Hays Middle East started in Dubai in 2005 to help companies hire skilled professionals.
Today, it serves over 300 clients across six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
With a team of 40+ expert consultants, Hays offers fast and reliable hiring for roles in tech, finance, construction, and more.
This Hays startup story demonstrates how the company addressed key hiring challenges and established itself as a trusted recruitment partner in the region.
TL;DR – Hays startup key highlights
- Launched in 2005, headquartered in Dubai, UAE
- Offers permanent, contract, and executive hiring services
- Serves 300+ clients across UAE, KSA, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait
- 40+ consultants delivering market-driven recruitment solutions
- Backed by Hays plc with 11,000+ employees in 33 countries
- Publishes industry-leading resources like the Hays Salary Guide
- Lifelong career partner to professionals across 21 specialisations
What Hays does?
Hays Middle East is a recruitment and workforce solutions company based in Dubai, UAE. It helps organisations find skilled professionals for both permanent and temporary positions. The company operates across various industries, including construction, technology, finance, and energy.
They are known for delivering high-quality hiring outcomes at speed and scale. Beyond recruitment, Hays also offers salary benchmarking, recruitment outsourcing (RPO/MSP), and workforce advisory services.
| Company Name | Hays Middle East |
| Website URL | https://www.hays.ae |
| Industry | Recruitment & Workforce Solutions |
| Business Type | B2B Service |
| Founded In | 2005 |
| Founder(s) | Not publicly revealed |
| Headquarter(s) | Dubai, UAE |
| Offices | Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh |
| Team Size | 40+ employees |
| Clients Served | 300+ |
| Countries Served | 6 (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar) |
How Hays Middle East Started
Hays Middle East launched in 2005 as the regional arm of Hays plc, a globally established recruitment leader. Identifying a gap in professional staffing across the GCC, the team at Hays set out to deliver expert-led, relationship-driven hiring solutions for employers and job seekers.
With a local team and a global backbone, Hays grew into a reliable talent partner in the region.
The Problem Hays Solves
Most employers in the Middle East face a complex hiring landscape, characterized by talent shortages, high attrition rates, slow time-to-hire, and shifting expectations from candidates. Meanwhile, professionals often lack access to the right roles, guidance, or market visibility.
Hays solves both sides of this challenge through its two-fold value: specialist recruiters with deep sector expertise, and a scalable tech-enabled platform that delivers results faster.
Hays blends technology with human expertise, offers tailored hiring strategies, real-time market insights, and access to a curated network of white-collar professionals. Whether it’s urgent contract hiring or long-term executive search, Hays delivers with precision.
How Hays Is Different from Other Companies in the Recruitment Industry
What sets Hays apart is its lifelong partnership model. The company doesn’t just fill roles, it builds careers and business journeys. While many firms focus on resumes, Hays combines local market intelligence with deep specialization, proprietary data (such as the Hays Salary Guide), and global hiring methodologies to deliver a lasting impact.
Their use of advanced tech tools and advisory-driven service makes recruitment a strategic advantage, not a headache.
Services and products offered by Hays
Hays provides end-to-end recruitment and workforce solutions designed to support businesses at every stage of growth. Its services go beyond hiring, helping organisations build resilient, future-ready teams through a mix of deep industry knowledge, scalable delivery models, and actionable labour market insights. From permanent recruitment to workforce outsourcing, Hays addresses every hiring challenge with precision and relevance.
1. For organisations
Talent Acquisition & Staffing
Hays supports organisations in hiring the right people, permanently or temporarily, with sector-specific recruitment teams and a global candidate network.
- Permanent Recruitment: Fills long-term positions by identifying, screening, and placing skilled professionals across 21 job functions.
- Contract & Temporary Staffing: Provides vetted contract workers for short-term needs, urgent projects, or seasonal demand with fast turnaround.
- Executive Appointments: Handles confidential and strategic leadership hiring through a tailored executive search process.
Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
Hays manages the full recruitment lifecycle for organisations looking to scale hiring while improving efficiency.
- End-to-End Hiring Delivery: Manages job postings, sourcing, screening, and onboarding.
- Embedded Recruiters: Places dedicated Hays consultants within the client’s team.
- Process Optimisation: Streamlines hiring operations with recruitment tech and metrics tracking.
Managed Services Programme (MSP)
Designed for companies with large contractor or temporary workforces, Hays’ MSP offering streamlines the engagement and management of contingent workers.
- Vendor Management: Centralises communication and cost control across staffing suppliers.
- Compliance Assurance: Ensures contract terms, legal requirements, and payroll standards are met.
- Performance Reporting: Tracks contractor performance, hiring efficiency, and budget usage.
Contractor Management Outsourcing (CMO)
Hays oversees the administration, compliance, and lifecycle of independent contractors.
- Onboarding & Background Checks: Ensures contract workers meet company and legal standards.
- Time & Attendance Management: Integrates timesheets and invoicing into client systems.
- Legal & Regulatory Support: Minimises risk across multi-jurisdiction contractor engagements.
Advisory Services
Hays helps organisations make informed workforce decisions through data-backed insights and strategic planning.
- Salary Benchmarking: Provides real-time compensation comparisons across roles, industries, and regions.
- Labour Market Analysis: Shares hiring trends, talent availability, and competitor activity.
- Workforce Planning: Supports future hiring needs aligned with business growth.
Market Intelligence & Learning Tools
Hays publishes proprietary reports and offers digital platforms to support both employers and job seekers.
- Hays Salary Guide: Annual publication featuring pay trends and hiring forecasts by industry.
- Future of Work Reports: Thought leadership on AI, skills gaps, and workforce transformation.
- My Hays Portal: A digital platform for job seekers to track applications, submit timesheets, and upskill.
Industry and Functional Expertise
Hays structures its teams by verticals, ensuring clients work with recruiters who understand their field.
- Key Industries: Construction, Banking, Healthcare, Technology, Retail, Real Estate, Media
- Key Professions: Accountancy, Legal, HR, Sales, Marketing, Procurement, IT, Executive Management
Hays’ services are built to flex with your needs, whether you’re hiring your first employee, building a regional hub, or managing a workforce across six countries. Their approach combines process excellence with practical insight to deliver lasting results for their workforce.
2. For Job seekers
Personalised Job Matching
Hays helps you find roles that align with your skills, goals, and interests. Their consultants specialise in specific industries, so you’ll work with someone who understands your profession and can connect you with the right employers.
Career Advice & Interview Support
You get access to expert guidance on CV writing, interview preparation, and career planning. Consultants work with you one-on-one to help you stand out and maximize every opportunity.
My Hays Portal
This self-service platform enables you to track job applications, submit timesheets (for contract roles), and access learning tools, all in one convenient location. It’s designed to simplify and manage your job search more efficiently.
Access to Hidden Opportunities
Many of the roles Hays recruits for aren’t advertised publicly. Working with their team gives you early access to exclusive positions at leading companies across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider GCC.
Temporary & Contract Roles
If you’re looking for short-term projects or flexible work, Hays offers contract opportunities with fast onboarding and clear timelines, ideal for gaining experience or bridging career gaps.
Industry Insights & Salary Guides
Hays publishes regular hiring trend reports and the Middle East Salary Guide. These resources help you understand the skills in demand and how your pay compares across various roles and regions.
Achievements and Growth Milestones of Hays
Since launching in the Middle East in 2005, Hays has steadily built one of the region’s most respected recruitment platforms. Its achievements reflect both operational scale and strategic depth across industries, countries, and workforce models.
- Placed over 280,000 professionals globally in FY24, including more than 57,000 in permanent roles and 225,000 in contract and temporary positions, demonstrating the company’s capacity to deliver at scale.
- Built long-term recruitment partnerships with over 300 clients in the GCC, ranging from multinational corporations to fast-scaling regional startups across sectors like construction, tech, finance, and retail.
- Expanded operations across six Gulf countries, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait, positioning Hays as a regional leader in specialised recruitment.
- Released the Hays Salary Guide 2025, offering detailed compensation data and hiring insights based on input from nearly 2,000 employers and professionals in the Middle East.
- Launched the “My Hays” platform, a self-service portal enabling job seekers to manage applications, submit timesheets, and access learning resources, improving candidate experience and retention.
- Developed a strong internal team of 40+ expert consultants in the UAE, each specialising in specific industries and functions, ensuring high-quality and relevant recruitment support.
- Supported nationalisation and localisation hiring efforts, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, by aligning candidate sourcing with government workforce policies.
- Maintained one of the highest client satisfaction rates in the industry, thanks to its data-driven approach, market intelligence, and ability to deliver results under tight timelines.
Through a combination of insight, innovation, and execution, Hays continues to evolve as a strategic hiring partner in the Middle East.
Where Hays Stands Today
Hays Middle East is a trusted recruitment partner across the GCC, with offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and active operations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait. The company supports a diverse range of industries, including construction, banking, technology, and healthcare.
Its team of specialised consultants brings deep market knowledge to every hiring challenge. Backed by tools like the Hays Salary Guide and the My Hays platform, Hays delivers more than just placements; it offers strategic workforce solutions that help businesses grow and professionals navigate their careers with clarity, confidence, and long-term support.
Location and contact details of Hays
Riyadh
- Location: Hays FZ LLC, Building 7534, King Abdul Aziz Street, Al Ghadeer Dist, 13311, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 13311
- Phone: +971 4 559 5800
Dubai
- Location: Hays FZ LLC, Al Thuraya Tower 1, Office 2003, Media City, Dubai, UAE, 500340
- Phone: +971 4 559 5800
Abu Dhabi
- Location: Hays FZ LLC, Abu Dhabi, Guardian Tower, 4th Floor (Technip Building), 34834
- Phone: +971 4 559 5800
Social handlesTwitter:
- Website: https://www.hays.ae/
- X (Twitter): https://x.com/haysdubai
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hays_middleeast/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hays
FAQs
What does Hays Middle East do?
Hays Middle East connects companies with skilled professionals across various sectors, including technology, finance, and construction. It offers permanent, contract, and executive hiring, supported by 40+ industry-specialised consultants and advanced recruitment technology across six GCC countries.
When was Hays Middle East founded?
Hays Middle East was founded in 2005 as the regional arm of global recruitment leader Hays plc. The company launched operations in Dubai and now serves six countries across the GCC with market-led hiring solutions.
What services does Hays Middle East offer to employers?
Hays Middle East offers permanent recruitment, contract staffing, executive search, RPO, MSP, contractor management, and advisory services. These help companies hire efficiently, stay compliant, and build future-ready teams.
What is the business model of Hays Middle East?
Hays Middle East follows a B2B service model where companies pay for recruitment and workforce solutions.
They earn revenue through placement fees for permanent roles, hourly or daily rates for contract staffing, and fixed service fees for recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and managed services.
Hays also offers advisory services like salary benchmarking and workforce planning, helping businesses hire better and faster across the GCC.
How is Hays Middle East different from other recruitment firms?
Hays Middle East stands out by offering lifelong career partnerships, industry-specific consultants, proprietary data, and global hiring tech. Unlike firms that only fill roles, Hays delivers strategic, long-term recruitment solutions.
What industries does Hays Middle East specialise in?
Hays Middle East specialises in construction, banking, healthcare, technology, retail, and media. Its consultants are grouped by verticals to deliver sector-specific hiring across 21 professional functions.
How many clients has Hays Middle East served?
Hays Middle East has served over 300 clients across the GCC, including multinationals and regional startups. These clients span various sectors, including finance, retail, and technology, reflecting Hays’ cross-industry expertise.
Authors
Himanshu is a builder at heart who loves turning raw ideas into structured systems. At UAE Startup Story, he focuses on the tech, research, and operations behind every feature and founder story. He’s passionate about spotlighting startups that solve real problems and inspiring the next wave of entrepreneurs across the region.
