HR leaders in UAE struggle with gap between ambition and action
Human resources leaders in the UAE are experiencing a growing disconnect between what they consider important and where they are actually focusing their efforts, according to a new WTW report. This suggests businesses may be missing a critical opportunity to drive human capital and growth.
The study, from global advisory company WTW, surveyed senior HR professionals in the UAE and found that while most see the importance of key areas like digital transformation and leadership development, they are not fully investing in them.
Top concerns versus strategic focus
This gap is clear in a number of different priorities. For example, while a striking 92% of leaders recognize the critical need for succession and leadership development, only 39% have implemented it on a large scale.
Similarly, 81% reported caring about digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI), but only half have successfully integrated new digital tools into a unified system. Wellbeing and employee experience was another area of focus that featured this same significant gap.
This disparity suggests that companies are struggling with everything from talent shortages to a lack of agility, according to WTW.
Five key priorities to reinvent HR
Instead of simply reacting to problems, WTW proposes that HR should play a greater role in proactively shaping a company’s future. The firm outlines five key areas where a bolder approach can turn a company’s human capital and workforce into a competitive advantage:
Leadership as a strategic backbone
The report argues that companies should treat leadership development not as a checkbox exercise but as a dynamic tool.
Digital foresight
Rather than using a patchwork of different tools, the report suggests creating a single ‘people intelligence engine’ that brings together data on recruitment, skills, and performance. This would allow for simulations that test how the workforce would handle new market shifts or merger integrations.
Skills agility
The report recommends moving beyond standard training and creating an ‘internal mobility accelerator’ where employees can gain new skills and immediately apply them to new projects. This helps to both keep employees engaged and fill skill gaps quickly.
Experience engineering
Every interaction an employee has with a company, from their first interview to their last day, is part of a designed experience. ‘End-to-end journey mapping’ can improve experiences and offer personalized support.
Agile workforce planning
Instead of planning for the year ahead, the report suggests making workforce planning a continuous process. This involves running monthly ‘what-if’ simulations with leaders from across the business to ensure the company can adapt to changes in the market in weeks, not quarters.
The landscape for HR is undergoing significant transformation. Going forward, the new measure of success for HR will be its ability to solve pressing issues like talent scarcity and rapid digital change. By focusing on these strategic areas, HR leaders can transform their departments from a support function into a vital engine for sustainable growth.
“In 2025, HR’s seat at the strategic table depends on its ability to convert insight into influence. When HR speaks the language of business, investment follows naturally,” notes the report. “By embedding leadership readiness, digital foresight, skills agility, experience engineering, and agile planning into your organizational DNA, you transform HR into the backbone of long-term performance success.”
