The UAE government is introducing a new four-and-a-half-day working week on January 1, 2022. It affects federal government entities and is coupled with new working hours, with Monday to Thursday workdays now beginning at 7.30 am and ending at 3.30 pm, and Friday working from 7.30 am to 12.00 pm.
In addition, Friday sermons and prayers will be held across the Emirates at 1.15 pm. Government staff will have the option of working from home on Fridays or adjusting their working hours on a flexible schedule.
Besides advancing the UAE’s economic competitiveness, the extended weekend is an integral part of the UAE government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing.
The new week will facilitate a better alignment of the Emirates with global markets from an economic perspective, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the global economic map.
This move will facilitate smooth financial, trade, and economic transactions with countries that observe a Saturday/Sunday weekend, improving international business links and opportunities for thousands of UAE-based and multinational companies.
It will also align the UAE’s financial sector with real-time global trading and communications-based transactions, similar to those that drive the stock markets, banks, and financial institutions worldwide. In addition to boosting trading opportunities, this change in the workweek will enhance the flexible, secure, and enjoyable lifestyle the Emirates provides to its citizens and residents.