Abstract

On December 7, 2021, the United Arab Emirates announced that all government offices would shift to a four and half day workweek. The, the move was aimed at improving the economic competitiveness of the nation and at attracting investors from across the world. Previously, the UAE had followed a five-day workweek, with Fridays and Saturdays being off. The Minister of Human Resources of the UAE also urged private companies to follow the new workweek. While the move was appreciated by industry, there was criticism from conservative religious practitioners who said the move could dilute the identity of the countries known for religious and cultural hegemony. The criticism emanated with the move to make Friday a partial working day for first time in the history of Arab countries. Friday, considered to be an auspicious day for the Muslim community, is a holiday in many countries in the Arab region. People spend Friday afternoons attending religious programs. To accommodate this, the UAE made Friday a half day of working, enabling people to attend prayers beginning from 1.30 pm. These changes were a part of several changes that the governments of the UAE brought in to make the UAE an attractive investment destination, and also to attract talented professionals.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• The objectives of companies and countries opting for a reduced working week
• The pros and cons of a reduced working week
• Feasibility and constraints of shifting to a reduced working week
• The global status of adoption of a reduced working week

Keywords

United Arab Emirates; Four and half day workweek; National Working Week; Attract Investments; UAE government; Islamic personal laws; UAE passport; Globalization; Multinational companies; business environment; investor friendly