AI-native generation will need more than technology skills to succeed as leadership tops list of workplace practices in need of change
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, October , 2026 – One in three (32%) UAE professionals say leadership style is the workplace practice employers will need to rethink most before Gen Alpha enters the workforce, according to new research from global talent solutions partner Robert Walters. This compares to just 9% believing faster AI and technology adoption will be the biggest challenge in managing a generation expected to enter work with unprecedented AI literacy.
Leadership style also ranked ahead of career progression (18%), learning and development (16%) and office attendance (15%), suggesting employers should be thinking carefully about how they will develop and manage Gen Alpha workers.
Andrew Powell, Chief Commercial Officer at Robert Walters, says, “AI-native does not necessarily mean being workplace-ready. There is an assumption that a generation growing up with AI will arrive at work able to use it effectively but being comfortable with technology and knowing how to apply it in a professional environment are two very different things.
“AI can give someone an answer in second, however knowing whether it is the right answer, when to challenge it and how to turn it into a good decision requires critical judgement and experience.”
The findings come as AI is already changing what employers expect from junior talent. PwC’s 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer found that the most AI-exposed entry-level roles are seven times more likely to require traditionally senior skills such as leadership and strategic thinking.
“For UAE employers, the challenge is less about whether Gen Alpha can use the technology and more about how they help their teams develop the workplace skills needed to succeed,” adds Andrew.
A new test for managers:
Technology is only one part of the adjustment ahead with almost a third (31%) of professionals believing different expectations around work-life balance will present the biggest challenge for managers, followed by demand for flexibility (18%) and different communication styles (15%).
Andrew says, “Gen Alpha is still young, so trying to predict exactly how they will behave at work would be a mistake. What employers can prepare for is a workforce with a much broader range of expectations around how they work, communicate and develop their careers.
“That means giving people opportunities to make decisions, solve problems, collaborate with different audiences and take responsibility for their work. AI will inevitably change some of the traditional ways junior employees learn on the job, so managers will need to be much more deliberate about creating those opportunities.”
One workplace, multiple generations:
Gen Alpha is also unlikely to reshape workplace culture alone, with just 11% of professionals believing they will have the greatest influence on workplace culture by 2036. More than a third (37%) expect Gen Z to have the greatest influence, 23% point to Millennials and 25% expect workplace culture to be shaped by a mix of generations.
Today’s workforce is also broadly positive about Gen Alpha’s arrival, with almost a third (31%) looking forward to the fresh ideas and perspectives they could bring. Just 12% say they are concerned about workplace differences.
Andrew comments, “The future workplace won’t belong to a single generation. Managers will be bringing together people with different experiences, expectations and perspectives, and trying to manage people according to generational labels will only get them so far.
“The strongest leaders will understand the individual in front of them, establish clear ways of working and create opportunities for knowledge and experience to move across their teams.”
Preparing for the workforce Gen Alpha will inherit:
Robert Walters has launched its new e-guide: Is your business ready
for Gen Alpha to join the workforce? which explores how organisations can prepare for the workforce of the next decade.
The guide looks at how early-career development, management and knowledge transfer are evolving as technology changes both the skills people need and how they develop them at work.
Recommendations include:
- Rethink early-career development by ensuring younger workers have structured opportunities to build experience and responsibility.
- Strengthen manager capability so leaders can support development while managing different working styles and expectations.
- Create clearer ways of working around communication, feedback, flexibility and performance.
- Protect knowledge transfer by creating opportunities for employees at different career stages to learn from one another.
- Avoid generational stereotypes by focusing on individual capability, motivation and what people need to perform effectively.
“The workplace Gen Alpha eventually enters will be shaped by decisions organisations are making today,” concludes Andrew. “Employers don’t need to predict exactly what Gen Alpha will want from work, but they do need to think about whether their leadership and talent strategies are preparing people for a workplace that will continue to change.”
About Robert Walters:
With more than 2,800 people in 29 countries, Robert Walters delivers recruitment consultancy, staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and managed services across the globe. From traditional recruitment and staffing to end-to-end talent management, our consultants are experts at matching highly skilled people to permanent, contract and interim roles across all professional disciplines. https://www.robertwalters.ae/
