The United Arab Emirates is moving to a 4.5-day work week for its federal employees. The government tweeted that from January 1, 2022, the new weekend will run from 12 noon local time on Friday to Sunday night. The weekend currently is from Thursday night to Saturday night. The change is aimed at boosting productivity and improving work-life balance.

The new eight-hour workday is from Monday to Thursday, 7.30 am to 3.30 pm, and from 7.30 am to 12 noon on Friday.

PM Modi likely to sign the proposed India-UAE free trade agreement in Dubai in Jan 2022

Reports say the longer weekends are expected to improve employees’ work-life balance and ensure smooth financial, trade and economic transactions, besides facilitating international links and opportunities for UAE-based multinational firms.

Saudi, UAE detect first cases of new Omicron Covid variant

According to BusinessInsider , some experts feel that shorter work weeks will lead to an increase in productivity and quality life for employees.

Some countries like Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and Scotland, among others, have announced four-day work weeks to promote work-life balance. Trials of the changed hours in New Zealand, Japan and Iceland have shown improvements in productivity and wellbeing of employees.