| Kippreport.com

Almost half of GCC companies to expand workforce, says Mercer

June 18, 2009 12:00 by Dana El Baltaji

42 percent of corporations in the region are planning to expand their workforce in 2009, compared to only 12 percent globally, says human resources consulting firm Mercer based on the results of a global survey.

The study also found that 58 percent of the world’s companies are planning further job cuts in 2009 as opposed to only 25 percent in the region.

Finally, 51 percent of companies worldwide said they have frozen salaries to 2008 levels compared to 22 percent of the GCC’s firm.

Bassam Gazal, head of the Mercer’s survey team in Dubai, said “We had noticed this quiet but determined confidence in firms across the region, and the global results highlight that the GCC economies continue to defy the global trends in core HR-related areas.”

Tags: Financial Crisis, gcc, Mercer, workforce