UAE professionals are taking on wider responsibilities as businesses adapt to changing demands, according to a new Robert Walters survey.
The research found that 79% of professionals in the UAE are handling duties beyond their original job scope. The trend highlights how companies are redistributing work as business needs change.
However, many employees are taking on these responsibilities without formal changes to their roles, pay or career paths.
Robert Walters has described this trend as the rise of “shadow workloads”. These are additional tasks that build up over time without being formally recognised.
Longer hours add to workplace pressure
Employees are also putting in more time to manage their expanded workloads.
According to the survey, 49% of professionals said they were working longer hours. Meanwhile, 25% said they were delegating tasks where possible.
Yet, only 17% had discussed their increased responsibilities with their managers.
Oli Sanford-Scutt, Senior Director at Robert Walters Middle East, said companies need to recognise additional responsibilities before they become a long-term source of pressure.
“The UAE’s business environment moves fast, and organisations have had to adapt quickly,” Sanford-Scutt said.
He added that broader roles showed the agility of the UAE workforce. However, businesses must ensure that these responsibilities are clearly recognised and managed.
AI helps employees move beyond traditional roles
AI is also changing how UAE professionals handle their work.
The survey found that 73% of UAE professionals use AI tools for tasks that previously fell outside their skills or knowledge.
As a result, employees can take on work that may have required additional expertise in the past. AI can also help them complete tasks faster and improve productivity.
This shift is giving employees the ability to expand their capabilities. At the same time, it is changing the skills businesses expect from their workforce.
Sanford-Scutt described the UAE workforce as highly focused on technology. He said this gives businesses an advantage as AI adoption continues to grow.
AI adoption must not create more work
While AI can improve productivity, companies also need to ensure that it does not simply add more responsibilities to employees.
Businesses should set clear expectations around how employees use AI. They should also track whether productivity gains are reducing workloads or creating capacity for additional tasks.
Sanford-Scutt said that being deliberate about AI adoption is becoming increasingly important for employee retention.
“Productivity gains reduce pressure rather than simply lead to more tasks being assigned,” he said.
For employers, this means AI adoption needs to go beyond technology investment. Companies must also consider workload planning, employee capacity and career development.
Employee fatigue remains a concern
The survey also pointed to growing concerns around sustainable performance.
43% of professionals said they frequently experienced fatigue, reduced concentration or emotional exhaustion after periods of intense performance. Another 31% experienced these effects occasionally.
These findings suggest that wider responsibilities can carry a cost when companies do not manage workloads effectively.
Andrew Powell, Chief Commercial Officer at Robert Walters, said additional responsibilities can help employees develop new skills when organisations properly manage and recognise the extra work.
Companies can respond by redistributing workloads, investing in productivity tools or bringing in temporary expertise.
What wider roles mean for UAE employers
The expansion of employee roles reflects a broader shift in the UAE workplace. Businesses are seeking greater flexibility while managing costs and resources.
AI is supporting this shift by allowing employees to work across areas beyond their traditional expertise.
However, wider responsibilities need clear boundaries. Without them, temporary changes can become permanent workloads.
For UAE employers, the challenge will be to balance AI-driven productivity with sustainable workloads. Businesses that manage this balance effectively may be better placed to retain talent and maintain long-term performance.
