Dubai: 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.
What impact does the new work system decision have?
As per a detailed document released by the UAE Government Media Office, the new work system will:
- Better align the UAE with global markets and boost business continuity.
- Bring the UAE’s financial sector into closer alignment with global real-time trading and communications-based transactions.
- Enhance the UAE's position within the labour system indicators.
- Enable employees to effectively engage in activities they could not previously have done, such as starting a business, pursuing education or travelling.
► UAE weekend change: find answers to all your queries
