Will Dubai’s 4-day summer workweek be introduced in the private sector?

Dubai’s reintroduced 'Our Flexible Summer' initiative applies only to government entities from June 29 to September 10, offering either shorter workdays or a full Friday off to improve employee wellbeing while maintaining services. Although the move has renewed discussions about similar arrangements in the private sector, business leaders say widespread adoption is unlikely because industries have different operational needs. While knowledge-based and office-based companies may experiment with flexible schedules, sectors such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing are expected to continue with traditional working patterns to meet customer and business demands.