Four-day workweek or five: Are UAE professionals getting more done in less time? Here’s what they say

It’s something many of us would have dreamed about years ago: Just four days of work. An extra day, what would we even do with ourselves? Probably a lot, considering how quickly the weekend flies by. (If you count Saturday spent mostly sleeping and the weekend euphoria fading by Sunday morning, replaced by the looming Monday gloom.)

But this is no longer just a dream for many companies—it’s becoming a reality. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been an ongoing question: Is the traditional five-day workweek really necessary, or can we actually get more done in just four days?

Some forward-thinking organisations in the UAE adopted the four-day model long before it became trendy. Natasha Hatherall-Shaw, CEO and director of Tish Tash Communications, recalls how transformative the change has been.  “Honestly, we have only found it to be a game changer for our business—both in terms of productivity, team morale and business performance.”

As she notes, with fewer days at work, teams naturally become more focused, efficient, and outcome-driven. “Employees have reported feeling more energised, motivated, and balanced when surveyed—which all leads to higher engagement and better quality work. The reality is, if we’re honest, much of our traditional workweek is riddled with procrastination, unnecessary meetings, and distractions. When time is limited, ‘we just focus and make it happen.’ The output often remains the same or even increases, despite reduced hours. It encourages smarter ways of working and not longer hours.”

This shift has had lasting effects for Tish Tash, reflected in the fact that over 50 per cent of their workforce have stayed for more than five years, many for over eight. Their client retention rate is equally impressive, proving that this new model is actually benefiting all, as she says.

The push for a four-day workweek is gaining unstoppable momentum as employees and businesses, are compelled rethink the traditional nine-to-five, five-day grind. According to a LinkedIn Workforce Confidence survey, a staggering 54 per cent of employees rank a four-day workweek among their top three workplace benefits. This enthusiasm is strongest among younger generations—62 per cent of millennials and Gen Z workers are championing a shorter workweek. This shift signals a growing demand for better work-life balance, less burnout, and more flexibility, marking a clear move away from the old five-day norm.

Crippling workplace anxiety and burnout, just to name a few reasons. According to LinkedIn Workforce Confidence survey, 63 per cent of knowledge workers admitting to experiencing it in the past year. Younger employees are hit hardest, 74 per cent of millennials and 84% of Gen Z report feeling overworked and overwhelmed.

As the survey showed, the pandemic reshaped expectations around work itself. Remote work, flexible hours, and shorter weeks are no longer perks and are becoming essentials. Employees now prioritise their well-being over sticking to outdated work schedules.

LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Talent Trends report confirms this shift, revealing that work-life balance is increasingly valued—even more than salary. For many, the four-day workweek isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the key to reducing burnout while maintaining high productivity, proving you can do more with less time on the clock.

Workplace culture expert and podcast co-host Lorna King describes the four-day work week as ‘a cultural reset, not just a calendar shift.’ She explains that the traditional five-day work week is a Western invention designed for an industrial era. “It wasn’t even law until 1938,” she says, pointing out that before that, people often worked 60 to 100 hours weekly. Henry Ford introduced the five-day week not out of progressivism, but because he wanted workers with free time to buy his cars. In King’s words,

“The five-day work week wasn’t built for us, it was built for machines.” In contrast, as she says, UAE embraces values like family, faith, and flexibility. When Sharjah introduced a four-day week for government employees in 2022, it wasn’t just a scheduling change.”  The UAE federal government then adopted a 4.5-day work week, aligning weekends with global markets while preserving Friday’s cultural significance. This change has been praised for enhancing work-life balance, boosting global competitiveness, and increasing employee happiness. King sums it up: “We’re not just working fewer days, we’re working smarter and living better.”

Moreover, there’s the rise of AI, too, which needs to be factored in. A recent study from the St. Louis Fed found that generative AI saves users an average of 5.4 per cent of their work hours, leading to a 1.1% increase in workforce productivity—‘like getting an extra half-day of output without adding a single hour,’ King notes. This raises an important question: “If your team hits its KPIs in four days, why are you making them stay for five?”

King acknowledges that the four-day week won’t fit all industries equally. Manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and retail often require continuous operations. But even in these sectors, she argues, the assumption that more hours equal more output is flawed.

She points to Henry Ford’s factories as proof that shorter work weeks can boost productivity and reduce turnover. The key, she says, is flexibility: staggered shifts, compressed hours, or job sharing. “The four-day week isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but it’s a question every organisation should be asking.”

People aren’t machines—so why are work structures designed as if they are?

Dubai-based Alvira Dhawan, a business psychologist echoes this sentiment strongly.  She notes the clear benefits of the four-day work week: Lower stress, better work-life balance, and higher job satisfaction. Teams tend to cut unnecessary meetings and prioritise more sharply. Organisations that offer this flexibility often see better retention and engagement, especially among younger workers who value mental health and meaningful work.

However, she cautions that if expectations aren’t adjusted, the shorter week can feel like cramming five days into four—‘which helps no one.’ Not all sectors can implement this model easily, particularly healthcare, hospitality, and client-facing roles that need constant coverage. Leaders also need training to manage based on outcomes, not hours, a shift that requires time.

Dhawan highlights that knowledge-based industries—tech, design, consulting, education, benefit the most. She stresses: Roles requiring creativity, deep focus, or emotional energy gain from having time to recharge. As she says,  “A four-day work week isn’t a magic fix. It’s a tool that needs to be used wisely. When done right, it reflects something I believe deeply: healthier people build healthier workplaces and that’s where real productivity begins.”

The four-day work week is a strong shift, one that prioritses outcomes, wellbeing, and flexibility, concludes King. While it may not be a solid fit for every industry, its growing adoption signals a new era where smarter work, flexibility, and balance take precedence over hours clocked. As organisations and employees navigate this transition, the challenge will be to find models that foster both efficiency and humanity. Ultimately, those who embrace this change thoughtfully stand to create healthier workplaces and more fulfilled teams, proving that sometimes, less really can be more.