Workers in the UAE are burnt out, emotionally drained and need support from bosses, according to research by management consultants Qualtrics.
The leading US management specialist has announced the results of its 2023 Employee Experience report, which consulted companies in the UAE about the state of their workplace.
The report found that employees across the world are showing symptoms of burnout and are looking for more support.
UAE employees ‘burnt out’
The Qualtrics report found that 36% of employees in the UAE feel burned out, and 43% say they are emotionally drained from their work.
With organisations searching for ways to streamline budgets without sacrificing productivity management teams that support work-life balance will be rewarded with employees more willing to go above and beyond, said Qualtrics.
Sarah Marrs, Head of EX Product Science, said: “Employee expectations have fundamentally changed, and the progress we’ve made cannot be undone.
“But, as the economic picture shifts and people focus on their basic needs, clear and open communication are essential. Employees want reassurance that their jobs are secure, and that they’ll get some relief from burnout after the disruption brought on by the confluence of COVID, an economic downturn and geopolitical events.”
Employees are looking for assurance that both their job and their employer are on solid footing.
Employees who are satisfied with their pay are 74% more likely to stay at a company for three or more years than employees who are not, so the decline in satisfaction could push top performers to look for other opportunities.
“Pay is understandably top-of-mind for employees, but organisations should also understand what trade-offs they may be willing to make when it comes to pay to retain top talent,” said Marrs.
“Additionally, companies should conduct regular analysis to make sure employees are paid fairly with their industry peers.”
When employees believe they have a good work-life balance, 85% are willing to go above and beyond for their company. Conversely, only 35% of employees with a poor work-life balance would do the same.
According to Marrs, “work-life balance is essential to sustainable business performance. It’s in the best interest of the entire organization for employees to take time off seriously and recharge.”
The UAE fares higher in process efficiency and technology productivity compared to the global average.
Pay is understandably top-of-mind for employees, but organisations should also understand what trade-offs they may be willing to make when it comes to pay to retain top talent
Sarah Marrs
While the pandemic exposed and elevated broken processes that impede worker productivity, and introduced new challenges at the same time, the UAE demonstrated strength in its digitisation efforts and robust technology ecosystem, with 81% of workers saying work processes enable them to be productive, compared to the global average of 65%.
Similarly, 81% of employees say their technology helps them be productive compared to the global average of 63%.
The survey comes as Qualtrics announced the opening of its first office in the UAE, to support clients seeking to close the experience gap through experience management programs and technologies.
With over 16,000 customers worldwide, Qualtrics boasts some of the region’s leading brands as its clients, including Majid Al Futtaim, Chalhoub Group and Choueiri Group among others.
William O’Neill, Middle East General Manager, said: “We are excited to be opening our first office in the UAE to support the demand we are seeing for experience management in the Middle East.
“By leveraging our unique in-market findings and our world best experience management programs and technologies, we are in a strong position to help companies create great work experiences.”
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