scrubbedexpat141

Saw in the local news a short while ago about Monday-Friday change possibly coming, then saw in international press.

Anyone know any more?

Anyone bothered? I quite like working a different week to Europe because I get left alone on Sundays, although none of them notice and expect responses on Fridays.....so would save that frustration I suppose.

Millhouse

I hope it happens. I don't think it will though. Also looking forward to the 3 day weekend on the transition week (and not a 6 day working week).

csdf

I don't think the locals are particularly thrilled at the idea, given how important Friday is to them. There have been suggestions of Friday being a half day (to accommodate this), but unless they're prepared to offer a 2 1/2 day weekend, then wouldn't that mean Sunday becoming a half day too? Seems very unwieldy.

UKMS

Same here ....... I like the work peace on a Sunday although as you say it balances out with being pestered on Friday.

scrubbedexpat141

Work Sunday and Friday in the transition week, 100%. It'll be a 6 dayer.

Yeah, I saw the half day thing, would be epic really, would be an amazing thing to create a new standard that everyone does half days on Fridays, no exceptions (apart from those pulling pints).

I'm awful for checking emails and things on Fridays, when in reality, I don't ****ing care if I receive anything important.....and if you receive something shitty you just get flappy about it and spoils the weekend.

Millhouse

Good news never comes by email.

weasel decentral

I used to work in Morocco where they had a break from noon to 2 pm (or a similar 2 hour period) on Fridays to accommodate going to the mosque. Worked fairly well and nobody got bent out of shape about it. Can't see why it wouldn't work in other countries

scrubbedexpat141

Email, Teams instant message, Whatsapp. They're normally the avenues (in that order) that I have to ignore people by to get them to pick up the phone and ring.

I've got some work on in Morocco at the moment and it appears nobody really does any work. Too many Southern Europeans.

flares

Bad idea

although the change from 5 1/2 day week in 2006 (thurs pm and fri) was very welcome

scrubbedexpat141

Why bad idea?
I can see it being a pain if the whole GCC doesn't change, but only for those who are commuting back/forth from KSA possibly.

weasel decentral

It's got the hangover of both middle eastern corruption and the French love of administration and bureaucracy. Everything gets bogged in the mire

HiHo

HaHa I thought they just got the two hour lunch breaks from the french

scrubbedexpat141

How are people finding it?

Not a fan so far, Sunday was a peaceful, relaxing day, working from home and enjoying an early journey to the sofa for football / F1.
Now every day is busy and the expectation is being alluded to that we're 'available' to support KSA on Sundays but work Mon-Fri........before they've even seen if anything comes from KSA on a Sunday that needs dealing with that day or the world ends.

Otherwise, it's just 5/2 working week, so nothing really to get a boner over.

The Mrs is enjoying being forced out at lunchtime on a Friday, but the mosque at the end of the road is the busiest place on earth now. Was never this busy for normal Friday lunchtime prayers....but to be fair, if I could take advantage of an early finish, I would.

UKMS

OK so far for me although I do miss working Sunday for the same reasons as you. My company didn't go down the road of half day Friday because of contract complexities but instead invoked a 'no meetings after 12' policy together with a reminder about flexible working and work life balance, so as good as half day !

hnd

Referring back to weasel decentral’s post on 22 September last year, here in Malaysia a ‘long lunch hour’ is given on Friday to accommodate Friday prayers - except that here prayers are at around 1pm. It seems to work although nobody expects to be able to get much, if anything, done on Friday afternoons.