Understanding Early Labour Market Signals: What GLMC’s Insights Mean for Your Business Strategy in Oman
Riyadh – A session at the Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC) examined the gradual impact of policy changes on labor markets and the challenges of timely response. The session, titled “When Trade Shifts: Catching the Signs before the Market Settles,” featured a keynote by Azar Bayramov, Director General of the Labour Centre at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, followed by a panel discussion with Tumi Makgabo, Founder and Director of AfricaWorldwide Media; Michael Lawrence OBE, CEO of Asia House; and Denis Machuel, Group CEO of The Adecco Group.
Bayramov stressed the necessity of cooperation to promote decent work, safer workplaces, and robust social protection systems. He pointed out that changes in trade, sourcing decisions, production processes, and technology often show up in labor market outcomes only after some lag, which can lead to misinterpretation. He highlighted the delicate balance of timing responses—acting too soon risks overcorrection, while delayed action leaves systems unprepared for market adjustments. Traditional labor market indicators typically lag, but early signs often appear in subtle ways such as widening skill gaps, shifting wage patterns, and new job titles, which are most valuable when analyzed collectively and aligned with responsive labor market systems.
The panel discussed how governments and employers can navigate the tension between rapid intervention and the risk of overreacting to transient signals. Bayramov noted the accelerating disruptions from climate change and artificial intelligence, emphasizing the challenge of generating timely recommendations. He referred to collaborative work across 57 member countries via surveys and feedback loops to track local labor market changes.
Michael Lawrence OBE highlighted the importance of identifying trade and investment “direction of travel,” including rising tariffs and emerging alliances, which influence business decisions and reshape labor demand. He identified shifting capital flows and a Middle East pivot toward Asia as key trends in volatile markets. On skills, Lawrence underscored that reskilling must be ongoing due to rapid technological evolution and stressed shared responsibility among governments, the private sector, and workers.
Denis Machuel observed early labor market signals through trends in growing economies and insights from global client networks. He emphasized the increasing need for agility in skills planning, with job roles and requirements changing rapidly over a three- to four-year horizon.
Trade Choices, Work Consequences
Shifting global trade policies are transforming labor markets beyond traditional protectionism and liberalization debates, the speakers noted during a main-stage panel at GLMC 2026, moderated by Resham Kotecha, Global Head of Policy at the Open Data Institute. The discussion focused on reshoring, nearshoring, and fragmented value chains altering work organization, skills deployment, and worker transitions.
Panelists highlighted how enterprises face constant operational changes, shorter production cycles, and rising compliance demands, often shedding some roles while struggling to fill others that require new skills.
The growing importance of workforce resilience, skills portability, and labor mobility was underscored, particularly in regions experiencing strong migration flows and rapid technological adoption.
Speakers agreed these transitions demand closer coordination between trade, labor, and skills policies, along with stronger collaboration among governments, employers, and education systems.
Jacqueline Mugo, Executive Director & CEO of the Federation of Kenya Employers and President of the IOE, stated, “The impact of trade on labor today is not just about where production moves, but how effectively enterprises can reorganize work, redesign roles, and manage continuous transition.”
Fahad Al Shebel, CEO of National Unified Procurement Company (NUPCO), remarked, “Resilience is not about choosing between protection and openness, especially in critical sectors like healthcare; it’s about ensuring continuity while continuing to innovate.”
Rabea Ataya, Founder & CEO of Bayt.com, noted, “We are witnessing unprecedented competition for jobs in the region, driven by localization, migration, and accelerating technological change.”
Othman Belbeisi, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Organization for Migration, added, “Transition is inevitable, but it can be managed if training systems respond to real labor demand and skills are recognized across borders.”
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
The evolving global trade landscape, marked by reshoring and fragmented value chains, presents both challenges and opportunities for Oman’s labor market and businesses. For Omani enterprises, investing in workforce resilience and continuous reskilling is critical to stay competitive amidst rapid technological shifts and shifting trade flows, especially with the Middle East’s growing pivot toward Asia. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should focus on adaptability, enhancing labor mobility, and fostering cross-sector collaboration to capitalize on emerging trends and mitigate risks associated with skill mismatches and market disruptions.
