Dubai, UAE – About 79 percent of UAE employees believe digital skills are crucial for business success, and 84 percent feel that new technologies are empowering them to reach their potential, according to a latest ServiceNow survey .
The survey, which included over 5,500 working adults from the UAE, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the UK, highlighted the positive outlook of UAE workers towards AI and its impact on jobs, a sentiment that outshines their EMEA peers.
Notably, 74 percent of UAE respondents — 26 percentage points above the EMEA average — view AI as a major opportunity for the future workforce. The same proportion agreed that AI will enhance workforce productivity, compared to only 52 percent agreement among EMEA employees.
Despite this optimism, 54 percent of UAE workers acknowledged that their formal education did not adequately prepare them for today’s job market. Furthermore, 82 percent believe additional education in technology and digital skills would boost their career confidence. Consequently, 72 percent of UAE workers advocate for mandatory formal education on AI before the age of 18, with a similar number supporting the same for coding education. There’s also a strong consensus (72 percent) on the need for standardized digital skill qualifications recognized by employers.
A significant 81 percent of UAE employees also believe that businesses should actively foster the development of AI skills in their workforce.
Mark Ackerman, Area VP for Middle East & Africa at ServiceNow, said: “There are two key takeaways for me. Firstly, while UAE employees are eager for more digital technologies at work, organizations must invest thoughtfully, ensuring technology unifies and simplifies processes for the benefit of employees and customers.”
“Secondly, it’s imperative for organizations to commit to providing employees with continuous learning opportunities for re-skilling and up-skilling, enabling them to be their best and contribute significantly to the company and community,” he added.
Digital services on the rise
A separate research, conducted by Cisco, indicates that the end-of-year holiday season will see an unprecedented use of applications and digital services, especially in the UAE. The study reveals that 78 percent of people in the UAE consider applications and digital services crucial for an enjoyable holiday experience.
However, there is a significant concern among 65 percent of the nation’s consumers – a figure notably higher than the global average of 45 percent – that poor performance of digital services could ruin their seasonal festivities. As a result, 63 percent of consumers in the Emirates express an inability to forgive any application failures during this critical time.
James Harvey, CTO Advisor EMEA at Cisco Observability, emphasizes the importance of application availability, performance, and security. “With a record demand for applications during the holidays, brands face immense pressure to ensure optimal performance. Consumers will have zero tolerance for poor digital experiences,” Harvey stated.
The Cisco research highlights the extensive use of digital services during the holiday season, including streaming movies and music, connecting with loved ones, staying updated with news, and managing finances. The reliance on these applications means that any performance issues could have significant negative impacts on holiday plans.
More than half of the consumers (53 percent) are concerned about the potential adverse effects on family holidays if digital services fail. Specific worries include banking applications malfunctioning, preventing important payments (45 percent), messaging platforms failing, hindering communication with friends and family (43 percent), and retail applications crashing, affecting last-minute gift purchases or holiday cooking preparations (38 percent).
The holiday season thus presents heightened challenges for application owners and IT teams, who are under immense pressure to optimize the digital experience. “To enjoy the holidays without the worry of application performance or security issues, technologists need to implement application observability,” Harvey advises. “This approach can alleviate pressure, preemptively address issues, and ensure a peaceful holiday season for both consumers and IT professionals.”
This Cisco study sheds light on the growing dependence on digital services in the UAE and the crucial role of technology in ensuring a seamless holiday experience for consumers.