Today's Edition
Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)
Seventy-five per cent of employers in the UAE expect salaries within their organisation to increase in 2025, according to the Hays GCC Salary & Employment Report.
In 2024, 48% of UAE employees saw salary increases, with the most common adjustment ranging from 2.5% to 5%. Looking forward, 74% of employees anticipate a salary boost in 2025.
AI Integration and Employer Optimism
The report also pointed to a growing emphasis on technology in the workplace.
Sixty-five per cent of employers in the UAE say their organisations are recommending the use of AI tools, and 79% expect to allow staff to utilise AI technologies in the future.
Despite these advancements, employer optimism regarding the broader economic outlook is mixed. Forty-nine per cent of employers are optimistic about the economic future for 2025, compared to just 33% of employees who feel similarly.
The report also reveals that 65% of employees are considering changing organisations in 2025.
“Aside from salary, benefits packages and career development initiatives are the two most important factors for professionals in the UAE,” it stated.
On the hiring front, 77% of employers in the UAE are planning to recruit for permanent roles in the coming year.
Emiratisation
Nationalisation programmes continue to play a significant role in shaping hiring strategies across the UAE.
The report shows that 55% of employers currently employ UAE nationals, an increase from 51% the previous year.
Looking ahead, 46% of employers plan to increase the number of UAE nationals in their workforce in 2025, in line with the UAE government’s ongoing Emiratisation policy.
“Emiratisation remains a core policy for the United Arab Emirates Government and a high priority for Human Resource teams. As a result, organisations across the public and private sectors are continuing to drive Emiratisation recruitment strategies,” the report stated.
For UAE nationals, optimism regarding salary growth is also on the rise.
According to the report, 72% of UAE nationals expect their salaries to increase in 2025, reflecting a shift in positivity since the previous survey.
