What can we do to boost productivity? Create a 4.5 day work week...

There are many things that we can learn from the Arab nations when it comes to taking ownership of their lives. When we think about the Middle East, in particular the United Arab Emirates, we think prestigious lifestyles, over-the-top shopping, and Emiratis ruling their country in style. 

But there is so much more to this part of the world. Besides the sense of history and royalty, there is also a sense of wanting to improve, most especially with the younger generation of Emiratis. The focus has shifted to becoming more productive and yet not spending copious amounts of time at work. 

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So it has come as no surprise to us that the United Arab Emirates have announced that they will be introducing 4.5 day work weeks for their federal workers. Currently, the weekend runs from Thursday night to Saturday night. With this new update, the weekend will now run from Friday at 12:00 until Sunday night. 

The new change is meant to allow workers the option of possibly having more flexible working hours, working-from-home, and also it is aimed at boosting levels of productivity. This will also help improve the work-life balance of workers. 

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So, basically, they will be following the same weekend schedule as the rest of the world now, with an added half a day to the weekend. Hey, we are not complaining, an extension to the weekend is definitely something that can help many people who feel like their weekends are too short. 

But more than that, the fact that they are looking at improving the level of productivity and encouraging a healthier work-life balance, that shows some sense of interest when it comes to the well-being of the staff. 

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