UAE announced on Tuesday 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.
The authorities added that with this move, the UAE has become the first nation in the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week.
The working week will start on Monday and end by Friday afternoon. The working hours for federal employees are set to be from 7.30 pm to 3.30 pm, with 8.5 working hours per day. On Friday, employees will work for 4.5 hours.
On Fridays, employees will also be allowed to choose flexible work or work-from-home options. The long weekend is aimed at boosting productivity and improving work-life balance.
- New system to apply in federal government entities
- 8 working hours a day on Monday to Thursday from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM
- 4.5 working hours on Friday from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM
- Friday Sermons and prayers to be held after 1:15 PM all year long in UAE
- Possibility of flexible working hours and work from home options on Fridays
- Longer weekends to boost productivity and improve work-life balance
- Starting from 1st of January 2022
Alongside the move, Friday sermons and prayers across the UAE will be held from 1:15 pm. Government staff will have the flexibility to make arrangements to work from home on Fridays, as well as to arrange their working hours on a flexi-time basis.
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