In a fast-changing region like the Middle East, it’s not surprising that the features of its 2023 workforce reflect these dynamics. The region is home to a diverse, young, ambitious and educated workforce seeking new opportunities in multiple industries which, coupled with the seismic ‘Vision’ initiatives across most countries, make for a very interesting labour market.
Additionally, the Middle East is home to a large and growing young indigenous population: according to the World Bank, the median age in the Middle East and North Africa is 25 years old.
This youthful tranche is typically well-educated, ambitious and tech-savvy, making them both an essential part of the region’s workforce, and also a key challenge for regional governments to ensure that there are sufficient credible employment opportunities.
This expatriate – local balance is a critical issue. Countries across the GCC all have ‘isation’ policies to encourage and compel localisation of roles according to certain ratios and criteria, whilst also trying to encourage FDI and inward migration of talent, given its obvious economic impact.
With such a melting pot of cultures, it’s also hard to define a singular management style in the Middle East which obviously varies depending on the industry, company culture, and country.
However, many Middle Eastern firms tend to have a hierarchical management structure, with a clear chain of command.
This style of management can be challenging for younger workers who are used to more collaborative and inclusive work environments and in recent years, there has been a push for more modern and innovative approaches which encourage collaboration and open communication.
On a related note, in the UAE it’s interesting to see how many companies have returned to the full 5 day per week office presence with quite an obvious division of this being obligatory with many local firms, whilst international companies tend to have continued with flexible and hybrid work-from-home policies.
In this dynamic environment, young workers are increasingly looking for job security, professional development and opportunities to advance their careers; they are also looking for companies that prioritise work-life balance and embrace a positive company culture.
This makes for an interesting challenge for managers in the region.
From my own experiences leading a team of 17 people here in Dubai, made up of 11 different nationalities (a real UAE microcosm!) I’ve found that staff from all cultures and countries value authenticity, openness and honesty without fail.
In such a multicultural environment, it’s impossible to be all things to all (wo)men, so better to focus on a core management approach, where you can be true to yourself and that all staff can identify with, regardless of nationality or background.