UAE to shift to a four-and-half-day working week

Dubai, UAE announced on Tuesday that it will transition to a four-and-a-half-day work week. Friday, Autumn, Saturday and Sunday constitute new weekends. From January 1, 2022, all civil government departments will be transferred to the new weekend.

The authorities added that through this initiative, the UAE became the first country in the world to introduce a public work week shorter than the global five-day work week.

The working week will start on Monday and end by Friday autumn. The working hours for civil workers are set to be from7.30 am to3.30 pm, with8.5 working hours per day. On Friday, workers will work for4.5 hours.

On Fridays, workers will also be allowed to choose flexible work or work-from- home options. The longer weekend is aimed at boosting productivity and perfecting work- life balance.

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The advertisement also said that Friday homilies and prayers would be held after1.15 pm across the UAE all time long.

From a profitable perspective, the new working week is set to more align the country with global requests, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the global profitable chart. It'll ensure smooth fiscal, trade and profitable deals with countries that follow a Saturday/ Sunday weekend, easing stronger transnational business links and openings for thousands of UAE- grounded and transnational companies.

The new work week will also bring the UAE’s financial sector closer to global real-time transactions and scheduling basic transactions, similar to transactions that promote global stock demand, banks and financial institutions. It is expected that this move will not only promote trade opening, but also increase the flexible, safe and enjoyable life the UAE provides for its citizens and residents. The Federal Government’s Human Resources Administration has proposed a new work week plan after comprehensive benchmarking and feasibility studies, which reflect the potential impact of the move on the UAE’s economy, social and family relations, and the overall well-being of the people.