Top Employers 2024: Leading the way towards a better world of work and driving with the latest HR trends

In the Middle East, certified Top Employers achieved recognition in the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, and Yemen. Amongst the Middle East countries, UAE is one with the higher number of companies certified as 2024 Top Employer with 22 certified companies: Abbott, Airbus, Al Ghurair Investments, Alstom, Boehringer Ingelheim, British American Tobacco, DHL Global Forwarding, Diversey, Ecolab, Egis, GSK, HSA, Infosys, JTI, Kone, Mondelez, Reckitt, Saint-Gobain, Tata Consultancy Services, Viatris, Virtusa, Zahid Group.

After the announcement of the 2024 Certified Top Employers on January 18, recognising their commitment to fostering a better world of work, certified organisations have been invited to participate in exclusive events hosted by the Top Employers Institute. These Certification Dinners took place across 14 cities worldwide, providing a platform for Top Employers to celebrate their outstanding achievements and steadfast dedication to cultivating a Better World of Work.

On February 22, 2024, the Top Employers Institute hosted the Certification Dinner in Dubai at the exquisite Armani Hotel. This event was held to celebrate and honor the Country, Regional, and Global Top Employers. Nearly 200 HR professionals from over 15 countries gathered to commemorate their remarkable achievements, engage in networking opportunities, and exchange valuable HR insights.

This year’s theme, “The Art of Being a Top Employer,” pays tribute to the mastery and excellence that Top Employers infuse into their people practices. Participants eagerly anticipated a night of celebration, connection, and recognition – an unforgettable evening for Top Employers and their teams. You can find out more about all the certified Top Employers here.

It has been an official celebration of the achievements of Top Employers and their HR excellence – a significant opportunity for gathering and reflection. As the world around us evolves at an unprecedented pace, we are compelled to pause and contemplate. In recent years, we have witnessed rapid global developments that profoundly influence our lives and the workplaces we cultivate. From geopolitical events to macroeconomic shifts, to global health crises and escalating concerns about the sustainability of our planet – these factors underscore the importance of resilience and quick adaptation in the face of change.

Despite the challenges posed by these circumstances, Top Employers remained steadfast in their commitment to their employee’s ongoing success and development. They adeptly address the questions arising from these developments and strive to create resilient workplaces, even amidst volatility and uncertainty.

These workplaces are transformating, partly due to external factors but primarily through organisation’s intentional efforts towards creating a better world of work. The modern workplace is vastly different from what it was five years ago and will continue to evolve over the next five years.

We’ve identified five key trends outlined in the Top Employers Institute’s World of Work Trends 2024 report, which analyses the latest trends in people strategies and practices from leading organisations worldwide. Our analysis highlights five significant trends shaping workplaces in 2024. These trends include:

1. Empower through AI: Generative AI is changing the workplace. We see that in 2024, the discussion will shift from what you can do with AI to what you should do with AI.
2. The Future Defined with Purpose: Purpose continues to drive the direction of companies. And in 2024, this will moreover require leadership to speak up about this purpose and the world at large.
3. Dialogue for Transformation: A genuine dialogue between employers and their people is required. This does not just include employees, but it also improves decision-making processes.
4. Evolution of Wellbeing Effectiveness: Tailored wellbeing offerings will be the focus in 2024. Wellbeing will revolve around making the right choices rather than offering everything possible. That way, the needs and resources can be best balanced.
5. Broaden the Horizon of DEI: Finally, DEI will be broader than the demographic segmentation we’ve seen so far. For example, attracting and engaging neurodivergent talent will be included for more and more progressive employers.

The speed of innovation in AI has opened doors to a revolution in how we work. The shifting cultural landscape has enabled leaders and employees to drive meaningful societal impact. And the growing awareness of different identities and wellbeing needs has made inclusion non-negotiable. The organisations that will be most successful in this new world of work capture these opportunities purposely, thoughtfully, and ethically.

The sweeping global financial, technological, and political changes that have been happening worldwide will bring attention to people’s complexities and unique value. The year 2024 will see people firmly recentred at the heart of the workplace – and the five key trends of the coming year reflect the growing realisation that whilst AI will support and optimise, the real competitive advantage is found in the creativity, passion, and partnership between employees.

In this complex and evolving world and world of work, we see companies like Top Employers leading the way, which navigate the world inside and outside the workplace with a laser focus on human-centric strategies and a culture of people development. We are proud to be by your side in this process. Providing insights and inspiration to jointly create the maximum impact possible.

Read more about each trend in our article below or get in-depth insights by completing the form on the right and downloading the report for free here.