A recent survey from global HR solutions firm Adecco reveals that 67 percent of employees in the UAE are considering a job change, signaling a significant increase in job mobility and a readiness to venture into new career avenues.
The primary reasons prompting job shifts among candidates encompass restricted career advancement, insufficient remuneration, escalating living costs, unsatisfactory work-life equilibrium, inadequate employee perks, and a lack of work flexibility. Mayank Patel, Senior Vice President and Head of Adecco EEMENA and Country Head Middle East, noted that contemporary candidates are predominantly motivated by career objectives, with discussions often centering on job stability, work-life balance, yearly career progression prospects, and competitive pay.
Patel also highlighted that while salary is a pivotal incentive for candidates in the UAE, other elements such as favorable work-life balance, corporate culture, career outlooks, and job security are equally vital. Adecco's report on UAE's work trends, derived from insights of 507 professionals across diverse industries and functions, shows the highest job-switching rates among mid-senior level candidates in the technology and software services sector, followed by those in banking, construction, engineering, logistics, retail, and luxury sectors.
In contrast, approximately 15 to 20 percent of professionals are not contemplating job changes and are dedicated to advancing in their current positions. Patel further commented on the UAE's evolving recruitment scenario, influenced by factors like the growing expatriate population, swift technological progress, a robust focus on diversity and inclusion, and changing skill demands. He observed that nearly half of the employees are very optimistic about the UAE job market, particularly in sectors like information technology, software services, retail and luxury, and transport and logistics.
Concluding the report, Patel anticipates a robust uptick in hiring activities in 2024, especially in sectors such as IT (AI, cloud computing, machine learning, cybersecurity), banking, retail, investments, logistics, e-commerce, hospitality, oil and gas, and sustainable green jobs.
