São Paulo – The government of the United Arab Emirates announced it would implement changes to the workweek, which will last four and a half days, from Monday to Friday at noon. The measure will go into effect as of January 1, 2022. Currently, the working week in the country is from Sunday to Thursday.
The announcement was published on the official local news agency, WAM. From Monday to Thursday, working hours will be from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, and on Friday from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm. Friday sermons and prayers will begin at 1:15 pm, after hours. The new working week will better align the UAE with global markets, as most countries work from Monday to Friday
WAM reported the UAE are the first to introduce a workweek shorter than the five-day global one. According to the agency, the long weekend is part of the government’s efforts to boost its citizens’ work-life balance and improve social well-being.
The country, however, is also working to increase its economic competitiveness. Among other advantages, the government announced implementing an agile work system to allow the UAE to respond quickly to changes and improve workplace well-being.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
