By Panos Manolopoulos
Managing Partner, Stanton Chase Dubai office
Advancing technologies, ever-expanding and maturing markets, and an increasingly competitive workforce have resulted in profound changes in the Human Talent Market in the Middle East over the past few years.
The top 4 changes leading this transformation are discussed below.
The markets in the ME are becoming more mature – The average stay of expats in the ME is now increasing – as averse to what it was 20 years ago.
In recent years, the first alternative for expats when transitioning from jobs is to look for another opportunity in the Middle East, over the option of returning to their home countries. The conducive financial conditions in the Middle East, as compared to the unpredictable volatility in the rest of the world markets along with the large-scale improvement of the Healthcare & Educational sectors are most likely major influences in this regard.
The requirements of companies have changed – Relevant work experience in the Middle is a qualification companies now insist upon. What was earlier a good-to-have qualification is now a necessity, and logically so, because it is now more important than ever that Senior Executives understand the dynamics of the mature markets they are expected to lead.
Cultural Understanding – A keen understanding of the cultural nuances in the Middle East is being attributed far more importance than it was in the past. Individuals who can demonstrate a higher level of this understanding, more often than not have the upper hand over those who cannot.
