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More than half of GCC workers feel burnt out despite high confidence in employers, survey finds
Younger employees aged 18-34 were the most affected, with 58% reporting constant strain, compared with 51% of those aged 35 to 49 and 47% of workers aged 50 and above
- PUBLISHED: Sun 5 Jul 2026, 12:32 PM
More than half of employees across the Gulf say they have felt under constant strain at work in recent months, highlighting growing concerns over workplace burnout even as confidence in employers remains high.
According to the latest GCC People Pulse report by Employee Experience Exchange (EXE) and Ipsos, 54 per cent of workers said they had been under constant strain at work, a figure that is 17 percentage points higher than the global average.
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The survey found that younger employees aged 18 to 34 were the most affected, with 58 per cent reporting constant strain, compared with 51 per cent of those aged 35 to 49 and 47 per cent of workers aged 50 and above.
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The findings come despite generally positive views of employers across the region. Around 81 per cent of employees said they would recommend their organisation as a great place to work, while 77 per cent said they were confident about the future direction of their company.
Employee wellbeing a priority
The report said the combination of high employee advocacy and high levels of strain is unlikely to be sustainable over the long term, warning that organisations should prioritise employee wellbeing to protect engagement and productivity. It noted that prolonged strain can affect decision making, team dynamics and overall performance, even if employees remain in their jobs.
The survey, which gathered responses from 1,500 employees across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, also found that 24 per cent of workers plan to leave their employer within the next two years. Employees in Qatar and Kuwait reported the highest intention to leave, while Saudi Arabia recorded the lowest expected attrition
Artificial intelligence emerged as another key workplace issue, with nearly three-quarters of respondents (73 per cent) believing that AI will make their organisation more competitive, while 49 per cent said they are concerned about its impact on their job security.
The survey also found that 76 per cent of employees believe their organisation encourages open and honest feedback. Workers who felt their employer welcomed feedback were twice as likely to recommend their organisation and significantly more likely to remain with their employer for at least three years.
The GCC People Pulse is a quarterly workforce sentiment tracker produced by EXE in partnership with Ipsos. The Q2 2026 edition surveyed employees in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar across areas including wellbeing, confidence, inclusion, employee advocacy and AI.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.