Performance has a human metric

Unpredictable conditions are nothing new for the ENR sector. Commodity price fluctuations, geopolitical developments, energy transition pressures, evolving regulations, and technological disruption are all familiar challenges. But constant unpredictability in life: work-life balance, rising cost of living, sudden change/transformation, the impact of technology on work, and recent regional conflicts, together introduce a cascading set of stressors. It’s  a different type of risk – one that cannot be fully captured by operational or financial metrics.

For the multinational workforce, concerns often extend beyond the workplace to family members and communities.

Moreover, the continuous stream of news and multimedia content means employees experience events with an immediacy greater than at any point in history. It’s exhausting.

The stress levels are real. Mercer’s 2026 Global Talent Trends (GTT) reported that 54% of HR leaders in the Middle East are prioritizing stress reduction, and 44% of employees are concerned about workload sustainability.^[i]

The reality is that workforce well-being, employee engagement, and organizational resilience are interconnected.  So, understanding and responding to employee sentiment has never been more important.

In a region constantly managing talent scarcity, organizations should also be aware that 31% of surveyed employees across the Middle East plan to leave within 12 months.^[ii]

The situation is more complex for ENR companies because they have two distinct employee cohorts: site- and office- based.  While what impacts each group might differ materially, the underlying reality remains the same: uncertainty influences how people feel, how they engage, and ultimately how they perform. 

In addition, ENR employees say they are  6% less satisfied with their physical work environment when compared with other Middle East companies.  Also concerning is that they are 6% less likely to recommend their company when compared to other sectors. 

It’s time to elevate a human-centred approach and transform employee needs into your competitive advantage.

The ENR sector's focus on operational excellence has traditionally centred on assets, systems, processes, and safety. Yet behind every metric is the workforce responsible for its delivery. 

Mercer’s Well-being Element X Framework consists of the nine central elements and 36 sub-elements of well-being: 

Employees are the driving force behind the Middle East's ENR sector and periods of heightened uncertainty can affect them in ways that are not immediately obvious. After all, many organizations are still grappling with the multifaceted downstream impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic: demand for improved flexible working and increased equity and inclusion being only two. ^[iii]

Pressure on any element of well-being* (as captured Mercer’s Element X Framework) can contribute to increased stress, anxiety, and distraction. All of which lower engagement and performance. 

For ENR operational employees, these pressures may adversely influence concentration, situational awareness, and overall safety performance. Physical, mental, and social well-being are particularly relevant for those who have  rotational, or site-based roles – they often face challenges related to isolation, family separation, fatigue, and access to support networks.

Office-based employees are also affected – albeit in some different ways. Corporate teams under stress might experience reduced productivity, collaboration, innovation, and decision-making  quality. Yet, they are still responsible for a spectrum of activities from making strategic decisions and managing stakeholders to  overseeing commercial performance. 

Clear adverse impact and downstream outcomes are why employee well-being should no longer be viewed as a ‘nice to have’ employee benefit. Well-being should be viewed as a business resilience and performance priority.

While employee well-being is the foundation of capacity and fuels employee engagement, it is engagement that drives the execution of strategy. They: well-being and engagement, - are  distinct yet inseparable pillars of workforce performance. 

Organizations cannot sustainably secure one without investing in the other; mastering both is a business imperative: employees who feel supported are far more likely to stay motivated, connected, and committed to their work. They are engaged and performing. 

There are two actions you can take right now to boost well-being and engagement:

Historically, well-being initiatives have mostly focused on physical health and employee assistance programs, and employee engagement was measured through annual surveys, with questionnaires designed to assess constructs such as satisfaction, commitment, and workplace experience.

While these foundational elements remain important, they are not enough in our current context. Today's workforce expects a broader and more holistic approach. 

To find the right approach, you first need to listen, methodically. Listening is crucial because it goes to understanding the hurdles – before trying to find solutions. 

Employee sentiment and priorities can shift quickly. Workforce concerns that emerge today may not be reflected in annual survey results until months later, and it typically takes weeks before survey  insights reach key decision makers. By that stage, organizations may already be experiencing impacts on engagement, productivity, retention, collaboration, or performance.

In the Middle East, regional developments can influence employee sentiments across geographically dispersed and culturally diverse workforces. Which is why organizations need a more dynamic approach to understanding workforce needs, and why continuous employee listening is critical.

Consistently listening to employees goes beyond the annual engagement survey. Platforms like Amber by Mercer^[iv]  have multiple ongoing touchpoints to gather, analyze, and act on workforce insights. 

Pulse surveys, always-on feedback channels, lifecycle surveys, manager check-ins, focus groups, employee resource networks, digital platforms, and leadership forums all work in concert – giving organizations real-time visibility into how employees are feeling, what they are experiencing, and where support might be needed. This capability is crucial in an increasingly uncertain environment.

Continuous listening is an early warning system 

Leading ENR organizations already use timely indicators to identify operational risks before incidents occur. Safety observations, maintenance data, near-miss reporting, and operational metrics all help organizations take action before challenges escalate.

Workforce analytics works the same way. 

Changes in employee sentiment often emerge before organizations see measurable impacts in turnover, absenteeism, productivity, collaboration, safety performance, or customer outcomes.

Continuous listening provides leaders with timely insights that help strengthen both operational effectiveness and organizational resilience. 

Our recent HR Readiness Spot Poll shows some ENR employers are more than willing to support their workforce. As of April, 100% of the ENR organizations surveyed have activated their Employee Assistance Programs along with other non-monetary benefits to support their employees during the conflict. Several organizations in the region have also introduced temporary changes to their remote and international remote working policies. But a key question remains, are they acting on data from listening, or making policies by guessing? 

Ultimately, the most effective organizations do not simply collect feedback, they close the loop; employees stay engaged when they see their feedback driving meaningful action. 

The ENR sector's EVPs have historically centred on strong pay, career growth, global mobility, and job security. It's partially working: our research shows Middle East ENR employees are 7% more likely to believe they can reach their long-term career ambitions than their peers in other sectors.  

However, workforce expectations are evolving.

Today's employees increasingly value flexibility, psychological safety, well-being support, purposeful work, inspiring and trustworthy leadership, and recognition – a sense that their employer genuinely understands their needs. When surveyed, ENR employees globally said they would give up 10% pay for: 

1. Higher quality medical care and coverage
2. Opportunity to upskill in AI/digital skills
3. Increased employer contribution to retirement/savings programs
4. Working for a manager who truly inspires them
5. Ability to work a full flexible work schedule 

This shift is also accelerating in the Middle East. Employees are looking to their organizations for stability, communication, support, and job security. They are asking whether their employer creates an environment conducive to performance.

Many organizations already understand this, with 74% of Middle East’s HR leaders in the ENR sector ranking ‘Enhancing the employee experience and EVP’ as their top priority. 

That said, organizations cannot redesign their EVPs based solely on assumptions. They must understand what their employees genuinely value, how those priorities are changing over time and life stages, as well as the distinct needs of different workforce segments. 

From our research,  we know generational differences shape expectations: Gen Z reports much higher concern about mental and emotional health than Boomers (44% vs. 25%). They, along with Millennials, also value flexible arrangements like hybrid and remote work more, especially those balancing caregiving responsibilities.

Gen X and Boomers, by contrast, who are working longer thanks to increased health spans, are prioritizing quality healthcare access and retirement planning support.

Understanding the specificities of employees’ expectations brings us back to employee listening. Leading organizations continuously listen to employees to ensure their EVP remains relevant, authentic, and aligned with employee needs and expectations. In doing so, they strengthen trust, reinforce engagement, and create a more resilient workforce.

The Middle East ENR sector is navigating transformation on every front: geopolitical uncertainty, the energy transition, nationalization, technological disruption, and shifting talent expectations.

In this environment, resilience has become the defining competitive advantage. It is built intentionally – through investment in well-being, authentic engagement, and tailored EVPs  – and it all begins with leaders who listen closely and respond decisively. 

The organizations that lead won’t simply have the strongest assets, or most advanced technologies. They will  listen continuously, evolving  their EVP to match what employees actually value, and update policies fast enough to match the moment.

The path is clear: listen and adapt now or fall behind competitors that do. 

Mercer can partner with you to build a thriving workforce now, and into the future. 

References

 ^{i ENR Global Talent Trends 2026 
ii  Mercer GTT 2026 (Middle East edition) 
iii  Mercer’s Employee Engagement 2020 Covid-19 Norms, gathered from over 225,000 employees working in 23 organizations.
iv Amber by Mercer is an AI-powered employee listening and predictive analytics platform that transforms employee feedback into workforce intelligence, enabling organizations to identify risks earlier, strengthen engagement, and protect critical talent.}