PHOTO
Employees in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are confident about securing a new role or pushing for a payrise, promotions or new opportunities in their workplaces in 2023, despite global economic uncertainty.
Data from business networking site LinkedIn said 74% in the UAE and 73% in Saudi Arabia felt confident about securing a new role, while the same percentage felt confident about getting more money, a promotion or a new opportunity within their workplace.
This was despite hiring slowing by 10.1% in December 2022 compared with the same month in 2021.
In the UAE, 77% said they were considering a job change in 2023 and 73% in Saudi, with higher pay being the top reason for moving to a new employer in both countries.
Remote or hybrid still preferred
More than seven out of ten, or 72% of UAE workers surveyed, said if offered a new job or promotion that requires them to be in the office full time, they would decline in favour of hybrid or remote work.
The figure was 64% in Saudi Arabia.
Millennials are more likely to be looking to change jobs than the younger Generation Z, with 81% of millennials feeling their employer is not invested in them, 65% saying they did not feel sufficiently motivated and 71% saying their wages do not require them to show higher levels of commitment.
Ali Matar, head of LinkedIn MENA and EMEA growth hub said professionals have become more resilient since the pandemic.
“Despite economic uncertainty and the slump in global hiring that’s trickled its way into the region, we are still seeing a significant number of professionals looking to either grow within their organisations or switch jobs in 2023, many driven by the desire for bigger salaries as the global cost of living goes up,” he said.
“Workforces clearly know their value within the job market and are taking charge of their career by investing in new skills.”
LinkedIn surveyed more than 22,000 workers aged 18 and over from 17 countries globally.
(Writing by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Seban Scaria)
