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Most UAE firms allow international remote work, no mass return to offices
According to Mercer’s findings, 82 per cent of UAE firms said they were not requiring a return to office, with similarly high figures across the region
- PUBLISHED: Tue 12 May 2026, 9:19 AM UPDATED: Tue 12 May 2026, 12:03 PM
Remote and flexible work arrangements continue across the UAE and other Gulf countries, with the majority of companies still not requiring employees to return to the office, according to Mercer.
The consulting firm’s data showed that companies are also being flexible in allowing workers to engage in international remote working.
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Mercer’s data showed that employers across the region are shifting from short-term crisis response amid the ongoing regional military conflict to long-term workforce management, as remote and flexible working arrangements continue across the region.
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Ted Raffoul, partner and career and workforce products business leader for Mena at Mercer, said workforce flexibility remains widespread in the region.
“Average work-from-home levels remain substantial, including 62 per cent in the UAE, 64 per cent in Kuwait and 86 per cent in Lebanon. Most organisations are also still not requiring employees to return to the office. In the UAE, for example, 82 per cent said they were not requiring a return, with similarly high figures across the region. This suggests remote working is still playing an important role in business continuity, but it also means arrangements introduced at speed are now lasting long enough to raise practical questions about consistency, communication and future expectations,” Raffoul told Khaleej Times.
Many companies in the UAE and Gulf region opted for remote working after military conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran broke out, in line with directives from authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of employees.
International remote working
Importantly, Mercer’s Raffoul noted that flexibility is extending beyond home working into international remote working.
According to Mercer, most firms in several markets now have an international remote working policy, including 59 per cent in the UAE, 59 per cent in Kuwait, 57 per cent in Saudi Arabia and 56 per cent in Qatar. Many have already made changes or are considering changes to their policies. In the UAE, 46 per cent said they had already made changes to their policy, while a further 30 per cent were considering doing so.
“In uncertain times, temporary measures can be necessary, but if they are not clearly framed, they can become harder to reverse, harder to explain and harder to apply consistently. That is why the next phase of employer response in the Middle East is about making sure flexibility, support and contingency planning are aligned to a clearer operating view of what comes next,” Raffoul added.
