Employees in the Middle East are demonstrating a stronger alignment with their organisations’ long-term goals and embracing transformation more actively than their global counterparts, according to the latest PwC Middle East Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2024.
The survey finds that a significant 85% of over 1,500 regional employees understand their organisations’ goals, surpassing the global average of 77%. Additionally, 80% of Middle Eastern employees trust their leadership to fulfill commitments, a number that is higher than the global average of 68%.
The survey highlights a notable desire for financial improvement and career advancement among regional employees. About 44% of respondents are considering changing employers within the next 12 months, compared to 28% globally.
Furthermore, 71% plan to ask for a pay raise, compared to 43% globally, and 67% seek promotions, compared to nearly a third globally. The survey also finds that opportunities to learn new skills play a significant role in employees’ decisions to stay with their employers, with 67% of regional respondents highlighting this, compared to 47% globally.
“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,” said Randa Bahsoun, Labour and Social Development Leader and Government and Public Sector Partner, PwC Middle East.
The survey reveals that the workforce’s appetite for acquiring new skills is driven by rapid technological advancements and the urgent need to address the climate crisis. In the Middle East, 63% 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% globally.
More than half believe that climate change will affect their jobs, higher than 37% globally. Moreover, 53% of regional employees anticipate that climate change will introduce health and safety risks in their workplace, while over a third (37%) believe it could result in job loss.
That is why both collaboration and flexibility are highly valued in the region, with 87% and 81% of employees, respectively, prioritising these aspects. These figures surpass global averages of 63% and 65%, respectively, reflecting a regional working culture that values teamwork and agile work arrangements.
The uptake of emerging technology, such as AI and machine learning, is rising regionally, with 81% of Middle Eastern employees having used GenAI at work in the past 12 months, compared to 61% globally.
While 25% of respondents regularly use GenAI at work, nearly half recognise GenAI-linked risks, such as the likelihood of bias (64%) and misleading information (56%). This high level of digital literacy, the survey finds, is driving a strong demand for skills development programs, with 67% of regional employees citing these as a key factor in their decision to stay with their employers.
“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,” added Bahsoun.
Therefore, a skills-first approach is rapidly emerging in the region, with 61% of respondents stating they need to learn new tools and technologies to perform their jobs effectively.
Moreover, the survey finds that specialised skills are becoming increasingly crucial, with 80% of respondents with such training finding their jobs fulfilling, compared to only 43% without specialised training. This shift highlights the importance of continuous learning and specialised skill development in enhancing job satisfaction and employee retention.
According to the survey, 60% of 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% of regional respondents working remotely from different countries with employer approvals, compared to 51% globally.
The survey finds that organisations are recognising the benefits of non-traditional work arrangements, offering unique advantages such as cost efficiency, convenience, and improved work-life balance.