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 are the positive affects of the new decision on the employees' personal and work lives?
In a detailed document released by the UAE Government Media Office, increasing the weekly holiday to two and a half days will offer public sector employees several benefits. These are as follows:
- The new weekend will have a positive impact on the mental health of employees.
- It will strengthen familial bonds and community relations as employees will have more time for family, cultural and recreational activities during the holiday.
- The new system will enable employees from different groups to do activities that they could not do previously, where they can complete their postgraduate studies, participate in training courses, start a business or even travel to different destinations.
► UAE weekend change: find answers to all your queries
