Dubai's four-day week trial could revolutionise working hours

Dubai's trial of a shorter working week is being led by the government; state buy-in is an important part of embedding such major societal and economic changes. Getty

An announcement by Dubai authorities that for the next seven weeks employees at 15 government entities will work a four-day week has generated a buzz among those advocating for a rethink about society’s relationship with the workplace. The pilot scheme, which will also see shifts reduced to seven hours, is in line with Dubai, and the UAE more widely, consistently seeking ways to improve people’s living conditions.

For as long as almost anyone alive almost anywhere in the world can remember, work life has followed a familiar pattern: five days on, two days off. The week, the weekend. That model has its roots in the Europe of the Industrial Revolution. In the Gulf, this arrangement became the norm in the mid-20th century, largely a byproduct of the global oil industry’s role in the region’s nascent economies. But a 21st-century world of Zoom calls, hybrid working and flexible hours is making it necessary to question long-held assumptions.

The UAE has a well-deserved reputation for innovation. From striving to diversify its economy to investing in renewable energy, the country takes a pro-active, long-term approach to meeting the challenges thrown up by an age of disruption. It is unsurprising, then, the country would serve as a stage for innovation in the area of work-life balance. Country-wide adoption of remote working when needed is one way, in addition to Sharjah’s successful introduction of a four-day working week in 2022.

There are pros and cons to a four-day week; proponents say it can improve employees’ mental health, increase job satisfaction, boost productivity and help organisations to retain talent. Critics claim it can lead to scheduling difficulties and may not be suitable for every industry. What is necessary to prove or disprove these claims is evidence, and Dubai’s pilot scheme will give the authorities plenty of data upon which to make a policy decision.

In this regard, Dubai is in step with other countries that have examined the consequences of a four-day week, with interesting results. A six-month study of 41 Portuguese companies last year revealed that a shortened working week led to work exhaustion falling by 19 per cent and challenges to maintaining a work-life balance dropping from 46 per cent to 8 per cent. In 2022, nearly 3,000 employees across 61 British companies that trialled a shorter working week reported lower stress and better health. None of the participants wanted to return to a five-day week.

What is different in Dubai is the fact that this trial is being led by the government. State buy-in is an important part of embedding such major societal and economic changes. Dubai is also an international hub for commerce and finance; the findings from this trial could determine if less work and more play can compliment and maintain a booming UAE economy.

This approach of valuing employee welfare while remaining focused on delivery was articulated by Abdullah Al Falasi, director general of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department. “We aim to improve the quality of life of employees and enhance the sustainability of government resources,” he said, adding that this “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”.

For those Dubai employees embarking on this study, the next seven weeks will be an interesting journey. If successful, it is a journey that more employers may consider taking in the months and years ahead.