Federation of Saudi Chambers Launches Employee Leasing Initiative with 50 Financing Entities

Initiatives to improve the market of HR companies and expand their business. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Initiatives to improve the market of HR companies and expand their business. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Federation of Saudi Chambers Launches Employee Leasing Initiative with 50 Financing Entities

Initiatives to improve the market of HR companies and expand their business. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Initiatives to improve the market of HR companies and expand their business. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Federation of Saudi Chambers (FSC) launched an initiative to encourage banks and various financial institutions to provide finance products and installment services for employee leasing in the Saudi market. This comes in light of the high demand for manpower and the increase in the volume of investments and projects.

The initiative was revealed during an extensive meeting held by the National Committee for Human Resources Companies at the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers, in the presence of the Saudi Central Bank and more than 50 representatives of banks and financing entities operating in the Kingdom.

Human resources companies presented studies indicating the clients’ need for employee leasing finance and installment services.

They pointed to their reliance on stable and sustainable products and industry that constitute an investment opportunity for all in light of the volume of the labor market in the Kingdom.

According to a statement by the FSC, the discussed studies pointed out that human resources companies provide various advanced services and products, including leasing by the hour.

They have also invested millions of riyals in advanced technologies and systems to manage their various processes.

The FSC, represented by the National Committee for Human Resources Companies, underlined its demand for financing entities to provide financing solutions for employee leasing sector by reviewing the components, market size and the available opportunities.

The global HR market is estimated at about $400 billion, while the Kingdom's share of this amount does not exceed 0.4%, with investments estimated at more than SAR6 billion ($1.6 billion), despite being ranked the third globally in terms of attracting foreign labor.

The companies’ share at the Saudi labor market, which includes 10.5 million workers, is about 8% in the private sector and domestic workers.



Saudi Arabia’s Private Sector Ends 2024 with Strongest Sales Growth

 The Saudi capital, Riyadh (AFP)
 The Saudi capital, Riyadh (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia’s Private Sector Ends 2024 with Strongest Sales Growth

 The Saudi capital, Riyadh (AFP)
 The Saudi capital, Riyadh (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector concluded 2024 on a high note, with significant increases in sales and business activity fueled by robust domestic and international demand.
The Kingdom’s non-oil GDP is expected to grow by over 4% in both 2024 and 2025, supported by notable improvements in business conditions, according to Riyad Bank’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report.
Despite inflationary challenges, the Riyad Bank PMI recorded 58.4 points in December, reflecting strong and accelerated economic recovery, albeit slightly lower than November’s 59.0 points.
The solid performance highlights improvements across non-oil sectors, with new business activity in December growing at its fastest pace in 12 months. This growth reflects rising domestic and global demand. Renewed marketing efforts and strong customer demand encouraged companies to boost production and expand operations, particularly in wholesale and retail.
The PMI has remained above the neutral threshold of 50.0 points since September 2020, signaling continuous expansion in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economic activity.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) previously projected sustained momentum in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil reforms, estimating non-oil GDP growth for 2024 at between 3.9% and 4.4%. The IMF noted that growth could reach 8% if reform strategies are fully implemented.
Expansion in International Markets
A surge in exports was among the key factors driving non-oil economic growth in Saudi Arabia. December saw the largest increase in export orders in 17 months, underscoring the success of Saudi policies in opening new markets and fostering strong international trade relationships, supported by ongoing product innovation.
Higher domestic and international demand boosted production levels in December. Companies also worked to enhance operational efficiency, leading to a notable increase in inventory. Purchasing activity accelerated to its highest level in nine months, reflecting the sector’s ability to effectively meet rising demand.
Cost Pressures on Production
Despite significant growth in production and sales, the sector continues to face challenges related to sharp inflation in input costs, driven by heightened demand for raw materials. These pressures have led to higher product prices, although some companies opted to reduce prices to remain competitive and address elevated inventory levels.
Meanwhile, wage cost increases were less pronounced, helping mitigate economic pressures related to salaries.
Future Outlook
Dr. Naif Al-Ghaith, Chief Economist at Riyad Bank, highlighted the positive end to 2024 for the Kingdom’s non-oil private sector, reflecting the progress achieved under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. He noted that the PMI score of 58.4 points demonstrates the sector’s resilience and ongoing expansion.
Al-Ghaith expects non-oil GDP to grow by over 4% in 2024 and 2025, driven by improved business conditions and rising new orders, signaling increased market confidence and demand. Elevated domestic demand and export growth have pushed total sales to their highest level in a year. This, in turn, has led to strong increases in business activity and inventory levels, demonstrating the sector’s ability to meet and capitalize on excess demand, he underlined.