GCC healthcare sector urged to unlock $2.5bn by investing in staff wellbeing

Arabian Business

08-05-2025

Investing in workforce wellbeing could generate $2.5bn in savings in the GCC healthcare sector, according to research by Strategy& Middle East, part of the PwC network.
Long hours, high-intensity work environments, and physically demanding tasks contribute to chronic fatigue and other health problems, the research shows.
According to reports, almost 50 per cent of healthcare professionals worldwide are affected by burnout, while nearly 48 per cent globally suffer from musculoskeletal issues each year.
GCC healthcare staff wellbeing
With the GCC healthcare sector workforce comprising more than 800,000 workers in 2025, investment in strengthening workplace wellbeing has the potential to create significant impact across the sector.
Recent studies indicate that healthcare burnout contributes to a fourfold decrease in job satisfaction, while doctors experiencing burnout are 2.2 times more likely to have made a medical error in the past three months.
Additionally, the emotional toll of patient suffering, navigating difficult diagnoses, and making life-or-death decisions take an emotional toll.
As these challenges mount, healthcare systems become increasingly stretched, with workforce shortages compounding existing pressures.
Irfan Merali, Partner at Strategy& Middle East, said: 'With the GCC healthcare sector undergoing rapid transformation and a sizable workforce already employed in the industry, prioritizing workforce wellbeing is more critical than ever.
'Beyond benefiting employees, efforts in this area could deliver clear financial gains and drive broader improvements across the sector, enhancing overall system performance'.
The impact on personal wellbeing also extends to financial and systemic repercussions, with poor wellbeing driving absenteeism, staff turnover, and declining job satisfaction, creating a vicious cycle that harms both healthcare workers and patients.
Research shows that prioritising workforce wellbeing leads to an increase of up to 25 per cent in productivity, a 17 per cent reduction in absenteeism and an 11 per cent decrease in staff turnover.
This also includes an overall impact on the sector including higher job satisfaction, fewer medical errors, and enhanced patient outcomes – and a system-wide potential saving of $2.5bn in the GCC.
The research suggests healthcare providers adopt a structured approach that combines preventative and intervention strategies to help drive improvements:
Primary interventions, which aim to eliminate or mitigate workplace stressors at their source, could help to foster long-term improvements over temporary morale boosts. By assessing the work environment, organisational practices, and job roles, healthcare institutions can tackle issues such as excessive workloads, rigid shifts, and role ambiguity
Secondary interventions, focus on empowering healthcare workers with the skills and strategies to cope with stressors that cannot be avoided or eliminated, such as high patient volumes, ethical dilemmas, and emotional strain. This can be achieved through resilience training, stress management workshops, mindfulness programs, and peer support networks to help employees navigate high-pressure situations effectively
Tertiary interventions, designed to assist healthcare professionals already experiencing significant stress-related symptoms can ensure they receive the support needed to recover and reintegrate effectively. Access to counselling, physiotherapy and employee assistance programs can help professionals recover, reduce the risk of physical strain and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as return to optimal functioning. Given that health organisations already provide similar services to patients, there is an opportunity to extend these resources to employees in a cost-effective and sustainable manner
Dr. Christelle Abou Nader, Manager at Strategy& Middle East, said: 'A resilient healthcare system depends on healthy, supported professionals who can meet evolving demands. Investing in workforce wellbeing isn't just the right thing to do; it is essential to create a resilient system that enables better outcomes for all.
'By prioritising their wellbeing, the sector ensures long-term quality, efficiency, and sustainability of the entire healthcare system'.