Almost 40 percent of Qatar-based professionals are unhappy with their salaries, compared to just four percent who say they are highly satisfied with what they earn, shows a survey.

More than third (38 percent) of respondents said they did not get a pay raise in 2014, and for those who did, 27 percent were either very or modestly happy with the raise.

The results of MENA Salary Survey were released by Bayt.com last month that was conducted in partnership with market research agency, YouGov, has found that more than half of Qatar professionals are expecting a salary increase in 2015.

Some 59 percent of respondents said they receive a basic salary with benefits; another 12 percent are also entitled to commissions.

For over a third of respondents in Qatar (34 percent) who receive a basic salary along with other benefits, the basic salary consists of 25-50 percent of their monthly salary package, while for 40 percent their basic salary represents 51-75 percent of their overall monthly income.

Some 51 of Qatar professionals surveyed said they were quite unhappy or very unhappy with their raise. Almost a quarter (22 percent) of Qatar respondents do not expect to receive a salary increase in 2015, while 33 percent said they expected a raise of up to 15 percent.

The most common benefits offered by companies in Qatar are personal annual air ticket (45 percent) and personal medical insurance (38 percent).

Sixty percent of Qatar respondents recognise that their loyalty to their company is, on some level, based on the salary that they earn. For 25 percent, however, that is just not the case. Other variables that drive Qatar professionals' loyalty to their company include opportunities for long-term career advancement (40 percent) and their line manager (30 percent).

In Qatar, 75 percent of respondents receive an end-of-service gratuity and a mere 3 percent get pension upon retirement. 23 percent have access to other forms of end-of-service benefits or none at all.

More than one third of Qatar professionals (38 percent) have access to medical insurance for themselves – through their company – while 14 percent are also offered coverage for their dependents. [Full survey findings on Bayt.com]