New Study Says 95% of UAE Workers Are Looking for New Jobs

According to a global poll, a staggering 95% of UAE-based workers are currently open to exploring new career prospects.

Nearly 70% of respondents in the UAE are active job seekers, according to the Talent Trends poll, which was conducted globally by recruiter PageGroup, Michael Page's parent business.

These employees are either searching for a new position right now or intend to do so within the upcoming six months. Another 27% are debating whether to look elsewhere but are delaying until the economy recovers or until the proper chance arises.

The global study included 625 respondents from the UAE out of 70,000 working adults surveyed globally.

The following are the main conclusions of the UAE report:

•     Nine out of ten survey participants who started a new job within the past year are receptive to new possibilities.
•     Over career success, 6 in 10 people would pick their mental health and work-life balance.
•     Eight out of ten workers are content with their present responsibilities.
•     51% of people are content with their pay. This implies that workers might be content in one position while considering their next move.
•     Work-life balance rated best for job satisfaction (49%) among UAE talent.
•     32% of respondents said they would be willing to decline a promotion if they thought it would have a negative impact on their wellbeing.
• 60 per cent of employers said matching salary expectations was one of the biggest recruitment challenges.

Looking for new opportunities is now easier than ever

In the UAE, full-time office jobs account for about half (54%) of employment, with entirely remote and hybrid working arrangements (35%) growing common. As a result, more people find it simpler to hunt for work while carrying out their responsibilities in the quiet of their homes, and to be contacted by recruiters.

The 'great resignation' trend appears to be continuing, as evidenced by the fact that 2022 saw a global resignation rate treble that of 2021 (29 vs. 15 %).

Conversations in the post-pandemic workplace have been dominated by the huge resignation, the quiet quitting, and similar variations. These phrases relate to a global shift in workplace dynamics that is both subtle and transformational. These adjustments constitute a "invisible revolution" that will have substantial effects on employers.

The phenomenon of "quiet quitting" serves as Exhibit A, which is when employees intentionally accomplish the bare minimum all day and choose not to go beyond the call of duty.

It is obvious that ties between people and their employment have been reset across the board. Professionals are eager to quit their current positions to gain work-life balance, a competitive compensation, and great career advancement possibilities elsewhere.

These are not passing fads or irrational responses to a time of upheaval. Instead, they are transforming the workplace in a way that will radically alter how organisations entice and keep talent.