Freelance work may shape the future employment landscape in the United Arab Emirates, as industry experts express their views on the subject.
The landscape of the workplace is steadily changing, with artificial intelligence (AI) playing a significant role in this transformation. The future of work is expected to be dominated by a freelance workforce, where flexible hours and locations are becoming increasingly common.
Alice Weightman, Global CEO and Regional Head of MENA at Hanson Search, shared her insights during a panel discussion at the sixth edition of the New Age Finance and Accounting (NAFA) summit organized by Khaleej Times. The summit aimed to discuss the upcoming era of finance, influenced by regulatory disruption, AI-led automation, new tax regimes, liquidity intelligence, and digital compliance mandates.
Weightman highlighted the growing demand for consultants and interims, particularly in times of transformational change. She emphasized that technology could serve as the link connecting a global workforce. She also remarked that an increasing number of businesses were turning to freelancers, potentially making up to 50% of their workforce.
Susana Correia, Regional Leader for search and Staffing at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, supported these comments by stating that the rise of hybrid teams and leaner workplaces was evident. According to Correia, this shift involves having team members located in different geographic locations, working remotely, or adopting a blend of in-office and remote work arrangements.
Jamuna Muralidharan, Partner of HR Advisory at MCA Management Consultants, added that the traditional concept of fixed working hours was also evolving. Instead, companies are increasingly focusing on paying for skills and deliverables rather than a specific number of hours worked.
With entry-level tasks becoming automated through AI, the demand for professionals with strong soft skills such as oral communication and conflict mitigation skills has surged. Susana Correia, referencing the LinkedIn Skills on the Rise report, highlighted this trend, emphasizing the importance of finance professionals being able to navigate multicultural and multigenerational teams.
In a rapidly changing work environment, continuous upskilling and reskilling of employees is crucial. With technology automating many tasks, professionals need to acquire new skills to remain competitive and maintain their relevance in the workplace.
In related news, freelancers in the UAE have seen significant earnings, with many earning up to Dh3,600 per day. The most sought-after roles among freelancers have been revealed, while articles on managing expenses for freelancers without a fixed monthly salary and personal stories of those who have given up traditional 9-5 jobs for freelancing are also available for further reading.
- The growing demand for flexible working arrangements, such as freelance and remote positions, is transforming the landscape of the workplace, as seen in the UAE where many freelancers are earning up to Dh3,600 per day.
- In this new era, the demand for professionals with strong soft skills, like oral communication and conflict mitigation, has increasingly surged due to the automation of entry-level tasks through AI.
- According to Susana Correia, referencing the LinkedIn Skills on the Rise report, finance professionals are in particular need of being able to navigate multicultural and multigenerational teams in the changing work environment.
- Alice Weightman, a global CEO, emphasized that technology can serve as the link connecting a global workforce, which is becoming more common as an increasing number of businesses are turning to freelancers, potentially making up to 50% of their workforce.
- With the traditional concept of fixed working hours evolving, companies are increasingly focusing on paying for skills and deliverables rather than specific number of hours worked, as reported by Jamuna Muralidharan, Partner of HR Advisory at MCA Management Consultants.
- In light of the rapid changes in the work environment, continuous upskilling and reskilling of employees is essential for professionals to remain competitive and maintain their relevance in the workplace, particularly in sectors like finance, health, lifestyle, business, technology, education-and-self-development, and food.
