Major firms opt for straight shift

Fujairah: In line with the major centres of business in the country, companies in Fujairah have adopted a clear shift in working hours, dropping the split shift in favour of the continuous shift.

More and more companies are making changes to their working practices in what they see as an inevitable move to keep up with prevailing business trends in the country.

Nowar Mohammad Al Diyab, a PRO for Al Yamahi Group, says working hours for the different branches of the company differ according to the nature of each business.

"We own and run a number of smaller companies and each has their own timings," she said. "Here in our head office our work is mostly finished by the afternoon.

"For the other branches of the company, however, things are different. Car rental companies and teaching schools, for example, use split shifts to satisfy client needs," she added.

Ali Mohammad Ahmad, PRO for Gulf Star Minerals and Aggregates, is convinced that a straight shift provides practical benefits for both employer and employees.

"Most companies now operate on a straight shift basis; this means we, as a company, can deal with other businesses and government contacts well before 5pm, in the afternoon," he said.

Abdullah Al Eter, Managing Director of Orange Programming Support, said most companies they deal with in Abu Dhabi and Dubai close their doors at six, so they followed suit.

Al Eter added that the company's decision to squeeze a 51-hour, six-day week into 5 working days has improved the social lives of employees.