61.69% Support the New 4.5 Day Work Week in the UAE

The 4.5 Day Work Week in UAE led to mixed reactions from all sectors in the country and the world. As a predominantly Muslim country (and an Arab one at that), the UAE is expected to give a full day off on Friday, while residents practicing other religions will have to adjust. However, changes in the work week have very little to do with religion – according to leaders, this is due to the country’s aim of boosting its economic connection with its Western partners.

Still, the effect of the new UAE work week on the private sector is far-reaching. Truth be told, both public and private entities are still in the process of restructuring their operations as per the new policy. Real Research — the online survey application, conducted a survey to know how the public society views the ‘UAE work week private sector’ changes.

Highlights

• 61.69% of respondents agree to the UAE work week change.
• 44.64% believe other Gulf nations will follow the UAE’s change in work week.
• 34.64% are not sure if the new 4.5 day work week should apply to the private sector.

Many Express Misgivings Regarding UAE’s 4.5 Day Work Week

To be clear, a majority of respondents (61.69%) approved of the new work week. Only 38.31% expressed their disagreement on the 4.5 day work week.

On the matter of other Gulf nations possibly adopting the same new work week, 44.64% think that this is possible. In contrast, a solid 33.69% of the respondents remained uncertain. Meanwhile, 21.67% believe that other Gulf countries will not switch to UAE’s new work week model.

29.11% Believe the New Work Week Will Apply to the Private Sector

Many companies in the UAE do not implement the 4.5 day work week, although they have moved the weekend to Saturday and Sunday. In addition, holidays and school schedules will definitely see an abrupt shift to accommodate the new work schedule. However, 29.11% are convinced that private companies will come around.

22.80% of the respondents think that the UAE work week change will probably apply to the private sector, while 13.46% believe otherwise. On the other hand, 34.64% answered that they are ‘not sure’.

26.84% Think the UAE Will Set the Trend Globally

With the implementation of the new work week, the UAE has certainly caught the attention of the rest of the world. In fact, the UAE is one of the fastest-growing economies globally, and its impact goes far beyond the Gulf region.

When asked whether other countries globally will rethink their work week setup, 26.84% responded ‘Most definitely’. Up to 23.16% also believe in the possibility of this happening. On the contrary, 14.05% of the respondents think that the UAE’s 4.5 day work week change will not have any effect on the rest of the world.