Emirates changes its working hours
The United Arab Emirates will adopt a new working timetable on 1 January 2022, the latest reform in this sector. Specifically, this measure is applied to the country's government workers, who, as of that date, will have a four-day working day, from Monday to Thursday, and a half-day working day on Fridays. Workers will also have Saturdays and Sundays off. The move will make the UAE the first country in the world to implement a shorter five-day working day.
The UAE Government Media Office has been in charge of transmitting the fact to the media through a statement and via the social network Twitter, in which they announced these new measures. The news was welcomed by the governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which concluded that their workers will also adopt this new timetable. In addition, as reported by The National newspaper, which had access to the communiqué, schools and the education sector will also adopt this new schedule.
The UAE Government Media Office has also pointed out that having a new, longer weekend for workers will "boost productivity and improve work-life balance".
Although this measure is being adopted in the public sector, it is not yet known whether the private sector will follow this rule or continue with the same working rhythms as before. What is known is that companies do not require the government's permission to establish their working hours, which could lead to the intuition that some companies will adapt to this plan, while others will probably continue with their working hours.
The working day, meanwhile, for government workers and the premises and businesses that adopt the measure, will begin to operate from half past seven in the morning until half past three in the afternoon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays, on the other hand, work will only start at 7.30 a.m. and end at noon. The relevant authorities have also discussed flexible working options and online home working on Fridays as a way to improve workers' lives. "The measure is expected to boost not only business opportunities, but also add to the flexible, secure and enjoyable lifestyle that the UAE offers its citizens and residents," the Media Bureau also clarified.
Another of the debates surrounding the new day was the issue of prayers and prayer times. Experts, for their part, have said that these will be maintained throughout the year, on Fridays at a quarter past one in the afternoon. At the same time, it was confirmed that the public holidays already established for the year 2022 will not be modified in any way due to this type of day, so the chosen days will be maintained.
The United Arab Emirates is one of the most booming countries in the Middle East and in the Arab world in general, and is involved in relations with a number of globally renowned companies. This means that the country has become a major economic power, which is on a par with others, and therefore this schedule will bring it on a par with the rest of the world in terms of trade. "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."
The last reform that took place was in 2006 where the model was changed as for decades the working days started on Saturdays due to the strong attachment and belief of the Muslim religion. In 2006, the Emirates switched to a Sunday-Thursday working model, which was adopted by other countries in the region. Prior to this, between 1970 and 1999, the country had a six-day working week, with Friday as the only day off. The first of these was Jordan in 2000, but it is worth noting that Iran still maintains this type of schedule, although there is a debate to change it and bring it closer to Western time.