The times, they are a-changing.
A survey of the effects of a four-day working week in the UK is being celebrated this week as a “major breakthrough” after results revealed what most people had already assumed: it works.
The six-month trial involved 61 companies in various sectors, including engineering, advertising and education. It was reported that a majority of participating employees experienced a significant decrease in stress, anxiety and burnout, while employers also benefited because fewer sick days were taken. As a result of the findings, a majority of participating companies have agreed to continue with the shorter working week.
Although the results are not surprising, the fact that it’s taken so long to get to the point of even considering it as a possibility, certainly is. While the idea of a four-day work week may seem daunting to companies, it's clear to see there are more upsides when it comes to having healthy and engaged employees.
When the UAE switched its weekends from Friday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday at the start of 2022, Sharjah introduced a four-day working week with a half-day on Fridays. A report by The National in June looked at how life had changed for residents and found that people were "healthier, happier, and [had] more time with their families".
A decade ago, when I was working for a newspaper in Boston, I had a colleague who worked four days a week but did the same number of hours. So rather than doing eight hours, five days a week, he did 10 hours a day for four days. Despite having “longer” hours, he seemed to enjoy that schedule because of his three-day weekends. Back then, the idea of a four-day work week was a fascinating idea, but also one I didn’t think would ever be seriously discussed.
The world has changed in the past few years and now, more than ever, people are starting to value their mental health, and one of the best ways to do so is by having a good work-life balance.
Unfortunately, the typical five-day work week doesn’t seem to cut it any more. Two-day weekends seem to breeze by and suddenly Monday (or whichever day one returns to work) is right there again. That time needed to relax and recharge just isn’t enough.
As someone who has taken sporadic three-day weekends in the past, the extra day really does make a difference. There’s a day to unwind, a day to get things done and a day to prepare for the week ahead.
The logic behind a shorter work week isn't limited to a longer weekend, however.
One of the biggest arguments against a four-day work week is the belief that it may cause an increase in stress or burnout because the same amount of work still needs to be done, only within a shorter amount of time. But one less day to complete tasks could actually help some people prioritise with a sharper focus, essentially getting rid of wasted hours.
There’s also the worry employers wouldn’t know how to begin and there would be issues with figuring out how to manage different schedules. But if we were able to get through a pandemic, where the majority of people worked remotely and were still able to do their jobs, I’m pretty sure we’d be able to figure out how to manage a change in the working week.
It may not be suitable for all companies and it may seem difficult in the beginning, but surely the potential benefits outweigh the perceived disadvantages. If we learnt anything from the pandemic, it's how important it is to take care of yourself. Hopefully, in the future, companies will remember this too.
LAST-16 EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
RACE CARD
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
8.15pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
9.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Sweet%20Tooth
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
