UAE Weekend Change: UAE becomes first country in the world to introduce a 4.5 day working week

The UAE has announced a new weekend for its government workers, with days off now falling on Saturday and Sunday, plus a half-day on Friday. Schools are expected to follow suit, although this has not been confirmed. The impacts of this extraordinary and empowering move to implement the world’s first 4.5 day working week are only just being felt…

The KHDA has backed the move and its impacts across all UAE schools:

“The private education sector in Dubai will be open in line with the recent UAE government decision on the working week. We’ll be working closely with our community to ensure a smooth transition.”

The UAE’s federal government departments will shift their working week from the first day of next year, January 1, 2022.

#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. pic.twitter.com/tQoa22pai9

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) December 7, 2021

 

Government departments will adopt a new four and a half day working week, with the workforce working Monday to Thursday, with a half day on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday will be the new weekend for government workers.

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 pic.twitter.com/j9JSpkbSQ8

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 7, 2021

The working hours for government employees are set to be from 7.30am to 3.30pm, with eight and half working hours per day. On Fridays, employees will work four and a half hours, with flexible working hours and work-from-home options in place.

Exact details for the new working hours for all UAE schools are expected to be announced shortly.

The private education sector in Dubai will be open in line with the recent UAE Government decision on the working week. We’ll be working closely with our community to ensure a smooth transition. https://t.co/5hGL1WQz3b

— KHDA (@KHDA) December 7, 2021

For many this has been seen as the defining headline announcement of both Expo and the UAE’s 50th anniversary. Already we are seeing its implementation across the UAE economy.

Schools and parents have welcomed the move, while being eager to hear more specific details as they emerge about how the changes will affect private schools.

Speaking to SchoolsCompared.com, a spokesperson from GEMS Education, the UAE’s largest education group, said it had “noted this important news about the working week changes in the UAE”, and would “fully comply with the nation’s leadership guidance in all our schools.”

Giles Pruett, Executive Principal of Arcadia School said:

“Arcadia welcomes any changes to the working week that are designed to support wellbeing and family togetherness. It is however too soon to comment on educational changes until our regulatory authorities update us.”

Parents have also welcomed the potential longer break afforded by the extra half day off on Friday – although it has not yet been confirmed whether the private sector will follow suit.

Selina Schoeman, a UAE-based mother of three whose children attend Royal Grammar School Guildford, Dubai, said that she is impressed by the UAE’s ability to be both progressive and respectful of its traditional values.

“By making the Friday a half day the UAE is honouring its culture and its citizens by allowing them to go to the Friday prayer, while also making a really progressive move towards aligning with the rest of the world’s working week, as well as towards what we all know is a better working environment: a 4.5 day working week, which allows a longer break.

“I think it’s a very clever way of staying true to the country’s culture and traditions, while also being really progressive in terms of what modern society needs to work towards for work/life balance, while also aligning with business in the rest of the world.”

The first new public holiday following the decision is Sunday 2nd January, with a long weekend running through from Friday 31st December to Monday 3rd January.

Radical move

In a politically, socially and economically radical move of global importance, the UAE has become the first country in the world to officially introduce a working week shorter than the traditional five-day working week.

Pilot programs run by governments in countries such as New Zealand, Japan, Iceland and Spain have experimented with a four-day working week, with promising results.

Research suggests that reducing work hours can decrease employee stress and improve well-being without impacting productivity, according to the Harvard Business Review.

The UAE Government Media Office said on its social media that the extended weekend comes as part of a move to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing, while boosting productivity.

The option for flexible working arrangements on a Friday are also in line with research on best practice for boosting worker productivity, retention and morale.

The new working week will also align the UAE with working practices across most global markets, enhancing the country’s competitiveness from an economic perspective.

Commenting, Johnathan Westley, Managing Editor, SchoolsCompared.com said:

“Many of us have been waiting for this moment – and it is  very fitting that the UAE is leading the world on a change that is not before time. Make no mistake, this is a very important story globally as well as inside the UAE. A line in the sand has been set – and a challenge made. The implications of this educationally will be many, all in our view positive. The world is digitising and the impact of technology should not be taken for granted.  Change is coming – and the UAE have been the first to act. The UAE government is to be congratulated on its real courage here and foresight.”

Our editors are continuing to follow up on this story, and will post updates to this story as we receive them…

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