According to a recent Gallup survey, 69 percent of UAE employees believe this is an opportune year to find a new job due to economic growth and emerging job opportunities in new sectors, marking a nearly 10 percent increase from 2022.

UAE employees exhibit significantly more optimism compared to their MENA and global counterparts by 36 percent and 15 percent, respectively, as reported in Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report. The UAE’s non-oil sectors, including travel and tourism, hospitality, real estate, and retail, have exceeded their pre-pandemic performance over the past three years.

This success has led to the establishment of new companies and attracted international players, thereby increasing job opportunities and boosting Dubai’s population to over 3.7 million.

 

UAE employees believe they are advancing in their professions better than their regional and global counterparts. According to the survey, 50 percent of UAE employees report thriving, a one-percentage-point increase from the previous year.

This is more than double the rate in the MENA region and 16 percent higher than the global average. Consequently, fewer people in the UAE are actively seeking new jobs compared to their foreign peers. The survey indicates that 40 percent of UAE employees are looking for or actively seeking new jobs, which is lower than the regional figure of 48 percent and the global rate of 52 percent.

 

With 29 percent of employees engaged at work, UAE workplaces are the most highly engaged in the MENA region, showing a two-point increase from last year. These engagement rates surpass the global average of 23 percent and are significantly higher than the MENA regional average of 14 percent.

Andrew Rzepa, a leading partner in Gallup’s global analytics division for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, stated that UAE companies are progressively enhancing workplace engagement and reducing employee negativity. He noted that the favorable job market in the UAE presents a unique opportunity for leaders to further improve employee engagement and wellbeing.

Gallup estimates that low employee engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion, or 9 percent of global GDP.

In terms of mental health, the survey found that 33 percent of UAE employees experienced a lot of stress the previous day, compared to 52 percent in the MENA region and 41 percent globally. Additionally, nearly one in four UAE employees (24 percent) reported feeling sadness a lot the previous day.