A new study from Zayed University finds that the UAE's four-and-a-half-day work week, adopted across the public sector since 2022, has boosted employee motivation and work-life balance, even as many workers report more compressed and stressful workdays. The research, published in the International Social Science Journal, was conducted by Professor Linda Smail alongside Dr Mouawiya Al Awad, director of the university's Institute for Social and Economic Research.
The study surveyed 155 employees, mostly from the public and education sectors. Among respondents, 70.9 per cent said they felt more motivated at work, and 73.6 per cent reported an improved work-life balance. More than 80 per cent said they preferred the shortened week to a traditional five-day schedule. Yet 37 per cent said their working days had become more stressful because tasks were now squeezed into fewer hours.
Professor Smail said the shift is about more than working fewer hours: employees begin anticipating the coming break, which changes how they approach their week. She added that the four-and-a-half-day model redistributes workplace demands rather than simply lightening them.
Some private-sector employers said the arrangement had improved staff retention and performance, while others acknowledged difficulty managing client expectations on the extra day off — one manager noted that some clients "can't be told we're not available." Sharjah, among the seven emirates, has gone further by introducing a full three-day weekend for its employees.
Researchers say the findings could help policymakers fine-tune working-hour arrangements across different sectors as more employers weigh compressed schedules against employee wellbeing.