On 24 July 2026 the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) announced the roll-out of this year’s ‘Our Flexible Summer’ programme, a scheme that lets Dubai-government employees choose between two condensed workweek models and access approved remote-working arrangements through 10 September. Employees in Model A will work seven hours Monday–Thursday and finish at noon on Friday, while those in Model B will work eight hours Monday–Thursday and enjoy a full Friday off. Departments may also grant ad-hoc tele-work days, provided service levels are maintained. DGHR chief Abdullah bin Zayed Al Falasi said the policy aims to boost wellbeing, attract talent and demonstrate that productivity and employee quality of life “go hand in hand.” Although targeted at public-sector personnel, the initiative sets a tone for the wider labour market: many private employers mirror DGHR guidelines to remain competitive. Global-mobility teams should expect a seasonal uptick in remote-work requests from UAE-based staff and review home-office policies—especially around cross-border payroll, permanent-establishment risk and health-and-safety compliance. Multinationals with regional headquarters in Dubai may also need to stagger meeting times or adjust service-level agreements with government departments operating on reduced Friday hours. DGHR’s embrace of hybrid models dovetails with the UAE’s federal Remote Work Visa and reinforces the emirate’s ambition to be a lifestyle destination for mobile professionals. It also keeps Dubai aligned with global trends: Middle-Eastern Remote Work Index 2026 data show that flexible-work schemes can cut voluntary turnover by up to 17 percent. Employers should communicate the initiative’s parameters to expatriate families—particularly those planning school-holiday travel—to avoid inadvertent leave conflicts and ensure continuity of critical public-sector transactions such as residence-visa stamping or trade-licence renewals.
Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)
