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8/9/24, 4:56 PM Dubai's four-day working week could be 'win-win proposition', employment experts say | The National
Dubai's four-day working week could be 'win-win proposition', employment experts say

Recruitment and HR professionals share their thoughts on the emirate's new trial

Katy Gillett
08 August, 2024

Dubai’s new trial of a four-day working week for select government staff has the potential

to boost productivity and encourage the private sector to follow suit, employment experts

have told The National.

The pilot scheme, called Our Summer is Flexible and launched by the Dubai Government
Human Resources Department, will see work suspended on Fridays and the working day

reduced to seven hours across 15 government organisations from August 12 to September

30.

“By offering employees more flexibility, this policy has the potential to boost productivity

and enhance job satisfaction while reducing burnout,” said Richard Jackson, chief

operating officer at TASC Group, a Middle East recruitment and HR solutions specialist.

“Several studies over the past few years highlight the idea that employees seek a good

work-life balance as this improves their productivity and loyalty to work,” he added.

“A positive work culture also enhances employee retention.”

Sharjah case study

While the idea of a four-day work week is decades old, it gained traction during the

Covid-19 pandemic.

Several trials have taken place across the world over recent years and, in 2022, Sharjah

implemented a permanent four-day working week after the UAE switched to a four-and-a-
half-day week in January that same year.

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