Insights: Supporting female leaders, local talent for future success
Image: Supplied
It is often said that history never stands still. This rings particularly true considering data from the World Economic Forum, which predicts a staggering 23 per cent of jobs will change within the next five years, with a remarkable 44 per cent of workers' core skills being disrupted by technological advancements.
Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are bringing about this rapid pace of change, which is transforming the nature of work and the skills required to thrive in the modern economy.
However, many organisations are not responding quickly enough to these challenges.
Mercer's
Global Talent Trends (GTT) Report 2025
shows that only 28 per cent of organisations globally are regularly using generative AI, despite its transformative potential to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and unlock new avenues for growth.
More so, HR leaders at these companies do not believe that AI has fundamentally shifted their business models yet, suggesting a concerning lack of preparedness for the impending disruptions.
The good news is, as always in times of change, a world of opportunity awaits organisations and nations that can successfully navigate these challenges.
Proactive risk management and a concerted effort to capitalise on the benefits of technological disruption are crucial for organisations to thrive in the rapidly evolving business landscape.
Focusing on people
As 2025 is now in full swing, with ambitious plans on the business agenda, organisations have an opportunity to reflect on their most valuable asset – people.
These agendas are a moment in time when it is vital to seize new opportunities amidst the array of challenges and uncertainties that exist.
Investing in talent that can harness the full capabilities of AI and other emerging technologies is a critical factor in propelling economic transformation and growth. By fostering innovation and creating new career opportunities, these technologies are shaping the jobs and skills of the future.
In the Middle East, more than 50 per cent of the local youth population in the GCC is under the age of 25. This demographic also includes a significant population of tech-savvy young women known for their early adoption of technology, which creates a fertile ground for the next generation of female leaders.
In view of this year's International Women's Day theme 'accelerating action' it is crucial organisations ensure they continue to invest in upskilling women so they can fully participate in the future of work.
Research consistently shows that women are less likely than men to believe their skills are relevant for jobs they haven't done before. This was a significant issue during the COVID-19 pandemic when the sudden shift to remote work meant organisations needed to change how they find and develop talent to avoid missing out on valuable talent.
These issues persist according to Mercer's
Global Talent Trends (
report and
Inside Employees' Minds
research, which indicates that women are less likely than men to believe their managers are invested in their careers (68 per cent versus 75 per cent).
Additionally, women often bear the brunt of childcare and domestic responsibilities, making flexible work arrangements such as remote work and flexible schedules more appealing to them (52 per cent versus. 45 per cent for men).
Organisations everywhere, and particularly in the Middle East, must consider all these factors when deciding how to find, develop, retain, and empower top talent to avoid missing out on valuable growth opportunities.
Leaders must leverage these values and preferences to future-proof their businesses and align with the leadership approaches and work styles favoured by the next generation of professionals.
Read:
Embracing change, supporting female talent
In the Middle East, we are fortunate that countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain optimistic in the face of global challenges, distinguishing themselves with a positive attitude that sees potential on the other side of obstacles. This willingness to embrace change is an essential quality for navigating the rapidly evolving business landscape of the 21st century. The commitment to fostering a culture of empowerment is evident in various government initiatives and policies across the region.
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have national agendas that focus on social, economic, investment, and development aspects, while also emphasising the empowerment and leadership of women in all fields to achieve these goals.
Women who are equipped with in-demand skills will be well-positioned to help drive this transformation, taking on new roles, advancing their careers in the digital economy, and contributing to the region's ongoing technological transformation.
This will not be a straightforward process in practice. The Mercer
Marsh Benefits People Risk 2024
report highlights organisations in the UAE face a range of employee-related risks, from technology disruption to workforce practices that may no longer be fit for purpose in the digital age.
One key concern is the mismanagement of AI, with 48 per cent of UAE respondents worried about employees' over-reliance on AI-generated content without proper verification or oversight.
With this in mind, businesses in the region have an opportunity to collaborate with leaders across their organisations to develop a comprehensive understanding of AI's advantages and risks, evaluate potential scenarios, and build a digital-first people strategy that aligns their workforce with the demands of the future.
So, as we reflect on International Women's Day 2025, let us commit to accelerating action, where women are continually empowered to learn new skills, embrace AI and other technologies and are encouraged to lead.
By doing this, the Middle East can continue to position itself as a global leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development, paving the way for a brighter future for generations to come.
The writer is a career business leader at Mercer Middle East.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
9 hours ago
- Gulf Today
China's export growth slows last month as tariffs take toll
China's export growth slowed to a three-month low in May as US tariffs slammed shipments, while factory-gate deflation deepened to its worst level in two years, heaping pressure on the world's second-largest economy on both the domestic and external fronts. US President Donald Trump's global trade war and the swings in Sino-US trade ties have in the past two months sent Chinese exporters, along with their business partners across the Pacific, on a roller coaster ride and hobbled world growth. Underscoring the US tariff impact on shipments, customs data showed that China's exports to the US plunged 34.5 per cent year-on-year in May in value terms, the sharpest drop since February 2020, when the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic upended global trade. Total exports from the Asian economic giant expanded 4.8 per cent year-on-year in value terms last month, slowing from the 8.1 per cent jump in April and missing the 5.0 per cent growth expected in a Reuters poll, customs data showed on Monday, despite a lowering of US tariffs on Chinese goods which had taken effect in early April. 'It's likely that the May data continued to be weighed down by the peak tariff period,' said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING. Song said there was still front-loading of shipments due to the tariff risks, while acceleration of sales to regions other than the United States helped to underpin China's exports. Imports dropped 3.4 per cent year-on-year, deepening from the 0.2 per cent decline in April and worse than the 0.9 per cent downturn expected in the Reuters poll. Exports had surged 12.4 per cent year-on-year and 8.1 per cent in March and April, respectively, as factories rushed shipments to the US and other overseas manufacturers to avoid Trump's hefty levies on China and the rest of the world. While exporters in China found some respite in May as Beijing and Washington agreed to suspend most of their levies for 90 days, tensions between the world's two largest economies remain high and negotiations are underway over issues ranging from China's rare earths controls to Taiwan. Trade representatives from China and the US are meeting in London on Monday to resume talks after a phone call between their top leaders on Thursday. China's imports from the US also lost further ground, dropping 18.1 per cent from a 13.8 per cent slide in April. Zichun Huang, economist at Capital Economics, expects the slowdown in exports growth to 'partially reverse this month, as it reflects the drop in US orders before the trade truce,' but cautions that shipments will be knocked again by year-end due to elevated tariff levels. China's exports of rare earths jumped sharply in May despite export restrictions on certain types of rare earth products causing plant closures across the global auto supply chain. The latest figures do not distinguish between the 17 rare earth elements and related products, some of which are not subject to restrictions. A clearer picture of the impact of the curbs on exports will only be available when more detailed data is released on June 20. China's May trade surplus came in at $103.22 billion, up from the $96.18 billion the previous month. Other data, also released on Monday, showed China's imports of crude oil, coal, and iron ore dropped last month, underlining the fragility of domestic demand at a time of rising external headwinds. Beijing in May rolled out a series of monetary stimulus measures, including cuts to benchmark lending rates and a 500 billion yuan low-cost loan programme, aimed at cushioning the trade war's blow to the economy. China's markets showed muted reaction to the data. The blue-chip CSI300 Index climbed 0.29 per cent and the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.43 per cent. Producer and consumer price data, released by the National Bureau of Statistics on the same day, showed that deflationary pressures worsened last month. The producer price index fell 3.3 per cent in May from a year earlier, after a 2.7 per cent decline in April and marked the deepest contraction in 22 months. Cooling factory activity also highlights the impact of US tariffs on the world's largest manufacturing hub, dampening faster services growth as suspense lingers over the outcome of US-China trade talks. Retail sales growth slowed last month as spending continued to lag due to job insecurity and stagnant new home prices. These headwinds were evident in China's car sales for May, which grew 13.9 per cent year-on-year, slowing from a 14.8 per cent increase the previous month, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed. Sluggish domestic demand and weak prices have weighed on China's economy, which has struggled to mount a robust post-pandemic recovery amid a prolonged property slump and has relied on exports to underpin growth. Reuters
Zawya
14 hours ago
- Zawya
Three economic shifts shaping the global economy
The global economy is transforming and is driven by technological innovations and financial systems. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), three influential key trends are artificial intelligence (AI) in wage increases, the role of fintech in empowering and enabling MSMEs, and the rising importance of interoperability in digital finance. Understanding and adapting to these shifts will allow stakeholders to harness innovation, drive inclusion, and build a more robust and equitable global economy. AI is transforming businesses and recalibrating the labour market. Employees working in industries with more AI exposure are experiencing wage increases at twice the rate compared to those in less exposed sectors. Today, AI skills command a wage premium of 56% for similar positions without AI. Over the years, individuals feared and professionals predicted that the rise of Industry 4.0 would profoundly impact work and life. The skills employers seek in AI-exposed jobs are evolving 66% faster than in other occupations. Workers who adapt and acquire AI competencies are rewarded with higher salaries and better job prospects. Contrary to the fears of mass job losses, employment is also rising in automated roles. This surge in productivity translates into higher revenue per employee, which allows companies to pay higher wages. Both automated and augmented jobs are expanding faster. All industries have experienced a quadruple jump in productivity. Industries leveraging AI have also reported that revenue per employee has increased three times faster than those in AI-exposed industries. Another trend that is catching up fast is fintech, which can empower small and medium enterprises to participate in global commerce. Adopting fintech solutions enables MSMEs to conduct their financial transactions faster and at a lower cost. MSMEs can build trust with international partners as these platforms offer real-time exchange rates, transaction fees, and up-front pricing, making the process transparent and accessible. The fintech platforms can reduce settlement time and regulatory hurdles, thus freeing up working capital for MSMEs. Now, banks are participating in fintech to offer alignment to customer-centered innovative solutions. Blockchain-based solutions streamline cross-border transactions, improve security, and enable small businesses to access sophisticated financial tools previously reserved only for large corporations. Today, global trade is democratised and has empowered small businesses to compete globally by ensuring safety and making cross-border payments faster, cheaper, and more transparent. Interoperability is the foundation of modern commerce, scalable and intrusive digital financial systems that are no longer optional but have become essential for global growth and stability. Another shift witnessed in the digital finance field, which has now shifted from a nice-to-have to a must-have, is interoperability in digital finance. Interoperability in digital finance significantly transforms global regulatory compliance by embedding compliance mechanisms directly into financial systems and creating standardised frameworks for cross-border oversight. It refers to the ability of different financial systems to seamlessly communicate and exchange data, which is now a strategic necessity for the digital economy. Promotes regulatory compliance and improves efficiency as it allows for identity checks and cross-border roads to be built directly into payment flows of digital assets, which helps reduce fragmentation and aligns with public policy. It supports global cooperation and coordination as it aims to standardise instant payment systems and regulatory frameworks, ensuring that international finance is more resilient and accessible. Interoperability also underpins open banking that allows customers to share financial data securely across providers, providing innovation, competition, and economic inclusion. Interoperability enables real-time compliance monitoring functionalities for central banks and regulators. The confluence of these three trends will redefine the global economic landscape to become the backbone of a genuinely international, digital financial ecosystem. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Weekly jobless claims hit 7-month high; imports post record decline
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased to a seven-month high last week, pointing to softening labour market conditions amid mounting economic headwinds from tariffs. The report from the labour Department also continued to show workers losing their jobs having a tough time landing new opportunities as uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policy leaves employers reluctant to increase headcount. The data included the Memorial Day holiday, which economists said could have caused difficulties with the seasonal adjustment and likely contributed to the second straight weekly increase in unemployment claims. Still, they said the report offered some evidence of labour market strains. 'We won't dismiss the rise in claims over the last two weeks, which may be signaling weakening labour market conditions in response to the Trump administration's tariff policies and uncertainty,' said Nancy Vanden Houten, lead US economist at Oxford Economics. 'However, seasonal quirks might have contributed to the rise in claims.' Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 247,000 for the week ended May 31, the highest level since last October. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 235,000 claims for the latest week. With the start of the school holidays this month, claims could remain elevated as some states allow non-teaching staff to collect benefits. There were notable rises in unadjusted claims in Kentucky and Tennessee, likely related to layoffs in the motor vehicle industry amid duties on imported parts. Claims surged in the prior week in Michigan, attributed to layoffs in the manufacturing industry. But companies are generally hoarding workers after struggling to find labour during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Reserve's Beige Book report on Wednesday showed 'comments about uncertainty delaying hiring were widespread,' noting that 'all districts described lower labour demand, citing declining hours worked and overtime, hiring pauses and staff reduction plans.' It said while some districts reported layoffs in certain sectors, 'these layoffs were not pervasive.' Stocks on Wall Street were higher. The dollar was steady against a basket of currencies. US Treasury yields rose. The number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid, a proxy for hiring, slipped 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 1.904 million during the week ending May 24, the claims report showed. The elevation in the so-called continuing claims aligns with consumers' ebbing confidence in the labour market. SLACKENING labour MARKET The claims data have no bearing on the labour Department's closely watched employment report for May, scheduled to be released on Friday, as it falls outside the survey period. Nonfarm payrolls likely increased by 130,000 jobs last month after advancing by 177,000 in April, a Reuters survey of economists showed. The unemployment rate is forecast being unchanged at 4.2%. 'A gradual but genuine slackening of the labour market is underway,' said Oliver Allen, senior US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. There was, however, some welcome news on the economy. A separate report from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis showed the trade deficit narrowed sharply in April, with imports decreasing by the most on record as the front-running of goods ahead of tariffs ebbed, which could provide a lift to economic growth this quarter. The trade gap contracted by a record 55.5% to $61.6 billion, the lowest level since September 2023. The goods trade deficit eased by a record 46.2% to $87.4 billion, the lowest level since October 2023. A rush to beat import duties helped to widen the trade deficit in the first quarter, which accounted for a large part of the 0.2% annualized rate of decline in gross domestic product last quarter. The contraction in the deficit, at face value, suggests that trade could significantly add to GDP this quarter, but much would depend on the state of inventories. 'The collapse in the trade gap, although unlikely to be sustained, points to a massive trade addition to GDP growth and, if the offset to the import swing is not measured in inventories, second-quarter measured GDP growth could be eye-popping, possibly in the area of 5%, but as meaningless as the first-quarter's decline in output,' said Conrad DeQuadros, senior economic advisor at Brean Capital. Imports decreased by a record 16.3% to $351.0 billion in April. Goods imports slumped by a record 19.9% to $277.9 billion, held down by a $33.0 billion decline in consumer goods, mostly pharmaceutical preparations from Ireland. Agencies
