Brazil1 in 5 GCC organisations planning to grow headcount in 2025
Nearly 1 in 5 organisations in the GCC region are expecting to increase their headcount in 2025, according to a new report by Procapita Group. To achieve that goal, they are aiming to enhance their attractiveness to new candidates, while ensuring that industry-leading employee experiences keep employees on board.
As the clock ticks down, countries across the Middle East are engaged in sweeping transformation programmes – often with 2030 as the target deadline. Across the GCC, this has already seen historically oil-dependent states seek to diversify their economies, grow their private sectors, and liberalise many aspects of everyday life – leading to growth which has often outstripped the global average.
2025 will be a key year for those transformations, with the GCC set to navigate a number of important economic, societal and technological shifts over the current 12-month period. To meet these demands, many will be hiring new talent.
The latest ‘HR Trends and Practices Report’ from Procapita Group suggests that 17% of GCC-based organisations expect to grow the size of their teams before the end of the year.
Rapid hire
On average, filling a roll in the region takes 52 days – meaning gaps in the workforce can be filled relatively responsively. However, Procapita Group also notes in its report that organisations should approach this metric with some caution. Around 23% of employees do not progress through the probation period, meaning there will be some instances where companies have to go back to the drawing board.
On the matter of attracting fresh talent, Procapita Group found (unsurprisingly) that that money talks, while underpaid staff walk. In today’s competitive talent market, better compensation remains the leading reason for employees to retain a job, and at the same time, it also represents the top factor why talent would move to greener pastures, seeking financial rewards that match their cv and the region’s expanding opportunities.
But while it might seem obvious that competitive salaries would be a baseline expectation, especially in markets like UAE and KSA, where job mobility is high, Procapita Group also found it worth noting that career development was fast emerging as a key factor in job retention as well. A majority (59%) said this would make a difference to them when looking for a role, followed by work environment – a distant third, at 18%.
Employee experience
Leveraging data from the Zenithr Employee Engagement benchmark (Zenithr is part of Procapita Group), the researchers uncovered that offering a great employee experience is a key part of being successful in attracting and retaining employees.
Notably, this is an area where the government and public services sector is trailing. The authors highlighted that employees in the public sector frequently reported decreased engagement due to limited autonomy, an environment where change is slow, but also due to the fact that their involvement in shaping organisational strategy and business goals tends to be limited.
In contrast, the consulting sector was found to be leading the way in terms of employee experience. Procapita Group found that consultants usually have access to dynamic, project-based work, which challenges them to think creatively and solve complex problems. This has long been one of the key benefits of the sector, with staff positive about the opportunities to continue learning while being engaged in stimulating and diverse work.
Additionally, the leadership in consulting firms tend to emphasise collaboration and mentorship, which empowers their employees to grow their skills and follow rewarding career paths.
Other top-performers include investment and financial services companies. In these sectors, engagement mostly stems from a results-oriented and performance-driven environment – though structured systems and clear goals are more important, so there is slightly less room for innovation, even though it still plays a role.
Meanwhile, leaders in financial services also prioritise efficiency and generously reward top performers with attractive compensation, rapid career advancement, and tailored training programmes – making the sector a hit with ambitious talent.
“By examining these differences, it becomes clear that industries with flexible, empowering cultures and strong leadership foster higher engagement,” said Procapita Group.
