COVID-19 has brought transformation in the way people work, shifting the scales from in office/ geographical location set by employer job, to a convenient home based remote work. Since the pandemic was global, this change was adapted by almost all industries in almost all countries. UAE with its stable economy was no exception and was at the forefront of home based jobs adaptation. As per a recently conducted survey, around 60% population of Dubai is interested in remote jobs. Now people with minimum experience can easily find remote jobs due to wide range of industries offering this opportunity.

Likely Future of Remote Work in UAE

As the world is becoming more digitalized, UAE is witnessing its boom in Digital innovation. It has become a hotspot for remote jobs recently especially in the fields of content creation, digital marketing and IT. Thanks to progress in technology, remote work is easily accessible, economic and convenient for both small and large businesses. Hence, it is gaining popularity among employers and employees from all sectors equally.

To keep up with the pace, UAE based businesses (local and global) are now investing in acquiring digital equipment, stronger internet networking, and employment data technologies to shift to home based work. Remote work not only increases the productivity but also ensures a work life balance. All you need is a stable internet connection and a mobile or laptop. Here, we will have a brief view of pros and cons of remote jobs.

Pros of Remote Jobs

One of the greatest benefits of remote work for the employers is that, it cuts down on operational costs. This includes office space, electricity bills, rent, pick and drop service etc. Employers recognize that if their employees can fulfil tasks and meet deadlines from their home, it can save them a bulk of money. Similarly, remote work also allows a multi-national workforce that brings diversity. Great talent from all over the world can be brought together, producing creative and cultural exchanges. For the employees, remote work is a viable option because they are not bound in a 9 to 5 job. Working in their comfort zone shows better job satisfaction that increases their efficiency and productivity. These pros might indicate that in near future UAE will have a legal setup for remote/ home based workers.

Cons of Remote Jobs

On the other hand, remote work also offers some challenges both for the employer and the employee. The most important of which is a communication gap, since a face to face connection is rare. This generates issues with fostering the company’s culture and decreased collaboration. Such problems can significantly reduce productivity and the spirit of team work. More so, it is essential for remote work that one must be self disciplined and has great time management skills to timely fulfill the tasks. Failing to do so, not only makes one incompetent in his/her boss’s eyes but also makes him/her feel disconnected and lonely as the social interaction of the office environment is missing.

Scope of Remote Work in UAE

Despite these challenges, remote work is the future of businesses in UAE. UAE is one of the countries with strong currency and a stable economic system. People are paid comparatively higher than in other countries. Moreover, UAE is welcoming to people of all nationalities and cultures. So, people from every part of world comfortably work in UAE and with the remote job opportunities their number will increase significantly. Since, UAE is a global job hub, thousands of multi national companies have their setup in UAE, this gives numerous opportunities to job seekers to become a part of international businesses without leaving their home.

Another major contributing factor for a better scope of remote work in UAE is its online security system. One of the challenges in remote setup is compromised security. But UAE has full proof security system about employer’s personal data and payment details which allows people to give preference to home based jobs.

Conclusion

The remote work sphere of Arab Emirates has a lot of potential to expand and grow. The future of work is remote, and soon it will become a standard work like regular office jobs. Digital innovations and IT transformation will create multiple opportunities for job seekers from different professions to work from their home. For a developed country like UAE, people will prefer to have online jobs that pay well and match their skills.