The way organisations across the GCC build their workforces is changing. Rather than relying solely on permanent hiring to meet business demands, many employers are turning to temporary professionals to deliver specialist projects, access niche skills, and respond faster to changing priorities.
Hays LinkedIn polls targeting professionals across the six GCC countries found that more than a third (38%) of organisations are using more contract or temporary workers than they were two years ago, suggesting demand for flexible talent continues to grow across the region.
The research also highlights a shift in why organisations are hiring temporary professionals. Rather than focusing primarily on compliance or risk reduction, employers are using contractors to support project delivery. Among 1,323 respondents, 43% said managing project-based demand was the main reason their organisation uses contract workers, making it the most common response by a significant margin.
Ryan Tagg, Senior Director at Hays Middle East, commented: ” When businesses need extra expertise or support for a project, hiring temporary professionals can be a fast and flexible solution.”
“What’s particularly interesting is that project demand emerged as the strongest driver in our recent poll. That suggests organisations are thinking less about workforce size and more about workforce capability. They want access to expertise when they need it, without necessarily committing to permanent headcount growth.”
The change comes as employers across the region continue to navigate growth plans, ongoing technology investment, and skills requirements. In many cases, projects require expertise that may only be needed for a defined period, making contract hiring an attractive option for both employers and professionals.
The findings also point to a growing focus on workforce agility. Nearly a third of respondents identified flexibility as the primary reason for using contractors, demonstrating the need to scale teams up or down in response to project pipelines, market conditions, and business priorities.
Ryan added: “The traditional distinction between permanent and temporary hiring is becoming less clear. Organisations are now building blended workforces that combine permanent employees with temporary specialists, enabling them to access skills more efficiently while remaining agile.”
As transformation projects continue across the GCC, contract hiring appears set to play an important role in helping organisations secure the expertise needed to deliver growth while maintaining flexibility.
Poll results:
The findings are based on two LinkedIn polls conducted by Hays and targeted at professionals across the six GCC countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The first poll, which explored changes in the use of contract and temporary workers, received 1,636 responses. The second poll, examining the primary drivers behind contract hiring, received 1,323 responses.
Compared to two years ago, is your organisation using more contract or temporary workers? (1,636 respondents)
- More than before: 38%
- About the same: 26%
- Less than before: 21%
- We don’t use contract staff: 16%
What’s the main reason your organisation uses contract or temporary workers? (1,323 respondents)
- Manage project-based demand: 43%
- Greater workforce flexibility: 32%
- Reduce compliance and risk: 15%
- To find the right fit: 10%
About Hays:
Hays plc (the “Group”) is one of the world’s leading specialist recruitment and workforce solutions providers. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide. Hays operates across six global specialisms and additional local specialisms where it has market leadership. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 30 June 2026, the Group employed over 8,100 staff operating from 155 offices in 23 countries. For the year ended 30 June 2026:
- the Group reported net fees of £905.5 million and operating profit of £48.6 million.
- the Group placed around 40,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 203,000 people into temporary roles.
- 13% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 19% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 36% in Rest of World (RoW).
- the temporary placement business represented 64% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 36% of net fees.
- Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 26% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%), Construction & Property (12%), and Engineering (10%) are the next largest.
