Re-working the working week

Dubai is set to benefit significantly from a strategic move to a shorter workweek. It’s been implemented by the UAE government to help boost productivity and for a better work-life balance.

Along with the new change to align with global markets and to improve economic competitiveness, the United Arab Emirates has also moved its traditional weekend from Friday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday.

Abdulla Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, the Assistant Undersecretary for Communication and International Relations at the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, revealed that the approach was carefully studied to benefit all segments of society. He told Euronews, “Although it may seem like businesses are the primary benefactor of the new working week...we strongly believe that it has been highly beneficial to employees and their families.”

The transition and bid to go global kickstarted 2022 and has been applied to the public sector and schools. The financial markets followed soon after the announcement and in time the private sector is also expected to realign.

Santiago Castillo, Partner at Roland Berger, says his company is welcoming the new working week already, designed to smooth financial, economic and trade transactions with other countries. “We used to be called in to join global or wider call discussions, and often they were done on Friday. We were always either excluded or forced to take part during the weekend. So for us, it's a real improvement.”

This latest decision by the government means the UAE has become the first country in the world to adopt a four and a half day workweek, running from Monday to midday on a Friday.

Similar trials have previously been rolled out across a number of countries, including Iceland. The