The UAE government has declared a vast modification to the working week for all federal government entities. The UAE will switch its weekend to Saturday and Sunday for government entities, as UAE wants to bring itself additional or more in line with the rest of the globe.
The government stated it’ll adopt a 4-1/2 day working week, with Friday – a religious holiday in Islam, being a half day, from January 1, 2022. This new rule will be apply across all the government entities. The UAE and other Gulf nations, as well as Saudi Arabia, presently have a Sunday-Thursday working week. There have been no any further details on however the new rule can have an effect on the country’s private sector, however we’ve our ears perked up to check whether this will cause a shift for the rest of United Arab Emirates.
#UAE announces today that it will transition to a four and a half day working week, with Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday forming the new weekend.
All Federal government departments will move to the new weekend from January 1, 2022.#WamNews pic.twitter.com/p4IqjbIiXF
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) December 7, 2021
The new system gives federal government workers to work for eight-hour from Mon to Thursday. The day will begin at 7:30am and finish at 3:30pm. They’ll also work for four-and-a-half hours on Friday, from 7.30am to noon. Federal workers will therefore have a two-and-a-half day long weekend.
Friday sermons and prayers will be held after 1:15pm all year long in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There’ll be flexible working hours and work-from-home choices or options on Fridays.
UAE is the 1st nation in the world to introduce a shortest working week of four and half day.
The Gulf nation, of which Abu Dhabi and Dubai are a part, has taken many steps recently to open up its economy, as well as marketing stakes in state controlled firms. The stock markets have also rolled out initiatives to boost up liquidity and attract foreign investors.
“This will align the UAE with international markets and make it easier for international companies to do business,” as said by Nabil Alyousuf, chief officer of Dubai-based International Advisory Group. “This will increase the no. of days we do business with the rest of the globe and this will boost trade.”
From economic point of view, the new working week will better align the UAE with international markets, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the world economic map. It’ll ensure smooth financial, trade and economic transaction with other countries that follow Saturday and Sunday weekend trend, facilitating stronger international business links and opportunities for thousands of UAE-based and international firms.
The new working week will bring the UAE’s financial sector into closer alignment with international real time trading and communications based transactions like those driving global stock market, banks and other financial sectors and establishments. The move is expected to boost up not only trading opportunities however also add to flexible, secure and enjoyable lifestyle the UAE offers to its citizens and residents.
As stated in WAM in a tweet that the longer weekends are meant to “boost productivity and improve work-life balance”.
In compliance with the #UAE govt decision, Dubai govt announces a 4 & a half day working week for public sector employees. The weekend has been changed to Saturday & Sunday, with Friday being a half-day. The changes will be effective as of January 1, 2022 across all govt entities
— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) December 7, 2021
