Sharjah will embrace a three-day break, with Friday off completely, along with Saturday and Sunday.

A few days back when the UAE announced a shift in its weekend from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday with a half-day on Friday, happiness amongst government employees knew no bound.

While Government workers in all other Emirates will have a two-and-a-half-day weekend, with Friday as half-day for Muslims to attend prayers and sermons—Sharjah, however, will embrace a three-day break, with Friday off completely.

The decision was approved by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, that comes in line with the UAE’s vision to reduce the workweek and promote social wellbeing.

The working hours for the employees are now set at 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM from Monday to Thursday, starting from January 1, 2022.

It was last week when the UAE government announced the decision stating the benefits of having fewer working days and had highlighted how it will boost family ties and offer the best quality of life.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, hailed the Sharjah Ruler for making the Emirate the first Arab city to implement a three-day weekend. “Reducing the number of working hours and increasing the weekend are known to have boosted productivity and employee well-being in countries around the world,” he said.

From the economic point of view, Sharjah serves as a base for some companies seeking lower business costs than in the commercial hub of Dubai or the capital Abu Dhabi. It has its own port, airport, and free zones. Moreover, the UAE’s financial sector will be in synch with global real-time trading and communications-based transactions, especially those in the field of global stock markets, banks and financial institutions.