Want to work only 4 days a week? Move to THESE countries

This week, in a move to reduce the stress of employees, the United Arab Emirates has reduced its working hours for its federal employees. The government took to Twitter to announce the news that from January 1, 2022, the new weekend will run from 12 pm local time on Friday to Sunday night. Employees will now have a 4.5-day work week according to new rules. As of now, the week currently runs from Thursday night to Saturday night. 

According to reports, this change is aimed at improving employee productivity by helping them maintain a work-life balance. 

Following UAE's footsteps, the southern Gulf emirate of Sharjah has also announced to shift to a three-day weekend for the official sector on Thursday, December 9. The Sharjah Executive Council said that the decision was taken in line with the UAE vision to enhance its competitive position.

Now, the weekend in Sharjah will run between Friday and Sunday. The change will take place from January 1. 

Countries like Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and Scotland have already made a move in this direction and have a 4-day workweek. Most importantly, the quality of work has improved in these countries over time due to the change.