicity. My recruiter was abundantly clear to me that I was not only not going to get the uplift but I was also not going to even match my previous salary because the grade topped out at a certain number, so as he presented it, I just had to hope to be offered the top of the grade, ignoring my previous salary. This is also why I continued questioning everyone's advice about their previous salary driving the title/role/grade, not the other way around. Maybe my offer will be the first to ignore my previous salary, but I won't know that until I actually see one.
The ongoing reductions in NEOM benefits (accommodation, uncertain bonus, remote work policy, medical insurance coverage etc.) that I read about in this thread are only adding to the suspicion that the good times are over, or I need to find a higher level job. Did I understand correctly that you have to pay for own and family visa, medical, attestations, police reports etc.?
Last edited by Hanse22; Apr 16th 2023 at 7:26 am.
Apr 16th 2023, 8:43 am
#1912
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 14
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
they do pay a relocation 1-off payment (atleast thats what i have been told) which is significantly higher than costs for all visas n background checks and other costs that one will face..... is that not the case?
Apr 16th 2023, 8:49 am
#1913
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 28
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
I've received my offer last week and unfortunately, I cannot confirm anywhere near to the uplift that is mentioned in the thread or what was mentioned by the headhunter. I'm located in a capital in the Middle East and not on a massive package, so I am not sure if they missed out on something (HR is so far unresponsive).
The ongoing reductions in NEOM benefits (accommodation, uncertain bonus, remote work policy, medical insurance coverage etc.) that I read about in this thread are only adding to the suspicion that the good times are over, or I need to find a higher level job. Did I understand correctly that you have to pay for own and family visa, medical, attestations, police reports etc.?
The ongoing reductions in NEOM benefits (accommodation, uncertain bonus, remote work policy, medical insurance coverage etc.) that I read about in this thread are only adding to the suspicion that the good times are over, or I need to find a higher level job. Did I understand correctly that you have to pay for own and family visa, medical, attestations, police reports etc.?
Regarding paying for attestations, etc, I read a while back that you outlay the cost with the understanding that the 75K SAR in your first pay is meant to reimburse you for those and any other costs you need to incur. I'm not sure if there was a time that they paid the costs directly though.
Apr 16th 2023, 8:51 am
#1914
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2022
Location: NEOM
Posts: 170
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
I've received my offer last week and unfortunately, I cannot confirm anywhere near to the uplift that is mentioned in the thread or what was mentioned by the headhunter. I'm located in a capital in the Middle East and not on a massive package, so I am not sure if they missed out on something (HR is so far unresponsive).
The ongoing reductions in NEOM benefits (accommodation, uncertain bonus, remote work policy, medical insurance coverage etc.) that I read about in this thread are only adding to the suspicion that the good times are over, or I need to find a higher level job. Did I understand correctly that you have to pay for own and family visa, medical, attestations, police reports etc.?
The ongoing reductions in NEOM benefits (accommodation, uncertain bonus, remote work policy, medical insurance coverage etc.) that I read about in this thread are only adding to the suspicion that the good times are over, or I need to find a higher level job. Did I understand correctly that you have to pay for own and family visa, medical, attestations, police reports etc.?
Apr 16th 2023, 8:58 am
#1915
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2022
Location: NEOM
Posts: 170
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
Yes, if I'm honest, there is that sense of wondering if certain selling points will change eventually if for no reason other thsn mathematics. For example, I do wonder if the free food will change to either a nominal charge per meal or cheaper quality food or reduced selections to contain costs. Family units were once free and now have a cost, so the food seems like a logical step too, as does a nominal charge for the units...if the family unit is 4K SAR/month, I could see B and C units at NC1 eventually being 2K and 1K at some point and B and C units being like 1.5K and 1K too.
Regarding paying for attestations, etc, I read a while back that you outlay the cost with the understanding that the 75K SAR in your first pay is meant to reimburse you for those and any other costs you need to incur. I'm not sure if there was a time that they paid the costs directly though.
Regarding paying for attestations, etc, I read a while back that you outlay the cost with the understanding that the 75K SAR in your first pay is meant to reimburse you for those and any other costs you need to incur. I'm not sure if there was a time that they paid the costs directly though.
The moral here is that unless you get it in writing in your contract, it isn't promised. Evaluate your offer accordingly.
Apr 16th 2023, 9:31 am
#1916
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 28
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
The company has made it clear that they are obligated to what they offer you in your offer letter and contract. Anything else such as work-from-home-days, bonus levels -- and anything else for that matter -- are policies that are reviewed regularly and updated accordingly. This may work in favor of the employee, it may not. These are adjusted to meet the needs of the company.
The moral here is that unless you get it in writing in your contract, it isn't promised. Evaluate your offer accordingly.
The moral here is that unless you get it in writing in your contract, it isn't promised. Evaluate your offer accordingly.
Apr 16th 2023, 9:52 am
#1917
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 69
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
Fair enough, but to your point (which is helpful), while I haven't seen my offer yet, my recruiter did tell me in advance that things like free accommodation and food and remote working days will not be in the offer letter. So based on your point, all those things not in the offer letter can change. In that case, your advice to evaluate the offer accordingly boils down to considering if the role is still attractive without the food, accommodation, and remote work days because there is a risk (not sure how big) that those things may at least be different someday and at most could disappear altogether.
That said, if they suddenly take away all the remote working days and make people pay for food and accommodation, I could see that being a significant enough change to the working conditions that people would just leave. Given how many people are required for a project of this magnitude, I’m not sure that making a change that would have a pretty critical impact would be a sensible business decision.
Apr 16th 2023, 10:56 am
#1918
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 6
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
The company has made it clear that they are obligated to what they offer you in your offer letter and contract. Anything else such as work-from-home-days, bonus levels -- and anything else for that matter -- are policies that are reviewed regularly and updated accordingly. This may work in favor of the employee, it may not. These are adjusted to meet the needs of the company.
The moral here is that unless you get it in writing in your contract, it isn't promised. Evaluate your offer accordingly.
The moral here is that unless you get it in writing in your contract, it isn't promised. Evaluate your offer accordingly.
Apr 16th 2023, 11:29 am
#1919
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 6
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
The company will pay for your airfare into and out of the job. Your offer will include a relocation allowance (or something like that). Neom gives you that to cover the costs of moving, which includes degree attestations, visas, visa support docs, medical exams, extra bags on the plane, etc.
This is the first time I experience such terms from a MEA-based company, but perhaps I have been lucky. My experience is that the relocation allowance is for personal expenses that are 100% individual ("curtain money") - such as relocating a pet or special sports gear. Even extra bags or air freight is covered in many contracts as a standard, to help you get settled quickly and focus in on work.
Apr 16th 2023, 11:32 am
#1920
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2022
Location: NEOM
Posts: 170
Re: NEOM COMMUNITY UPDATE
Thanks BMH77, that answers well. My offer includes the relocation allowance but does not mention what will be deducted from that.
This is the first time I experience such terms from a MEA-based company, but perhaps I have been lucky. My experience is that the relocation allowance is for personal expenses that are 100% individual ("curtain money") - such as relocating a pet or special sports gear. Even extra bags or air freight is covered in many contracts as a standard, to help you get settled quickly and focus in on work.
This is the first time I experience such terms from a MEA-based company, but perhaps I have been lucky. My experience is that the relocation allowance is for personal expenses that are 100% individual ("curtain money") - such as relocating a pet or special sports gear. Even extra bags or air freight is covered in many contracts as a standard, to help you get settled quickly and focus in on work.
The allowance here is the full amount regardless of how much you spend. There is no requirement to produce receipts or anything like that. I do believe that there may be a % you will have to pay back if you do not spend a full year in the position, though.