Page 320 - DGHR PR REPORT - AUGUST 2024

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

Research has shown the policy in Sharjah has led to a significant positive impact on

employee well-being, with a 90 per cent increase in job satisfaction, 87 per cent

improvement in mental health and an 86 per cent boost in productivity, according to the

emirate’s Department of Statistics and Community Development.

“Employees report better work-life balance, experiencing decreased stress and fatigue,

which enhances family and community cohesion,” said Mr Jackson. “Environmental
benefits have also been observed, with a reduction in traffic accidents and emissions.”

Higher productivity and healthier employees

The largest four-day week trial took place in the UK in 2022. It ran for six months and

required firms to reduce their working hours for all employees by 20 per cent without any
reduction in wages.

There were 61 companies across various sectors involved, most of which continued the

policy after the experiment ended, with a third saying they switched to the new model

https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2024/08/08/dubai-four-day-week-private-sector/ 2/5