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The National
an hour ago
- The National
Return to five-day week in the office is 'inevitable', UAE employment experts say
It is only a matter of time before most companies in the UAE discard remote options and ask for staff to be based solely in the office during the working week, experts have said. The majority of companies adopted a hybrid working model, with staff splitting their working week between the office and home, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that brought the world to a standstill. However, those days could be coming to an end with a trend emerging in which companies are asking for staff to spend their entire working week in the office. One of the main reasons for this is a perception that staff are more efficient when working on-site with their colleagues, rather than from their homes. 'In the UAE, the shift back is real. The West might talk about four-day work weeks and hybrid forever, but the context here is different,' said Nevin Lewis, chief executive of Black & Grey HR. 'SMEs are the backbone here and they don't have the massive profit cushions big multinationals do. The cost of visas, medical cover, family benefits and housing is real. This makes full-time, disengaged remote teams unsustainable for many.' They've got assets not being used to full capacity and offices are sitting empty David Mackenzie One of the main reasons for firms moving away from remote working is due to there being less need now the pandemic is well and truly over, he said. High-profile firms such as Amazon, HSBC, X and JP Morgan are among those that offer no remote work options, requiring staff to spend all five working days operating from the office. 'Remote work boomed out of necessity during Covid and not because it was always the best model for every industry, role or culture. Companies adopted it fast to survive,' said Mr Lewis. 'Now the dust has settled, the reality is clearer than ever. More employers are telling us that they see their employees disengaged. Psychologically, too much isolation breeds anxiety and disconnect. 'The next generation will keep pushing for more remote freedom as they're digital, flexible, fluid. That's fine. But the fundamentals of business won't change. Smart people need smart people around them to push ideas further. Culture, trust and innovation will thrive when teams come together.' The argument for remote work The UAE government has come out in no uncertain terms in terms of its support for remote working practices. Companies that offer staff hybrid working have a powerful advantage over those that do not, a report commissioned by the UAE government found in January. The white-paper study, titled Remote Working in the UAE, concluded that 'the overall direction is clear. Remote working is more of an opportunity than it is a threat'. The report found the argument for a policy that supports remote work was compelling, with evidence showing a hybrid model that combined working from home and the office can increase productivity. The hybrid model was also best for increasing inclusivity and workforce well-being, as well as increasing the potential talent available to a company, to include more women and people with caring responsibilities at home, as well as those who were no longer constrained by proximity to a fixed office location, the report said. However, the shift towards staff spending less and less time working remotely from home is continuing unabated, said another expert. 'It seems inevitable,' said David Mackenzie, group managing director of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones, when asked about the likelihood of most firms abandoning remote working options for employees. 'The accountants have taken over, whereas HR previously dictated the culture of the office environment. The accountants have suddenly realised they've got assets not being used to full capacity and offices are sitting empty. They've looked at their asset sheet and decided 'we're not using it enough'.' A trend was emerging with more companies across the country calling for staff to be in the office for the entire duration of the working week, said Mr Mackenzie. 'One issue with working from home is you don't know how productive your people are,' he said. 'You have to trust people to [let them] work from home. 'You can always tell the people at home who are actually working because they're always online, they're always chatting to you. The ones who aren't always take time to get hold of.' Office space Almost two thirds of chief executives and business leader around the world said they expected to see a full return to companies working solely from the office within three years, according to the KPMG CEO Outlook survey released in late 2023. The same survey revealed a massive majority of global business leaders, 87 per cent, felt that pay and promotions should become dependent on workplace attendance. However, another employment expert warned that companies could be risking their chances of employing the best possible people if they were inflexible about working conditions. 'A full return to a five-day office week is highly unlikely. Companies that insist on it risk becoming less attractive to top talent, making it harder to recruit new employees or retain existing ones. Flexibility has become a key factor in employer branding and employee satisfaction,' said Oliver Kowalski, regional managing director at Hays Middle East. 'That said, many employers have also recognised the value of in-office work – particularly when it comes to fostering company culture, strengthening employee identification with the organisation, and enabling peer-to-peer learning. 'So, while hybrid work is likely to remain the dominant model, we may see a slight shift toward more in-office presence.' A spokesperson for another firm said the end of the pandemic made a move away from a hybrid working environment more likely. 'We're seeing a policy-level shift across the UAE as several companies are re-evaluating the 3:2 hybrid norm adopted during the pandemic,' said Priyanka Dalvi, global people officer with Airpay Payment Services. 'For many, especially in sectors where collaboration, client interface, or sales momentum are critical, a 4:1 or even a full five-day in-office model offers stronger alignment with business goals.' A major reason for the drift away from working remotely for many firms was the need to make the most out of the physical office space, she added. 'One of the largest inefficiencies we saw early on was an under-leveraged office space. In a market like the UAE, where speed and synergy are crucial, having individuals collaborate in the same location drives results and energises teams,' said Ms Dalvi. 'As more businesses adopt this approach, it is evident that a single one-size-fits-all hybrid model may not be equally suitable for all business situations.' Another recruitment expert said companies bringing the entire staff back to the office on a permanent basis in the UAE was becoming all the more common, however she stressed that did not mean it was necessarily the right idea for all firms. 'We are seeing it more and more with companies bringing their teams back into the office full-time,' said Megha Gupta, chief executive of Converge, a Dubai-based recruitment consultancy, which currently operates under a hybrid model with two days a week in the office. 'It wasn't about choosing between remote or in-office but finding a rhythm that feels right. That's how we landed on our current approach. It's not about clocking hours it's about the energy that comes from being in the same room. 'The unplanned chats. The shared laughter. The space to think together, not just speak. Those moments have brought us closer as a team. They have helped us move faster, listen better, and show up more fully for each other, and for our clients.' Room for both? Other experts are equally vocal about the hybrid model, spending some days in the office, while the others working from home, being here to stay. 'At Cavendish Maxwell, we firmly believe that flexibility underpins a high-performing and engaged workforce,' said Jessica Taylor, group chief operating officer with the property consultants. 'Our hybrid working model – which allows employees to choose one of two designated remote-working days each week – strikes the right balance between collaboration and focused execution. 'While some may view a five-day return to the office as inevitable, our data shows that a well-structured hybrid model can be both effective and sustainable. We have no plans to move away from it.'
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Timeframe: When the UAE was left spellbound by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Abu Dhabi is getting ready for a spellbinding experience as Harry Potter: The Exhibition comes to Manarat Al Saadiyat. But before the exhibition, the UAE was already captivated by the wizarding world created by J K Rowling as fans of the Boy Wizard turned out to Dubai's Mall of the Emirates for the book launch of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in July 2016. The book featured the script of the then-new two-part play of the same name, which had its official premiere in London's West End. Fans of the eagerly awaited novel turned out to the Virgin Megastore inside the mall at 2am to be among the first to get a copy. The book went on sale at 3am, to coincide with the midnight launch in the UK. To set the mood, the Harry Potter movie theme music played in the background as fans dressed up for the occasion. Some had lightning-shaped scars on their foreheads, created with make-up pencils, while others wore the wizard's signature round eyeglasses. A woman wore a lavender wig – probably in honour of Nymphadora Tonks, a witch who died while defending Hogwarts – while a Professor Snape look-alike was spotted, with the distinctive nose and severe black hairstyle, along with a touch of kohl around the eyes. Black picnic tables were set up at the entrance of the store to mimic the Hogwarts Great Hall, while gold and black balloons were on the floor. There was even one foil balloon in the shape of the Snitch – the winged ball used in the wizarding sport of Quidditch. Co-written by Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set 19 years after the conclusion of the final novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It features a grown-up Harry, struggling to balance his life as a father of three and an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Meet the 16-year-old Emirati chef whose traditional desserts are going down a treat at Expo 2025 Osaka
With its inviting glass facade design and showcase of the country's past, present and future, the UAE pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has been popular with Japanese visitors. The National was recently invited for a tour of the pavilion's sections, and how they demonstrate the UAE's deep connection to its past, while striving towards a better future. During the tour, we were told we would be attending a workshop hosted by an Emirati chef. I assumed that it would be someone with a lot of experience, perhaps one of the chefs who put together the Emirati menu at the pavilion's restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the workshop would be hosted by Khalifa Mohammed Al Otaiba, who is only 16 years old. Even more surprising was the number of Japanese visitors who flocked for one of the limited seats available to attend the workshop. In the 30-minute sessions, scheduled twice on the same day, chef Al Otaiba first cooked luqaimat, a traditional Emirati dessert consisting of fried dough balls covered in date syrup. Often eaten during Ramadan, luqaimat is a staple Emirati dessert. Always presented with a cup of coffee, they are often used in UAE homes as a way to welcome guests. In the second workshop, Al Otaiba cooked sago, a traditional dessert made using tapioca pearls and cooked with saffron and rose water. It takes on a golden colour from the saffron and is the perfect way to end a rich Emirati meal. Throughout the workshops, Al Otaiba was aided by chef Francisco Araya, Al Otaiba's mentor at the International Centre for Culinary Arts in Abu Dhabi. 'I feel really proud that I'm representing my country,' Al Otaiba tells The National. 'I feel like it's a chance to inspire other young chefs and young people to pursue careers in cooking.' The passion Al Otaiba has for both cooking and the traditional Emirati desserts he's preparing really shone through in these workshops. Curious Japanese attendants were not at all concerned with the age of the chef, they hung on to every word and were looking to learn how to prepare these dishes, as well as taste them for themselves. After the sessions were over, many attendees approached the young chef to thank him for showing them something new and allowing them to taste a piece of the UAE that they would have only been able to experience if they visited the country. Al Otaiba was introduced to cooking by his sister. 'She introduced me to ICCA and when I went to the course, I had a lot of fun and I enjoyed it and now I'm pursuing this in my free time," he said. 'I'm more of a technical person. That's why I entered cooking because it's very technical.' Despite his evident passion and talent, Al Otaiba surprised attendees when he said that he hoped to become an engineer, rather than a full-time chef. Cooking will remain his biggest hobby, he assured. Chef Araya in-turn is not giving up on his protegee just yet. "He wants to be an engineer, but I'm just going to let him go to university and then catch him back because I need that Emirati talent, to show the world how good Emirati food is," he says. The UAE pavilion has been hosting Emirati cooking workshops since the start of the Expo. Earlier in July, Emirati chef Mohammed Al Banna, owner of popular Dubai restaurant Al Banoosh, hosted workshops where he cooked margoog, a hearty lamb and vegetable stew seasoned with spices and dried limes. The restaurant at Expo has also become a popular spot, serving authentic Emirati food, such as machboos, fish stew and a vegetarian eggplant option, presented in the style of Japanese bento boxes. Mariam Al Memari, deputy commissioner general and pavilion director, and head of UAE Expo Office says that they wanted traditional Emirati food to have a more Japanese presentation. 'We really wanted the Japanese audiences to get to know the Emirati culture through food. We've designed the restaurant offering in that sense,' Al Memari explains. 'We wanted to make it presentable to the Japanese by presenting it in a bento box, which is traditional to them. "They're really loving the restaurant and the Emirati cuisine, which is something that was surprising knowing the Japanese and their taste palate – and they queue for more than an hour every day to get in.'
