UAE jobs: 70% employees confident of salary increase this year

Around seven in 10 employees in the UAE are confident of a pay rise in 2023, even if it means moving jobs, a study has found. Most workers in the UAE said they last had a salary increase one to two years ago. And at least 15 per cent say it has been five years or more since their salary went up.

Released by Tiger Recruitment, the study found that UAE workers are more likely to look for a new job with better pay in 2023 than negotiate a raise with their current employer.

Nearly four out of 10 – 38 per cent – employees in the UAE are ready to change their jobs for the pay cheque they want.

Data suggests this reluctance to ask for a raise could be because almost half – 43 per cent – of UAE workers already broached the subject with their bosses in the past year, yet only 27 per cent achieved a rise.

It was revealed that only 23 per cent are inclined to stay in their current role for job security and only 15 per cent plan to negotiate a pay rise with their current employer.

“People’s earnings often fall short of their expectations. Employers will try to justify not increasing pay by highlighting the benefits they offer. However, we know that for jobseekers and employees, salary reigns supreme,” said Zahra Clark, head of Mena for Tiger Recruitment.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com