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UAE jobs: Over 40% of new hires in GCC are women, says report
An expert, however, noted that female representation tends to diminish further up the corporate ladder
- PUBLISHED: Tue 16 Sept 2025, 7:49 AM UPDATED: Tue 16 Sept 2025, 10:29 AM
More than 4 in 10 new hires – 42 per cent – at the top companies across the UAE and the wider GCC region are women, according to a new report released on Monday.
The study, published by workplace culture consultancy Avtar Group, also found that women currently represent 33 per cent of the workforce at the best-rated companies in the GCC. However, less than three out of 10 — 28 per cent — were promoted.
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“Why a company should have more women is still not fully understood by many organisations. Because of that, the kind of positions that are filled by women are what we call the ‘easy positions’ that you can quickly fill it. These are not high positions. This is why only 42 per cent of the entry-level positions are filled by women,” Dr Saundarya Rajesh, founder-president of Avtar Group, told Khaleej Times in an interview on Monday.
Dr Saundarya highlighted that while 42 per cent of entry-level roles are filled by women, this is still not enough – especially considering the overall population distribution.
“That’s not even 50 per cent. If it were 50 per cent or probably more, we would be happy,” she said, noting that female representation tends to diminish further up the corporate ladder.
According to Global Insights, of the 11.35 million residents in the UAE, 63.8 per cent are male, while 36.2 per cent are female. Across the broader GCC region, males make up approximately 62.8 per cent of the population (around 38.5 million), while females represent 37.2 per cent (22.7 million), according to data from the GCC Statistical Center. A significant portion of the male population comprises blue-collar workers who migrate to the region to support families back home.
Dr Saundarya emphasised the importance of balanced hiring from the outset.
“If 100 people join a corporation at the entry level, with 60 per cent women and only 40 per cent men, over the years, you will find that the number of women will slowly shrink. So, if you have only 42 per cent women at the entry level, it will come down to single digits in the higher positions,” Dr Saundarya said on the sidelines of the launch of Best Companies for Women in the Gulf 2025 report released on Monday.
These insights were shared during the launch of the Best Companies for Women in the Gulf 2025 report, which identifies the top organisations supporting gender diversity and inclusion.
The 2025 top 10 best companies in Gulf, listed alphabetically are AA Al Moosa Enterprises Car Rental Division (Thrifty & Dollar), Al Shirawi Facilities Management, Diversey- A Solenis Company, Dkhoon Al Emiratia, Easa Salel Al Gurg Group, Ecolab, EY, Finastra UK Limited, Kone Middle East and TruKKer. Some of the other standout companies (in alphabetical order) include Apparel Group, Beauty Steps, Canon Middle East, CBRE Advisory Services, GIG GULF Insurance, House of Shipping Management Consultancies FZCO, Ingram Micro Company, MCA Management Consultants and MCA Auditing, Wipro Limited.
Challenges in male-dominated industries
Dr Saundarya noted that women still face barriers entering traditionally male-dominated sectors in the GCC, particularly oil and gas.
“In the GCC oil and gas sector, for example, women are rarely hired into technical entry-level roles — whether upstream or downstream,” she explained. “Instead, they’re often restricted to HR, customer service, secretarial, or front-desk roles. But will they be hired as engineers, scientists, chartered accountants, and legal advisor roles? Not very likely.”
However, she noted the landscape is beginning to shift. When asked whether qualified female talent is available in the region for these high-skill roles, Dr Rajesh was optimistic:
“Previously, the talent pool wasn't there. But today, thanks to significant investments in education across the GCC, we’re seeing a rise in qualified women — Emiratis, Arabs, and expats alike.”
She urged employers to proactively seek out female candidates and invest in gender-balanced hiring practices:
“Corporates must go the extra mile to ensure more women are brought into the workforce — especially in sectors and roles where they’ve traditionally been underrepresented.”
