Saudi, UAE employment up around 70% post-pandemic

RIYADH: The employment levels in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have grown between 50 per cent and 70 per cent, as the region exits the pandemic, Arab News quoted a research by LinkedIn.

Ali Mater, head of the Middle East division of the business-focused networking site, said the surge in jobs was fuelled by the retail sector, in which employment jumped by 72 per cent as the region emerges from lockdown restrictions. 

Health care employment rates are also strong, he said during an interview with Asharq.

“We see the rising now compared to pre-pandemic, which means the economy is recovering,” said Mater.

There is a recruitment process that takes place every 15 seconds through the LinkedIn platform, he added.

Mater claimed that digital skills top the list of requirements in today’s labour market, followed by customer service experience, both of which are in demand in the retail sector.

A LinkedIn survey of 1,000 professionals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE showed that while most employees feel comfortable practicing their work remotely, 70 per cent of them also believed this may cause a decline in their social skills.

The research also revealed that 40 per cent of employees believe that working from home contributes to achieving a better work-life balance.

“Companies worldwide are facing a dilemma in reconciling the contradiction between employees’ desire to work remotely, and their increased risk of job burnout as a result,” Matar said.