Vantaggi
Its financially very difficult to leave this place. The salary is good, but the benefits for Western Expats are amazing. You get the cash value of full-fare tickets for yourself and each family member. This payment pays for three holidays per year for me! I barely have enough work to keep me sane. I put in maybe an hour a day. The rest of my day is spent planning my next (several) vacation(s), networking on job sites, reading lots of newspapers, watching videos and planning for retirement. Besides that, there isn't much else about this place that makes me want to return.
Svantaggi
I've worked at Sadara for three years as a Regular. This isn't the same place I joined. Management has successfully managed to take a decent place to work and run it into the ground. I've never seen a more demoralized staff, more incompetent management or more blatant racism/favoritism. Management has clearly said that all non-Saudis will not be promoted and are seen as nothing more as hired help. Its sad. I've seen many positions held by expats get replaced by Saudis with 0-5 years of total work experience. I'm sorry, but how exactly do you replace someone with 20+ years of work experience with someone with 3 years? Add to this overt racism with a lack of communication by management for anything that can possibly be construed as negative, the constant rumors of headcount reductions coupled with the resultant incredibly low morale and the shoddy construction of these precious plants and.... One of the many rumors here is that the plant is so poorly designed that it can't operate at more than 25% capacity. Terrible. Another is that when the Chlorine plant goes online that you should call in sick just in case it blows. You don't want to be within 50 KM of this place! Also, I feel bad for people who live in this hellhole. Jubail is voted as one of the most polluted cities on Earth! Amazing considering that it has a tiny population. The Royal Commission has declared it "safe" - which is funny since none of them live anywhere near here!