How to attract and retain top talent in 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving talent landscape across the Middle East, the race to attract and crucially, retain top professionals have become more competitive than ever. As we move through 2025, organisations in the Middle East are navigating a mix of shifting candidate expectations, evolving nationalisation priorities, and a recalibration of compensation norms.

At The SR Group, we engage with hundreds of candidates and clients across the region every month. The message is clear: the talent market remains robust. Depending on the location or sector, however, it can shift between being client-driven or candidate-led.

Nationalisation

In Saudi Arabia in particular, the push for Saudization continues to intensify. Talented Saudi nationals, especially those with strong private-sector, governmental or multinational experience are in extremely high demand. Many receive multiple offers at once, and companies are having to move quickly, offer clear value, and demonstrate long-term career pathways to secure them and retain them.

Similarly, in the UAE and Qatar, nationalisation remains a major focus. But success isn’t just about hiring nationals it’s about keeping them. We’re seeing a growing appetite among national candidates for meaningful work, mentorship, and visible progression. Those needs must be built into retention strategies from day one.

The market has adjusted and so have candidate expectations

While the Middle East remains one of the most attractive regions globally for talent, it’s fair to say that compensation packages are not what they were a few years ago. The post-pandemic correction, combined with rising costs of living in cities like Dubai and Riyadh, has led to a more balanced – and in some cases leaner – remuneration environment.

But this doesn’t mean companies can’t attract the best. Candidates today are looking beyond salary. They want flexibility, purpose, leadership that listens, and a culture where they can grow. Companies that build authentic, human-centered employee experiences will outperform those that rely solely on numbers.

What employers should focus on in 2025

So, what’s working in today’s market? Based on what we’re seeing across the region, here are five practical steps companies can take:

1. Move Fast – Top candidates won’t wait. A streamlined recruitment process, with clear communication and decisive hiring, makes a strong first impression.

• Shrink time-to-hire: The global average time-to-hire has stretched to 44 days in 2025, up from 31 days in 2023. At Carter Murray Middle East, our team finds this to be one of the most challenging aspects of the recruitment process: keeping candidates warm and engaged throughout lengthy hiring timelines. This is especially true for senior-level roles or positions within the government sector, where the process can be particularly prolonged.
• Automate administrative tasks: Use AI-powered ATS workflows to post roles, screen resumes, schedule interviews, and send e-offers, all without manual handoffs.
• Streamline decision points: Consolidate interviews into one- or two-day “decision sprints” and mandate final-offer sign-off within 48 hours of the last interview to cut down candidates receiving other offers or being bought back.

2. Offer more than a job – Career development, upskilling opportunities, and a visible path to progression matter more than ever.

• Curate personalized learning paths: Leverage AI to match employees with micro-credentials and virtual workshops aligned to both emerging business needs and individual aspirations.
• Build internal mobility routes: Publicly post stretch assignments and “gig-style” projects to let people test new functions before formally switching roles.
• Embed regular career conversations: Formalize quarterly or bi-annual “career check-ins” where managers and employees co-draft skill roadmaps, setting clear milestones for progression.
• Offer further educational development opportunities: Potential for higher education at international institutions funded by the company.
• International opportunities: Offer global mobility opportunities if possible, and check in with employees on who is globally mobile and would like to consider this.

3. Invest in onboarding – The first 90 days often decide whether someone stays long term. Make it count.

• Extend the welcome to 90+ days: New-hire retention improves by up to 50% when onboarding runs at least three months, with structured role-plays, mentorship touchpoints, and culture deep dives.
• Blend virtual and in-person: Kick off with a two-week digital “boot camp,” then transition to on-the-floor teaming to weave social bonds and operational familiarity.
• Track progress with KPIs: Monitor onboarding completion rates, first-90-day turnover and time to full productivity to fine-tune the experience continuously.
• Support with introduction to other employees and business leaders: This can make the employee feel welcome and valued and gain insights and support from other individuals.

4. Prioritise culture – Inclusive leadership, employee wellbeing, and hybrid working policies are no longer “nice to haves”.

• Champion inclusive leadership: Train managers to solicit diverse viewpoints, spotlight underrepresented voices in meetings, and tie recognition to team-defined values.
• Normalize hybrid rituals: Research shows hybrid teams enjoy higher productivity, greater work-life balance and improved retention versus fully onsite peers.
• Invest in wellbeing: Offer mental-health stipends, virtual or in-person wellness sessions, and “no-meeting” zones to underscore that your culture cares about people first.

5. Recognise your people – Regular, authentic recognition goes a long way in retaining top talent, especially in a market where they’re constantly being approached.

• Make it frequent and visible: Employees recognized weekly are nine times more likely to feel belonging and six times more likely to envision a long-term future at their company.
• Personalize praise: Go beyond generic “good job” notes and reference specific behaviours, tie them back to company purpose and deliver recognition in the format each individual values (public shout-outs, written notes, experiential rewards).
• Link to performance metrics: Use your recognition platform’s analytics to identify top contributors and spotlight role models who embody core values, reinforcing desired behaviours.

In summary

Attracting and retaining top talent in the Middle East today isn’t about throwing the biggest package on the table. It’s about being intentional, agile, and people-first.

As a region, we’re in an exciting phase of growth and transformation, and the companies that will lead are those who understand that talent is not just a resource, but a relationship.

If you’re hiring in 2025 and want a realistic view of the market or support shaping your talent strategy, let’s talk. The team at Carter Murray and The SR Group are here to help.