Hiring in the UAE is set to pick up next year due to business growth as well as more clarity after the elections in the US and India, reports The Khaleej Times, citing research by Robert Half. The research showed that more than three in five UAE business leaders, or 63%, expect their overall headcount to increase in the next 12 months, with half agreeing that they need to hire more people due to growth.

After a year of elections in several countries that saw many employers hold fire on hiring, Robert Half expects a busy start to 2025. “A third of business leaders say they were waiting to hire until the outcomes were known, while a similar proportion – 32% – are waiting on interest rates to stabilise or decrease before making hiring decisions,” said the report.

Nearly seven out of 10 business leaders, or 67%, are confident about their organisation’s growth prospects in 2025. While employers are finding it easier to hire today compared to 12 months ago, Robert Half said many of the available candidates have recently relocated to the UAE and lack in-market experience, so it is also important for businesses to retain the talent they already have in the company.

However, nearly half of business leaders, or 47%, say that although it is easier to find workers, it is not easy to find candidates with the right skills.

Robert Half data showed that 65% of respondents will look for a new job before the end of 2025, with 30% of those citing the rising cost of living as a key driver for their move. With the UAE continuing to experience high inflation, one-third of employees – 34%–agree they need a higher salary to meet their obligations. The decline in salaries and oversupply of expat talent is undermining in-role salary growth, with three-quarters – 75%– agreeing that it is harder to negotiate a pay rise today compared to 12 months ago. “If the market shifts, these employees will be among the first to jump ship, leaving employers without the talent they need,” said the report.