Dubai is changing its working week to match global markets

Key takeaways:

• The United Arab Emirates and Dubai, the country’s international banking hub, are switching to a four-and-a-half-day workweek that finishes at noon on Friday.
• The country enjoyed a Thursday and Friday weekend from 1999 to 2006 before switching to a Friday-Saturday weekend.

To make it easier to do business abroad, the United Arab Emirates and its international banking capital Dubai are converting to a four-and-a-half-day work week that ends at noon on Friday.

The government claimed in a statement that the transition away from the present Sunday to Thursday schedule will assist the UAE in “achieving business continuity and alignment with global economies and banking.” The reform will go into effect on January 1st, and it will affect government personnel and schools.

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Work will conclude at 12 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) on Friday to allow people to attend prayers in the UAE, which has a large Muslim population. Muslims regard Friday to be the holiest day of the week. In January, prayers will begin at 1.15 p.m. local time, an hour later than they do now.

According to the administration, employees in the public sector will also be able to work flexibly on Fridays, including from home.

According to Abdulrahman Al Awar, director-general of human resources for the UAE government, private businesses would be able to choose the weekend that best meets their needs. At least one day off will be given to employees.

“As a result, each company will make their decision based on the industry in which they operate, as well as their clients and operations,” he told CNN.

Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco, and Malaysia have adopted a Monday-Friday schedule, all largely Muslim countries.

While the transition will improve business links throughout the world, the UAE is no longer in sync with its neighbours, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Dubai’s administration declared that it would change its week by Emirates-wide policy.

This isn’t the first time the UAE’s workweek has been altered. The country enjoyed a Thursday and Friday weekend from 1999 to 2006 before switching to a Friday-Saturday weekend.

Source: CTV News

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