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11/13/24, 9:24 AM Dubai traffic: RTA urges flexible working hours and remote working to cut traffic | Time Out Dubai
A plan to introduce remote work and flexible hours has been approved (Credit: Canva)

One of the biggest causes of traffic in Dubai is the daily commute to and from our homes to the office.

The two surveys looked at how slight tweaks in policy related to how the private and public sectors
structure the working day in Dubai could lead to a cut in traffic.

The first survey covered 644 companies with more than 320,000 employees and the second surveyed
12,000 employees from the private sector.

The study found that implementing flexible working hours, with a two-hour start window, and remote
work—allowing four to five remote workdays per month for employees in both public and private
sectors—can reduce morning peak travel time across Dubai by 30 percent.

For example, if 20 percent of employees work remotely, traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road could decrease
by 9.8 percent and on Al Khail Road by 8.4 percent.

Additionally, flexible working hours alone could reduce traffic volumes by 5.7 percent on Sheikh Zayed
Road and 5 percent on Al Khail Road.

Findings also showed that 32 percent of private companies currently implement remote work policies
with a further 58 percent of companies expressing readiness to expand remote work.

And an additional 31 percent of companies have implemented flexible work hours with the potential
expansion possible for 66 percent of those not currently applying the policy.

Statistics revealed that 80 percent of government entities have offered employees the option to work
remotely twice per week.

The survey also shows that 80.4 percent of those who do work flexibly believe their productivity while
working remotely matches that in the office, with 90 percent reporting no issues with communication or
connectivity with colleagues or managers.

The survey was first carried out in May by the RTA and Dubai Government and encouraged workers in
the private sector to participate.

Dubai traffic: What Dubai decision makers say about the remote work and

flexible working plans

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