What Common Challenges Do You Face When Integrating UAE National Staff Within The Company - Employers *MULTIPLE SELECTION APPLY* Are You Provided With Enough Learning And Development Opportunities? - Employees A significant portion of UAE National employees (59%) feel they are provided with sufficient learning and development (L&D) opportunities, though this marks a slight decline from last year’s 62.56%. This indicates that while many employees still have access to career progression and skill enhancement resources, there may be a growing need to further expand or tailor these programmes. On the other hand, 41% of respondents believe L&D opportunities are insufficient, showing an increase from last year’s 37%. This suggests potential gaps in accessibility, relevance, or the depth of training programmes. Unrealistic salary expectations continues to be the most common challenge for private sector employers when integrating UAE National staff, with 50.48% of respondents highlighting this concern. While this is a slight decrease from last year’s 55.36%, it still underscores the ongoing gap between candidate expectations and employer compensation structures. Additionally, 43.78% of employers report difficulties with candidates being unavailable during standard working hours, an increase from last year’s 33.48%. Other challenges include the need for extensive training (29.19%) and communication barriers (21.05%). Employer verbatim responses further emphasise concerns regarding flexibility, initiative, and job commitment, reinforcing the need for better alignment between workplace expectations and candidate readiness. Y E S N O 41% 8 . 3 7 % 5 9 % 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 U N R E A L I S T I C S A L A R Y R E Q U I R E M E N T S 5 0 . 4 8 % 1 1 . 2 4 % 1 8 .1 8 % 4 3 . 7 8 % 2 9 .1 9 % 2 1 . 0 5 % C U LT U R A L M I S M ATC H UN AVA IL A B IL ITY TH R O UG H O UT STA N DA R D COM PA N Y WO R K I N G H O U R S N O C H A L L E N G E S FAC E D 1 1 . 7 2 % OT H E R E X T E N S I V E T R A I N I N G R E Q U I R E D COMMUNICATION BARRIER M A K I N G E M I R AT I S AT I O N A S U C C E S S 2 0 2 5 - G U I D E B O O K 4 2 Do You Offer Any Learning And Development Programs For Your UAE National Staff? - Employers A strong majority of private sector employers (68.90%) now offer learning and development (L&D) programmes for their UAE National staff, reflecting a significant increase in commitment to upskilling local talent compared to last year’s 47.77%. This indicates that companies are actively investing in workforce development to enhance employee skills and career growth. However, 22.25% of employers still do not have L&D programmes in place, while 8.85% have plans to introduce them in 2025. This suggests room for further improvement, particularly in expanding tailored training initiatives that align with Emirati employees' career aspirations and industry needs. 22.25% 68.90% 8 . 8 5 % Y E S P L A N N E D F O R 2 0 2 5 N O M A K I N G E M I R AT I S AT I O N A S U C C E S S 2 0 2 5 - G U I D E B O O K 4 3