78% of UAE professionals are ready to quit for a better role
Study shows UAE firms lose Dh10.6m a year to insider incidents as AI drives 29% of cases
Dubai: Just 23 per cent of UAE professionals view generative AI as a threat to their long-term job security, according to the Michael Page UAE Salary Guide 2027. The guide, launched on October 27, describes a workforce focused on productivity, innovation and career growth rather than fear of disruption.
But confidence does not equal loyalty. The research finds that 78 per cent of professionals are open to changing roles. Another 51 per cent would be more likely to consider leaving an employer that required more time in the office. And when it comes to salary expectations those continue to outpace many organizational review budgets.
Career progression, flexibility and learning opportunities have started to have equal consideration alongside compensation. The guide benchmarks salaries for more than 500 roles and tracks hiring trends across 18 sectors.
Jon Ede, Managing Director of Michael Page Middle East, calls the UAE “one of the most resilient and attractive talent markets globally” despite geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty. He says that he has witnessed “encouraging levels of hiring activity and a sustained demand for specialist skills.” He notes that “employers are growing more strategic about attracting and retaining talent.”
The guide also flags a rising cost. Replacing talent costs significantly more than retaining it. Companies that review pay, invest in career development and offer meaningful flexibility should hold on to high performers in 2027, the research indicates.
Keeping those workers effective depends on what happens inside the office. Two other studies, also released during the same time, show where the weak points sit.
Frontline teams stuck in an information gap
Employee experience company Staffbase commissioned Forrester Consulting to examine frontline teams. The survey covered 189 frontline workers and managers at US enterprises in retail, healthcare, manufacturing and transportation. Staffbase argues that the findings carry weight for the Gulf, where government-led AI strategies put frontline-heavy sectors at the centre of growth.
The numbers act as an eye opener. Forty-eight per cent said information gaps lowered productivity or operational efficiency. Forty-four per cent said gaps raised the risk of errors or missed deadlines. Forty-three per cent said they slowed decisions.
Only 23 per cent felt fully supported by the information and tools available to them. The divide was clear and telling to say the least that information reaches staff through too many doors. More than half of respondents received critical company news across six or more channels.
The study notes that frontline staff want AI help. Forty-seven per cent placed AI-powered answers and guidance among their top three capabilities. Yet the study finds that employee AI use is spread across separate tools, which opens the door to shadow AI and adds cybersecurity, privacy and governance risks. “If the content behind it is outdated or contradictory, AI can give people the wrong answer faster,” says Conor Duffy, Regional Leader, Middle East at Staffbase.
Insider incidents carry a Dh10.6mn price tag
That governance gap is where Trellix’s research comes in. Their research data called Mind of the CISO: The New Insider, finds that UAE organizations lost an average of $2.88 million or Dh10.58 million to insider-related incidents over the past 12 months.
The damage extends past the bill. Among organizations that suffered an incident, 47 per cent reported data loss or exposure of sensitive information. Thirty-nine per cent faced operational disruption or downtime. Half reported reputational damage or a loss of customer trust.
However, it notes that the source of incidents is shifting. Accidental or negligent actions by employees and other trusted users account for 43 per cent. Malicious human actions make up 28 per cent. Actions by AI-driven or autonomous systems already represent 29 per cent.
Few professionals fear AI, yet 75 per cent of UAE chief information security officers agree their organization lacks sufficient visibility into how employees use AI tools. Seventy-three per cent say the company is not fully prepared for the risks tied to AI and autonomous tools.
Security chiefs carry the weight
The pressure then lands on security chiefs. Eighty-eight per cent say their responsibility for managing insider risk has grown over the past year. Seventy per cent worry about personal liability after an incident. And 85 per cent say senior leaders or board members lack a clear grasp of insider risk.
UAE organizations need an average of 6.1 hours to detect an insider incident and a further 8 hours to respond, roughly 14 hours in all to avert a crisis.
David Soto, Chief Information Security Officer at Trellix, says resilient organizations will govern AI agents “like the privileged identities they are.” Vibin Shaju, VP of EMEA Solutions Engineering, notes that customers keep asking “how to verify what it is actually doing.”
What it means for UAE employees
For UAE employees, the three reports sketch one picture. Staff are confident and mobile, and they will weigh office rules and career value when choosing where to work. The tools meant to lift their output need trusted information behind them. And the controls around those tools must close the 14-hour window before a mistake becomes a loss.
