Nearly 80% of UAE employers planning to hire over next three months – survey

Nearly four fifths (78 per cent) of UAE employers are planning to hire in the next three months compared to 73 per cent across the Middle East and North Africa, according to a survey by job site Bayt.com.

The company said its August survey of 1,709 respondents from across the region showed an optimistic outlook in the UAE with 86 per cent of employers planning to hire in the coming year.

“It is refreshing to note that hiring across the region is on an upward trajectory,” said YouGov MENA director of data services Kerry McLaren, whose company carried out the survey.

“Hiring intentions are a measure of the economic wellbeing of the region, and also a reflection of the growing competitive environment that will drive job performance.”

Across MENA, 76 per cent of multinationals and small and medium enterprises planned to hire within the next three months, while the automotive (84 per cent) and real estate, construction and property development (81 per cent) sectors showed the most significant hiring intentions.

This changed to real estate, construction and property development (97 per cent) and domestic services (94 per cent) for the next 12 months.

By position, the bulk of hiring plans focussed on junior and mid-career positions with junior executive (44 per cent) the most popular, followed by manager (35 per cent), senior executive (33 per cent) and coordinator (33 per cent). However, 35 per cent were also looking to hire C-suite and managing director positions.

The most in demand roles were sales executive (30 per cent), accountant (29 per cent), project manager (23 per cent), sales manager (22 per cent), director (20 per cent) and finance analyst (20 per cent).

The optimistic survey results come after a tough start to the year for job seekers in the UAE.

Emirates NBD said last month that job creation in the country’s non-oil private sector was weaker from January to July 2018 than the same period last year.

Read: Job growth in UAE’s private sector weaker than 2017

Despite higher levels of work outstanding, firms hired additional staff at the slowest pace in over two years, it said.