UAE Workforce Risks in 2025: Cybercrime and Workforce stress and Burnout take center stage

The report highlights the evolving global risk landscape and thereby the critical need for organisations in the UAE

Dubai — International SOS, the global leader in health and security risk management, has released its highly anticipated Risk Outlook 2025 Report on ‘Navigating a Fragmenting World’. The report highlights the evolving global risk landscape and thereby the critical need for organisations in the UAE and globally to enhance resilience in the wake of unprecedented cross-border, environmental, and security challenges.

The Risk Outlook 2025 Report1 underscores the volatility witnessed globally that is reshaping business operations and workforce safety across the world. The study, based on expert analysis and insights from over 800 senior risk decision-makers across 96 countries, including the UAE, identifies three key amplifiers of global instability and its potential impact locally:

• Geopolitical Conflicts & Internal Fragmentation – Tensions in the Middle East, Russia-Ukraine, and broader economic and political shifts are leading to a more multipolar and unpredictable global environment influencing local business operations.
• Climate Change & Health Risks – Extreme weather, resource scarcity, and the resurgence of infectious diseases pose growing risks to businesses and employees in the Middle East region and beyond.
• Misinformation & Digital Threats – The rapid spread of misinformation, combined with evolving AI risks, is creating new security vulnerabilities for organisations.

Top Risks Seniority Split

Additionally, 69% of the senior risk professionals who are also primary decision makers surveyed, expect geopolitical events to significantly impact their operations in 2025, while 65% of risk leaders cite political stress and social unrest as major concerns compelling organisations in the UAE to adopt smarter and more unified approaches to protect their operations and ensure business growth.

The global report reveals that 78 per cent of respondents who are on the decision making team with significant influence consider cyber attacks and online crimes, as well as work stress and burnout tops the list of risks perceived within the workforce. 75% reported to be impacted by the growing cost of living followed by mental health concerns noted at 70 per cent – requiring businesses in the UAE to reassess how they safeguard workforce wellbeing.

According to Sebastien Bedu, General Manager Middle East, International SOS, “As we enter 2025, organisations in the region must prioritise Resilience and Duty of Care by moving from reactive to proactive risk management approach. The ability to anticipate, prepare for, and mitigate risks – whether geopolitical, health-related, or digital-is now a business imperative. Our mission is to provide organisations in the UAE amongst others with real-time intelligence, expert analysis, and on-the-ground support to help them navigate this increasingly complex landscape.”

To address these escalating risks, a data-driven approach by International SOS is paving the way for global and local risk management by understanding and tackling the destabilising effect of external forces on business operations and employees. The Risk Outlook 2025 report introduces an advanced risk intelligence platform that integrates AI-driven analytics with expert-led risk assessments. This new technology aims to enhance situational awareness, improve crisis response times, and streamline business continuity planning specially for multinational organisations based in the UAE.

Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat

Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter

About us:

The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.