The Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) is piloting reduced working hours for participating government entities during the summer in Dubai, UAE.
Called the ‘Our Flexible Summer Initiative,’ the pilot will involve 15 government entities, with the aim of enhancing workplace flexibility by reducing working time to seven hours and suspending work on Fridays.
The initiative will be implemented from August 12, 2024, to September 30, 2024.
In preparation for the launch, DGHR conducted a survey to understand the opinions of various government entities and their willingness to reduce working hours during summer, which reportedly garnered support.
DGHR said that it will provide relevant government entities with the requisite resources to pass on feedback regarding the initiative’s impact on employees and overall productivity.
DGHR will also regularly assess the feedback received to create a final report summarising the initiative’s outcomes, the department’s recommendations, and its adaptability to various government entities.
According to His Excellency Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General of DGHR Department, the initiative aims to “enhance” employees’ quality of life and promote “sustainable use” of government resources.
“We are thrilled to announce that DGHR will be launching the ‘Our Flexible Summer’ initiative, in line with our long-standing efforts to nurture a flexible work environment that promotes the work-life balance of government employees, in accordance with best international practices,” said the Director General.
Adding: “The launch will also further our vision to empower human resources by developing smart solutions and innovative policies to uplift Dubai’s competitiveness.”