Dubai to trial four-day working week for government employees over summer

Pilot scheme aims to improve work-life balance for workforce

Dubai will trial a four-day working week with shorter daily hours for many government staff this summer.

Work will be suspended on Fridays and the working day will be reduced to seven hours for 15 government organisations from August 12 to September 30.

It is part of a pilot scheme launched by the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, called Our Summer is Flexible, which aims to enhance performance and quality of life for employees.

Staff were asked to fill out a survey on summer working hours, and proposals to cut office time in August and September received great support, state news agency Wam reported.

The human resources department will monitor observations and feedback to submit final recommendations on whether the pilot scheme should become a long-term policy for future summers.

Sharjah introduced a four-day working week in 2022, after the UAE government switched to a four-and-half day week in January that year.

The biggest trial of a four-day working week took place in the UK in 2022. Afterwards, most of the 61 companies involved pledged to continue with the policy, while a third said they had switched to the new model permanently.

None of the 2,900 trial participants wanted to return to a five-day week and all the companies involved reported lower stress and better health among employees.

Wednesday's announcement contributes to a directive issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, which aims to turn Dubai into the world’s best city to live in.

In May, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, approved the Quality of Life Strategy that includes increasing the length of beach cycling tracks by 300 per cent, extending the length of night swimming beaches by 60 per cent, and designating new beaches for women.

Abdullah Al Falasi, director general of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, said: “We aim to improve the quality of life of employees and enhance the sustainability of government resources, which ultimately contributes to consolidating Dubai’s global position as a preferred city for living and working by providing a new model experience that integrates the elements of quality of life.”