Workers in the Middle East are more likely to change employers, ask for a pay rise, trust their bosses or seek out new skills than elsewhere in the world, according to a PwC study.
Employees in the Middle East are actively embracing transformation and showing greater alignment with their organisations’ long-term goals than their global counterparts, according to the latest PwC Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024.
85 per cent of more than 1,500 regional employees clearly understand their organisations’ goals, surpassing the global average of 77 per cent.
Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024
Additionally, there is a high level of trust in leadership, with 80 per cent of employees expressing confidence in their leaders’ ability to fulfil commitments and promises, higher than the global average of 68 per cent.
The survey also reveals a strong desire for financial improvement and career advancement among regional employees.
This is indicated by 44 per cent of respondents considering changing employers within the next 12 months, compared to just 28 per cent globally.
Furthermore, 71 per cent plan to ask for a pay raise, a substantial increase from the 43 per cent globally, and 67 per cent are seeking promotions, compared to nearly a third globally.
Opportunities to learn new skills are a significant factor in employees’ decisions to stay with their employer, with 67 per cent of respondents highlighting this, compared to 47 per cent globally.
According to the survey, the workforce’s strong appetite for acquiring new skills is driven by rapid technological advancements in the region and the urgent need to address the climate crisis.
In the Middle East, 63 per cent of respondents believe that technological changes, particularly the rise of AI, GenAI and robotics, will impact their jobs in the next three years, compared to 46 per cent globally, while more than half believe that climate change will affect their jobs in the future, higher than 37 per cent globally.
Moreover, 53 per cent of regional employees anticipate that climate change will introduce health and safety risks in their workplace, while more than a third (37 per cent) of workers believe it could result in job loss.
Collaboration and flexibility are also highly valued in the region, with 87 per cent and 81 per cent of employees, respectively, prioritising these aspects.
These figures surpass global averages of 63 per cent and 65 per cent respectively, reflecting a regional working culture that values teamwork and agile work arrangements.
Randa Bahsoun, Labour and Social Development Leader and Government and Public Sector Partner, PwC Middle East, said: “Employees in the Middle East are placing an increased premium on organisations that invest in their skills growth. There is a strong appetite for employees to stay relevant and thrive in a fast-evolving business landscape driven by technology and climate change.
“The Middle East’s employers must proactively offer upskilling programmes that prioritise meaningful engagement to transform employees into accelerators of business success. Investing in employee training and technological platforms is imperative to mitigate pressures and retain the brightest talent.”
The uptake of emerging technology, such as AI and machine learning is rising regionally, and 81 per cent of the Middle East’s employees have used GenAI at work in the past 12 months, compared to 61 per cent globally.
While 25 per cent of respondents regularly use GenAI at work, nearly half recognise GenAI-linked risks, such as the likelihood of bias (64 per cent) and misleading information (56 per cent).
This high level of digital literacy is driving a strong demand for skills development programmes, with 67 per cent of regional employees citing these as a key factor in their decision to stay with their employers.
A skills-first approach is rapidly emerging in the region. The majority (61 per cent) of respondents say they need to learn new tools and technologies to perform their jobs effectively.
Specialised skills are becoming increasingly crucial, with 80 per cent of respondents with such training finding their jobs fulfilling, compared to only 43 per cent without specialised training.
This shift underscores the importance of continuous learning and specialised skill development in enhancing job satisfaction and employee retention.
As global cities transform into digitally enabled hubs, employees are increasingly embracing hybrid working models. According to our survey, 60% of all respondents believe their jobs can be performed remotely, and 86% have worked remotely from another country in the past 12 months.
The rise of remote work has fostered a culture of transparency, with 81 per cent of regional respondents working remotely from different countries with employer approvals, compared to 51 per cent globally.
Aligned with the evolving digital landscape of the region, organisations are recognising the benefits of non-traditional work arrangements, which offer unique advantages, such as cost efficiency, convenience, and improved work-life balance.
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