KPMG survey: 28% of UAE workforce needs reskilling and upskilling

A new KPMG report revealed that nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of UAE employees may continue to work remotely, while more than a quarter (28 per cent) will likely require upskilling.

The ‘Future of HR in the New Reality’ survey captures the perspectives of local human resources (HR) executives on preparing their organisations and HR functions for the future.

Although nearly all (89 per cent) of HR professionals agreed that the function played a leading role in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, it may be time for HR to reinvent itself. The survey shows that 62 per cent of HR executives believe the function needs to completely reimagine and transform itself to respond more effectively to future disruption.

Half (50 per cent) of HR professionals agree that the function is considered to be an “administrator” rather than a “value driver.” Eighty-six percent of HR executives believe the function needs to rethink productivity and performance measures in light of the shift to remote working.

Read: Workplace dynamics: Steps regional employers must take to boost productivity in hybrid environments

As the report underscores, HR’s role should be that of a workforce architect in the new normal — identifying the right workforce mix, retraining leaders for remote environments, driving tech-focused programs and embracing digital learning solutions.

“As HR leaders adapt to an unpredictable future, their focus tends to be on short-term firefighting to cope with immediate challenges,” said Marketa Simkova, partner at KPMG Lower Gulf. “It is crucial to play the long game to thrive in the new reality. To do so, HR leaders may create a seamless, tech-enabled employee experience in a remote work environment, take ownership of the employee rebuilding and reskilling journey, and embrace analytics and data science to prove the impact of the HR function.”