Talent Trends in the Middle East: Solving the Human-Machine Equation
The future of work is arriving faster than ever. Is your organization ready?
Across the Middle East, organizations are navigating a new era defined by AI adoption, talent scarcity, evolving employee expectations, and unprecedented pressure to drive productivity.
Yet while technology continues to accelerate, one question remains at the center of every transformation:
How do organizations unlock the full potential of both people and technology?
Mercer's Global Talent Trends 2026: Middle East Insights explores the forces reshaping the workforce across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider region, as well as what leaders must do now to remain competitive.
Drawing on insights from executives, HR leaders, and employees, the report reveals how organizations can create sustainable performance by redesigning work, building future-ready skills, strengthening workforce intelligence, and reimagining the role of HR.
Key Middle East Findings
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62% of C-suite leaders identify talent scarcity as a top enterprise risk.
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74% of employees expect AI to improve their jobs.
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40% of employees are considering leaving their organization within the next 12 months.
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74% of HR leaders rank employee experience and EVP as a top priority.
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Only 22% of C-suite leaders currently see HR as a strategic advisor, despite 80% expecting HR to play that role in the next two years.
Why This Matters
The organizations that succeed in the years ahead will not be those that simply adopt new technologies.
They will be the ones that successfully combine human capability, workforce insight, and AI-enabled innovation to create more agile, productive, and resilient organizations.
Whether you're leading HR strategy, workforce transformation, talent management, rewards, or organizational design, this executive summary provides practical insights to help you prepare for what's next.