Readers demanded a “Saturday holiday” for the private sector

78% of "Emirates Today" readers: Reducing the number of working days per week to 4... Increases productivity

In the opinion of survey participants, long working hours are not an indicator of productivity.

archival

The Icelandic experiment with reducing the number of working days per week to four days, without compromising salaries, has been a resounding success, according to several reports and opinion polls in which a large proportion of the working Icelandic people participated. Researchers revealed that this experiment is the largest experiment in reducing working hours in the world, And that this experience must be transferred to other countries and study its results.

In this context, the newspaper "Emirates Today" conducted an opinion poll, on its platforms on social networking sites "Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram", in which it asked its followers about their opinion of the idea, and whether reducing working days per week would increase productivity or not.

Readers on Twitter supported this experiment by 78%, and found that reducing the number of working days per week increases productivity, enhances family bonding, gives workers more time to devote themselves to their hobbies, and leads to permanent positive changes at the level of work and improvement in the performance of workers.

While the percentage of participants who did not support the idea was 22%.

Productivity Boost

On the three platforms, the majority of readers found that reducing workweeks balances health and work life, creates more time for workers to devote to their hobbies and families, and is expected to improve their job performance.

Readers pointed out that working hours limited to long working hours constrain the employee's creativity and development and restrict him to a fatal work routine.

The reader, Maryam, said: "Yes, it increases productivity, repairs the psychological state, renews energy and brings happiness to employees."

As the reader, Bushra Sabt, said: "The more comfortable the employee is, the more productive he is, and it gives the youth a scope for creativity and the development of private businesses and small projects to be a source of state income."

more time

On the other hand, readers emphasized that reducing the number of working days would achieve a balance between the employee's work life and personal life, freeing up more time for family, and social activities that are difficult to participate in under work pressures.

The reader, Nesma Mustafa, said: “Sure.

Because female employees are under pressure between the right of the family and the requirements of working hours, especially the nine-hour workday for six days a week..and this is something stressful and stresses the nerves.”

The reader (Mohammed) said: “Of course, this allows more time for family and social activities, and a return of the mind to work more purely, with concentration and doubled effort.”

As the reader Basma Atef said: “Yes, of course, some time should be devoted to personal and family life, but at the present time work and work are stealing time. Work pressure and long working hours.

reduce hours

For their part, readers found that reducing the number of working hours per day may be better than eliminating an entire working day, noting that there is a direct relationship, in their view, between productivity and the length of the working day, and that the longer the working day, the lower the worker’s productivity, and vice versa.

The reader (Malikah) said: “Reducing the number of daily working hours is better than eliminating an entire day.

Because the hours of the canceled day will be distributed over the rest of the days, and this will cause pressure that leads to poor productivity.”

Readers found that this type of experiment depends on the quality of the work sector, and that there are some sectors that need to work five or six days a week, such as the service sectors, so applying this type of experiment is not feasible with them.

The reader, Muhammad Abu Diab, said: "According to the labor sector, some sectors are service and need to work five and six days per week."

Another reader said: “The problem is not the number of days and hours.

The main factor is the work environment, legislation and the basic system of the labor sector.

While readers of the success of this type of experiment commented on the privacy of societies, and that what can be applied in a country like Iceland, may not be applied in another society, and on this the reader (Ahmed) commented: “Yes, I support this experiment, but in my opinion, this depends on the culture Societies, if the experiment succeeds in Iceland, it is not necessary for it to succeed in another country.”

Staff loyalty

Some readers found that what matters is not the length or shortness of working hours and the number of working days, but rather what should be focused on is productivity, quality of work, and staff sincerity. The reader, Dr. Al-Shehhi, said: “The lesson is not the length or shortness of the period. And useless.”

The reader, Maysa Murad, said: “Measuring productivity is the most important, and not setting specific working hours.

That is, the employee’s work is actually measured by his productivity, and not by the number of hours and days he works.”

Readers also found that restricting working hours to specific hours and days is a routine system, and it cannot be adopted as a valid indicator to measure productivity. The reader (Ruba) said: “The number of working hours is not a proper indicator of productivity, so the employee can complete his tasks within two hours.”

holiday

For their part, workers in the private sector complained that they get only one day off per week, demanding equality with the government sector and adding Saturday to their weekly day off, noting that one day off per week is not enough.

The reader (Heba) said: "At least, that Saturday be a public holiday for the government and private sectors to increase productivity and reduce pressures on the worker."

And the reader Asmaa Hassan agreed with her: “(One million per cent) because one day of rest a week is not enough to recharge our energy, nor is it enough to see our children in it.”

Readers do not support

Some readers did not support the idea of ​​reducing the working days per week, and found that most businesses need continuous follow-up to increase productivity and profit, with the exception of administrative work.

The reader, Ali Al-Rasheed, said: "This is a useless decision for the planning departments, municipalities and banks. I think that five days are sufficient for work and should not be reduced."

"my Lord":

• “The number of working hours is not a proper indicator of productivity... and the specified working hours are a failed routine system.”

Maysa Murad:

• “Measuring productivity is the most important, meaning that the employee's work is measured by his productivity, and not by his working hours and days.”

Khalifa Al Neyadi:

• “I think (Corona) has proven that productivity is not entirely related to attendance and departure.”

Benefiting from the Corona experience

Readers found that the “Corona” experience gave governments in the world a lesson that productivity is not related to attendance and departure from the workplace, and that motivating employees by reducing working hours can increase productivity, and that after this “humanitarian” experience, the “experience of remote work” must be tested. , working to revive the balance between the employee’s working life and his personal life, and reader Khalifa Al Neyadi said: “I think (Corona) has proven that productivity is not entirely related to attendance and departure, it is possible to increase productivity by motivating employees by reducing long working hours, and the impact of the studies conducted can be measured. After this experience, and the application of reducing working days or hours, and the coming ages, in my opinion, will completely move away from long working days and hours to revive the balance between work and personal life, which leads to an adjustment in the human psyche and mood, and an increase in the percentage of functional happiness in general.”

Henry Ford

It is noteworthy that Henry Ford is the first to reduce the number of working days from six to five days a week.

In 1926, Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, decided to reduce the number of working days from six to five days a week, to begin the era of the 40-hour work week in effect, before the US Congress decided to turn the matter into a federal law.

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