In what could easily be called a proactive move, the UAE has set the agenda for work-life balance. It has introduced a four-and-half workweek, beginning Monday, with Friday as a half-day and Saturday/Sunday as the weekend. In essence, your weekend begins mid-Friday. While this changeover applies to the federal government, it is likely to embrace other parts of the economy as well.
All government offices will now start the New Year with a new weekend. In many ways, the transition to a Saturday-Sunday weekend brings the UAE in synch with the workings of global markets, institutions, and offices.
When the world has become one big workplace, it is natural that all economies work seamlessly. The UAE has set the agenda not just for itself but for the entire region. Like a beacon that heralds a bigger transformation, this is a necessary step to create an attractive and sustainable destination for global investment flows.
The message is profound: We are a modern city setting global benchmarks in an inter-connected world. We need to be ahead of the curve. Always. But it’s not just a macro message for the economy, and it’s a people-centric move too.
Sustainability begins at home with a work-life balance, and it’s that balance that sets those goals for holistic living. In moving to a qualitative weekend, where productivity and positivity are likely to rise, the UAE has driven home a simple point: People First. This was the great goal for the next 50, and it’s already happening.
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