Dubai Introduces 4-Day summer workweek for government staff

The Government of Dubai has announced a new summer workweek plan to give some government employees more flexible working hours.

This plan will run from July 1 to September 12, 2025, and is designed to support employee well-being and save resources during the hot summer months.

Under this new system, government employees will be divided into two groups:

• The first group will work 8 hours per day from Monday to Thursday and enjoy a 3-day weekend from Friday to Sunday.

• The second group will work 7 hours per day from Monday to Thursday, and a half-day on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday off.

This change comes after a successful trial run during the summer of 2024. The Dubai Government Human Resources Department had collected employee feedback and found that shorter working hours helped improve work-life balance, especially in August and September when temperatures are highest.

Following the success of the trial, officials decided to continue the program for another year. Director General Abdullah Al Faisal said that the goal is to improve the quality of life for government workers and use public resources wisely.

Dubai’s move follows similar efforts in Sharjah, which became the first emirate to shift to a 4-day workweek in 2022, giving public sector workers a 3-day weekend. That same year, the UAE federal government moved to a 4.5-day workweek, with Friday as a half-day.

The idea of shorter workweeks is also gaining popularity around the world. In 2022, the UK ran a six-month trial with 61 companies testing a 4-day workweek.

After the trial, 56 companies continued with the new schedule, and 18 made it permanent. Workers reported better productivity, higher job satisfaction, and an improved work-life balance.

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