UAE government outlines 'compelling' case for remote working - with cutting traffic among benefits

Hybrid-working model an 'opportunity not a threat', official report says, with tackling congestion a key target

Companies that offer staff hybrid working have a powerful advantage over those that do not, a report commissioned by the UAE government has found.

The white-paper study, titled Remote Working in the UAE, concluded that "the overall direction is clear. Remote working is more of an opportunity than it is a threat". The report found the argument for a policy that supports remote work was compelling, with evidence showing a hybrid model that combined working from home and the office can increase productivity.

The hybrid model was also best for increasing inclusivity and workforce well-being, as well as increasing the potential talent available to a company, to include more women and people with caring responsibilities at home, as well as those who were no longer constrained by proximity to a fixed office location, the report said.

"Remote work is here to stay, let us embrace together," said Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, in the foreword to the report. The minister also made reference to the UAE's success in introducing a remote-working strategy that was largely adopted due to the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This was a critical time," he said. "It demonstrated the UAE leadership’s determination to not only ensure business continuity during the pandemic, but also to leverage the crisis as a catalyst for monumental economic growth. These efforts have cemented our nation’s status as a haven for people who want to work from anywhere, enabled by a digital and legislative infrastructure unparalleled in its support for the modern workforce."

Remote conclusions

The report said the burden of evidence showed that "remote working in a hybrid setting conferred powerful advantages on organisations". However, it also touched on the fact that not everybody was convinced of its merits, especially now the worst effects of the pandemic are largely behind us.

"Managers and employees may feel that they are not as connected to the team when working remotely as opposed to working in the office," said Iman Bin Khatem, chief executive of the Policies & Programmes Sector, Dubai Government Human Resources Department, whose comments were included in the study.

"Remote workers might experience a sense of isolation and disconnection from their co-workers, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and disengagement," he added. "That means managers must communicate often to increase empathy levels, they have to provide tools and methods not only for the efficient exchange of information and connectivity, but also to ensure employees’ engagement and active participation in different activities."

Another benefit of remote working highlighted in the report was how it can reduce traffic congestion during peak times, an advantage flagged up in surveys conducted by the Roads and Transport Authority and the Dubai Government Human Resources Department in November last year. The surveys showed that flexible hours and remote-working policies could ease congestion on Dubai roads by cutting peak-hour traffic by 30 per cent.

"The adoption of remote work and flexible working hours by the government and private sectors is a necessity and a basic need to provide a flexible work environment that achieves comfort and safety for employees and enhances their quality of life," the government's media office said at the time.

The surveys looked at how flexible working hours, with a two-hour start window, and four to five days of remote working per month across both the private and public sectors in Dubai, affected daily traffic.

Freelance opportunities

Companies can also do more to take advantage of the UAE's remote working visas, according to another section of the final report.

"Policymakers should be aware that freelance visas are advantageous not only for workers but also for employers, who see remote working as the employment model most likely to fill emerging skills gaps," the report said. The remote-working visa, introduced in 2022, allows people to live in the Emirates but work for a company that does not operate in the country.