Women in Saudi Arabia More Career-Focussed Than Men

More than 60% of Saudi females are actively pursuing a change, largely due to better pay and work-life balance.

By Maggie Mancini

Saudi Arabian women appear to be more career-focussed than men, according to a recent report from LinkedIn. The report reveals that 61% of Saudi Arabian women are actively pursuing career changes compared to 57% of men.  

Their motivation appears to differ, too. While both genders pursue career changes for better pay (39%), women prioritise work-life balance (34%) more than men (30%). Job satisfaction also differs between the sexes. While 57% of women find their current roles fulfilling, men prioritise salary and benefits when remaining loyal to their jobs (52%).  

These findings come as a record 2.3 million Saudi Arabian employees entered the private sector in December 2023, 40.8% of which were women. Further, 78% of Saudi women feel confident about job hunting in 2024.  

Additionally, LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list finds that 84% of professionals in Saudi Arabi and the UAE are looking for a new job in 2024, and skill sets for jobs globally have changed by 25% since 2015. Among the fastest-growing jobs in Saudi Arabia are patient care technicians, information systems analysts, BIM coordinators, health and safety managers, HR operations specialists, and environmental specialists.