The UAE has become the first country in the world to establish a four-and-a-half day work week for all of its government entities in addition to its central bank.
The authorities also announced that the weekend will be from Saturday to Sunday, and not from Friday to Saturday, as is the case currently in several Arab countries.
On Friday, employees will work just over four hours, until noon. This way, in the afternoon, they will be able to perform Muslim prayers on the most important day of the week for the religious community.
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The changes, which come into effect on January 1, aim to make the Gulf state more attractive to foreign investment, linking its working days with the working days of many global markets.
The official Emirates News Agency (WAM) indicated that this new work week aims to “increase productivity and improve work-life balance”.
The information department added that the country wants to “improve its position in the global competitiveness of the economic and commercial sectors.”
The UAE added that the decision guarantees financial and commercial liquidity, in addition to economic transactions with countries that follow the weekend from Saturday to Sunday.
The changes will also extend to public schools.
However, the private sector will have the option to choose its own working week.
“Each company, according to the sector in which it operates and what suits its business and serves it better, can choose the weekend for its employees,” Human Resources Minister Abdul-Rahman Al-Awar told Reuters news agency.
According to him, a longer weekend will improve the balance between professional and personal life. And many Muslim countries, such as Indonesia and Morocco, already have Saturday and Sunday weekends.
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