Dubai’s government employees will work shorter weeks this summer under the 2026 edition of ‘Our Flexible Summer’, an annual initiative run by the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) that runs from June 29 to September 10, 2026.
The programme offers two working models. The first has employees working seven hours a day from Monday to Thursday and four and a half hours on Friday. The second runs eight hours a day Monday to Thursday, with Friday off entirely. Government entities may also apply remote working arrangements where their operations allow.
DGHR says the initiative was developed in response to employee feedback about balancing work with family commitments during summer, and that it has been designed to maintain service continuity while reducing pressure on staff.
“The ‘Our Flexible Summer’ initiative has demonstrated that employee wellbeing and quality of life do not come at the expense of performance. On the contrary, they are among the key enablers of institutional success and long-term sustainability. Through this initiative, we continue to develop more flexible and people-centric government work environments that enhance the employee experience and strengthen the future-readiness of government entities,” Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department said in a statement.
“The initiative reflects Dubai’s government model that places people at the heart of development and recognises that investing in talent and quality of life is fundamental to enhancing productivity, innovation and sustainable performance. It also reinforces our commitment to developing more attractive, flexible and future-ready government workplaces that support Dubai’s competitiveness and further strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading destinations to live and work,” His Excellency added.
The announcement ties the initiative to the objectives of the UAE’s ‘Year of Family’, framing reduced hours as a way for employees to spend more time with their families over the summer period.
