UAE: A global survey of almost 70,000 working adults has uncovered seismic shifts in employee attitudes and motivations, with 90% of global respondents and a whopping 95% of UAE respondents saying they are currently open to new opportunities in the jobs market.

Conducted globally by FTSE 250 recruiter PageGroup, the parent company of Michael Page, Talent Trends is the largest study of skilled, white-collar professionals of its kind to date. Of the 625 respondents in the UAE, over half (68%) said they are active job seekers, either currently looking for a new role or planning to look in the next six months. A further 27% are on the fence about looking elsewhere and are not ruling it out but are waiting until the economy improves or for the right opportunity to arise.

Interestingly for employers, these figures suggest that companies cannot confidently rely on most people in their current workforce to be retained this year. To compound these concerns, new joiners are almost equally likely to be open to new opportunities as their more tenured counterparts, with more than half of those who started their job as recently as 2022 considered ‘active job seekers’.

This 'Invisible Revolution' is not a flash in the pan movement, but a seismic shift with the potential to inflict wide-reaching, global tremors in the labour market for decades to come. Notable findings from the study include:

  • Commentators have said that the ‘worst’ of the ‘Great Resignation’ is over – but this data shows the number of resignations is not slowing, with 2022 recording a resignation level double that of 2021 (29% vs. 15%).
  • About half (54%) of workers in the UAE are in full-time office roles, with fully remote (11%) and hybrid working models (35%) increasingly becoming the norm. This proliferation of hybrid working jobs means people find it easier to look for jobs and be contacted by recruiters whilst performing their duties in the privacy of their homes.
  • Eight in ten UAE staff (80%) said they are satisfied with their current workloads and half (51%) are satisfied with their salaries, and the same (50%) feel content in their roles overall. This shows that employees can be broadly happy in a role but still have one eye on their next move.
  • Work-life balance was ranked as the most important part of a job (49%) with 32% UAE respondents willing to reject a promotion if they believe it will have a negative effect on their wellbeing. Work-life balance is important to everyone, with children (48%) and without children (52%). Flexibility is the new basic alongside pay and career progress.

Pierre-Emmanuel Dupil, Senior Managing Director – Middle East & Africa at Michael Page, said: “The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, and similar variations have dominated conversations in the post-pandemic world of work. These terms refer to a subtle but transformative shift in workplace dynamics that has occurred around the world. We believe these changes add up to an ‘Invisible Revolution’, with significant implications for employers.

“Seismic shifts in employee attitudes and motivations have created a new talent landscape — no age group, country, or industry is unaffected. There’s no going back to the way things were pre-pandemic; the change we see today is here to stay.

“Job loyalty is now the exception, not the rule. Even generally happy employees are open to moving on to a better opportunity. The relentless resignation cycle will not be slowing down — change is the new status quo.

“Our study highlights a long-term transformation of the employment market, as people reassess the role of work in their lives following the disruption of the pandemic.”

Nicholas Kirk, CEO, PageGroup added: “The trends in the UAE mirror the sentiment of the global talent market – every region has seen a transformative change across all age groups, markets, and industries.

“It is clear there has been a universal reset of people’s relationships with their jobs. Work-life balance, a competitive salary, and strong career progression prospects have become non-negotiable, and professionals are willing to leave their current roles to secure these elsewhere.

“These are not fleeting trends or reactionary responses to a period of turbulence. Rather, they are reshaping the workplace in a way that will subtly yet fundamentally change the way businesses attract and retain their talent.” 

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About PageGroup

Established in the UK in 1976, FTSE 250 PageGroup has grown to become one of the world’s best-known and most respected recruitment consultancies. With operations in 37 countries, PageGroup employes 9000+ people and provides recruitment services and career opportunities on a local, regional and global level. To find out more, visit: https://www.page.com/about-us.

PageGroup operates four key brands: Page Executive, Michael Page, Page Personnel and Page Outsourcing, supported by additional brands across the business. 

About Michael Page - United Arab Emirates

Michael Page has been operating in the Middle East since 2006 with an office located in the heart of Dubai International Financial Centre. The company is led by a management team with over 100 years of combined international and regional recruitment experience. During their tenure, Michael Page has formed a sterling reputation as an industry leader with 50 specialist recruitment consultants and over 600,000 candidates in their regional database. To find out more, visit: www.michaelpage.ae.

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Contact
For more information:
Contact: Tasneem Karam, Marketing Manager (MEA)
Email: tasneemkaram@michaelpage.ae

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