UAE switches weekend, announces four-and-a-half-day working week

The UAE has announced a new four-and-a-half-day working week for federal government entities.

The move, effective from January 1, 2022, comes alongside new working hours.

The new working week will run from Monday until Thursday, 7.30am to 3.30pm, and on Friday from 7.30am to 12pm.

The UAE has become the first nation worldwide to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week, official news agency WAM reported. The move aims to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing.

#UAE announces today that it will transition to a four and a half day working week, with Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday forming the new weekend.

All Federal government departments will move to the new weekend from January 1, 2022. pic.twitter.com/tQoa22pai9

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) December 7, 2021

Friday sermons and prayers across the UAE will also be held from 1.15pm onwards throughout the year. More so, federal employees will have the flexibility to work from home on Fridays, as well as to arrange their working hours on a flexi-time basis.

Economically, the new working week will align the UAE with global markets, ensuring seamless financial, trade and economic transactions with countries that follow a Saturday/Sunday weekend. It will also facilitate stronger international business links and opportunities for local and multinational companies, and bring the country’s financial sector in lockstep with global real-time trading and communications-based transactions.

No directives have been issued for the private sector thus far.