74% of UAE employees are looking for new jobs as inflation bites, survey finds

74% of UAE employees are looking for new jobs as inflation bites, survey finds

Most workers in the UAE are now looking for new jobs to earn higher salaries, as they struggle to cope with rising cost of living, according to a new survey by recruitment specialist Robert Half.

More than half (52%) of employees polled for the study said it is becoming hard to afford their monthly living expenses, while around three in five (59%) are worried about living costs and their impact.

With the financial difficulties employees are facing, Robert Half said there is a significant number (74%) of workers that are considering a new role in 2023. Most of these jobseekers (56%) said their primary reason is to secure a higher salary so that they can meet financial needs.

According to Robert Half’s 2023 Salary Guide, workers’ monthly incomes are no longer keeping pace with inflation in the UAE. Over the past 12 months, the average salary in the UAE has increased by 3.2%, while inflation has gone up by around 5.6%, as per UAE Central Bank estimates.

Retaining top talent

The recruitment specialist suggests that businesses should consider offering higher compensation in order to retain their top talent.

“The cost of living is one of the biggest concerns we are hearing from candidates and, make no