This major city has ditched the five-day work week employee happiness increases

Another major city is introducing a four-day week for thousands of workers, with the shorter work week movement continuing to grow globally.Within a matter of days, employees in Dubai’s public sector will be enjoying three-day weekends and reduced working hours as part of the city’s “Our Flexible Summer” initiative.Kicking off on July 1 and running until September 12, the reduced summer schedule introduced by the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) aims to allow workers more flexibility and access to greater work-life balance.As part of the scheme, public sector employees will be divided and put onto two separate flexible working schedules.Those in group one will work Monday to Thursday for 8 hours a day and have Fridays off.Those in group two will also work Monday to Thursday but only for 7 hours a day and will work 4.5 hour days on Fridays.The government decided to roll out the change to all employees following a successful pilot phase last year which was found to have improved overall employee satisfaction and happiness, along with increased productivity.Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director-General of DGHR, said the policy reflected the government’s overall vision to create a modern workforce that prioritizes work-life balance.“This isn’t just a shift in working hours — it’s a reflection of the government’s evolving mindset.We are prioritizing employee wellbeing alongside institutional efficiency,” he said.“This initiative demonstrates our firm commitment to enhancing the government work environment, making it more adaptable and responsive to the needs of employees and the community.”Al Falasi said the expanded edition of the previous four-day week trial builds on the successful outcomes seen last year.He said the move supports Dubai’s aspirations to be a leader in delivering “flexible, sustainable, and people-centric government services.”The change comes amid an increasing number of four-day week changes and ...