The UAE has announced today that it will transition to a four and a half-day working week for government employees, with Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday forming the new weekend.
All federal government departments will move to the new weekend from January 1, 2022.
From Monday to Thursday this will feature an eight-hour working day from 7.30am to 3.30pm, according to a tweet by the UAE media office.
The UAE is the first nation in the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week.
The extended weekend, said the statement, comes as part of the UAE government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing while increasing performance to advance the UAE’s economic competitiveness.
On state news wire WAM, the UAE government said: “Adopting an agile working system will enable the UAE to rapidly respond to emerging changes and enhance wellbeing in the workplace.
“From an economic perspective, the new working week will better align the UAE with global markets, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the global economic map. It will ensure smooth financial, trade and economic transactions with countries that follow a Saturday/Sunday weekend, facilitating stronger international business links and opportunities for thousands of UAE-based and multinational companies.
“The new working week will also bring the UAE’s financial sector into closer alignment with global real-time trading and communications-based transactions such as those driving global stock markets, banks and financial institutions.
“The move is expected to boost not only trading opportunities but also add to the flexible, secure and enjoyable lifestyle the UAE offers to its citizens and residents.”
On Friday there will be a 4.5 hour working day starting at 7.30am to 12pm, with Friday prayers to take place after 1.15pm.
In the statement, the UAE media office stated there was ‘the possibility of working flexible hours and work-from home options on Friday’ and that the ‘longer weekends would boost productivity and improve work-life balance’.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources proposed the new workweek following comprehensive benchmarking and feasibility studies reflecting potential impacts of the move on the economy, social and family ties and the overall wellbeing of people in the UAE.
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