Is five-day week good for workers bad for business?

Service industry providers feel two-day weekend would take away major chunk of their revenue

It will definitely not be good for business," says Anwari, a beautician at a ladies salon in Sharjah.

She was commenting on a Gulf News question whether it would be better to have a five-day week for private sector employees in the UAE. She works from 10 in the morning to 9.30 at night, which is a gruelling 11 and a half hours every day, or a 69-hour week.

She works a single shift, with an hour's break for lunch. She does not mind the long hours, she says. Anwari gets one day off, which is better than the half day off she got when working in a salon in Dubai.

The beauticians take off-days in turns so there's always someone working at the salon every day of the week. She says that two days off will be bad for business as most of her customers come either on Thursday or Friday. "One day is enough to do my personal work," she says.

Labour law

The labour law in the UAE is loosely based on the International Labour Organisation model. UAE Law No. 8 of 1980, amended by Law No. 12 of 1986 (the "Labour Law") governs most aspects of employer-employee relations, leave, termination rights, medical benefits and repatriation, and hours of work.

The normal maximum working hours are eight per day, or a 48-hour week. But these hours may be increased to nine every day for people working in the retail trade, hotels, restaurants and other such establishments. In practice, commercial and professional firms work 40-45 hours a week and government departments and ministries about 35.

Public sector workers get two days off, while private sector office workers traditionally get Thursday afternoon off and Friday.

Parvaiz M, who works with a logistics company, says it would be impossible to take two days off. "Our customers are mostly retailers. They supply the market with consumer goods. For them Thursday would be a crucial day and they would need to get goods across in a short time."

Asked what he feels about getting two days off as an employee, he said it would be welcome, taking into account the long working days here. His day starts at 8.00am and ends sometime between six or seven in the evening. "In India, the day normally starts at 9.00am."

Asim Arshad, general manager of Orient Travels, feels that a five day week will make people more productive. "I have had experience running a travel agency in Canada. People get time to socialise and get their personal work done. And they are fresh and eager to get back to work after the two days off."

He said the travel industry, because of the nature of work, does not allow the staff to take off for two days. "We work 365 days a year." He said if the two-day weekend is instituted it should be done throughout the UAE.

Asked if when a five-day week is introduced, won't workers slip off early on Wednesday, he said that depends on the companies and how disciplined their workforce is. "We represent a lot of international airlines and we can't afford to take off earlier."

Experts say that there are two main reasons for reduced working hours over the week. One is to allow the workers to rest and be with their families. Two, to reduce stress and improve health and consequently, increase production.

Generally, a 48-hour week is the norm in about 48 countries. A human resource expert says the idea that extra hours equal extra productivity, is wrong. "It's true up to a point, then it's totally false," he says. He says that in a short burst of overtime, it is likely that most workers will get more done than if they had worked 40 hours. "In a long bout of overtime, as fatigue mounts, carelessness increases while concentration and creativity decrease.

Taken to extremes this can lead to increased illness and increased likelihood of family problems, such as divorce. None of this is good for productivity."

Contentious issue

Talking about a five-day week is a contentious issue in our company, says one expat, who did not wish to be identified. The company earlier had a five-day week policy. Then it suddenly reverted to a five-and-a-half-day week, with Thursday as a half day.

"Fridays, you can't get any personal chores done. So what people do is take some time off from their work during the week days. Giving Thursday off will also help boost the economy. You will have more shoppers. Most multinational companies give a two day off. Etisalat and all the government offices are closed for two days Why not the private sector?"

Another expat says: "Companies must realise that the 'work harder, not smarter' philosophy doesn't really do anything to productivity or the bottom line."