Saudi introduces new limits on office size for senior government positions

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Civil Service has reportedly imposed new limits on office size for senior government officials.

Under the new rules, the offices of heads of government departments can be a maximum of 40 square metres and heads of administration 33 square metres, according to Saudi daily publication Al-Watan.

Office size for supervisors is limited to 19 square metres and regular employees 7 to 10 square metres.

The ministry directed the offices should be secured, properly designed, well furnished and air-conditioned, with sufficient ventilation and lighting.

It also said the workplace should be calm and quiet to help employees perform their duties.

The new requirements come in the belief that well-kept offices will improve performance, cut down absenteeism and increase productivity.

They follow a series of new rules for government employees including limits on worker bonuses and cuts to ministerial salaries introduced last year.

Read: Saudi Arabia reduces ministers’ pay, cuts public sector bonuses

Government workers can also now be fired under a performance evaluation system but only after being given three years to improve.

Read: Saudi government workers can now be fired