Latest news with #NatashaHatherallShawe
Khaleej Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Could a three-day weekend be coming your way?
Four-day weekdays could actually lead to increased productivity, reduced burnout and better employee retention, according to a private company owner who has implemented it for the last five years. She called on more companies to offer flexibility to their workers. 'Five years on, we maintain the shorter working week for our whole company, as well as offering even greater flexibility,' said business owner Natasha Hatherall-Shawe. 'We have continued because it works, and our business has not suffered. In fact, it has grown and flourished and had some of its best years in business. We have seen that a happy and balanced team clearly has a positive impact on business performance and success too.' Her comments come as the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) announced flexible working hours for government employees during the summer of 2025. Some employees will work eight hours during the week and take a three-day weekend while others will work seven hours through the week and have a half day on Friday. Natasha, who runs Tish Tash Communications added that if a client needed a meeting, event or shoot on Friday, the team would do it but she found that clients 'respect our working pattern and support it.' Very beneficial This is the second year that DGHR is bringing back the campaign offering flexible working hours during summer. The results from the pilot phase of the initiative showed enhanced productivity and improved work environments. Employees were also proven to be more satisfied and happy, reflecting 98 per cent on the measuring system, according to data analysing the initiative. Mariam, an employee at a government entity, was one of those who benefited from the initiative last year. 'It was very beneficial for me as my children were home from school too,' she said. 'It gave me more time with them, and I was very happy when I heard that it was coming back for the second year. I hope the authorities will consider extending it outside summer too.' The emirate of Sharjah has been offering three-day weekends since 2022 and a study found that employees reported an 88 per cent increase in productivity and a 90 per cent rise in job satisfaction. The move also left happier customers, with a satisfaction rate of 94 per cent. Mohammd Haseef, an employee at a Sharjah educational institute said that the three-day weekend had made him more efficient. 'During the week, we have full days as we try to get through as much work as possible,' he said. 'On Thursdays, I arrange my work in such a way that once I return on Monday, I can straight jump back into my work. So I am much more organized with my with my time.' He added that the long weekend gave him a lot of time with his family. 'I get to spend more quality time with my wife and three children,' he said. 'I think it has given a better work-life balance and I think all companies should try it out.' More flexibility, higher productivity S.B., who works in one of the biggest telecommunications in the country said that flexible working solutions have been a win-win for both employees and the company. 'I have been in the company for 15 years and prior to the pandemic, there was no option for flexibility or work from home,' said the Ras Al Khaimah resident. 'In those days, if someone left the office, then it would be very hard to get a hold of them and even more difficult to get them to do urgent work. However, since the pandemic we have three days of work from the office and 1.5 days of work from home. This gives me a lot of flexibility.' He said that during the days of flexible work, he only logs in after dropping his children to work. 'I have the luxury of being able to log in a little later,' he said. 'So, if an emergency occurs outside of the set work hours, I am happy to troubleshoot and fix it because I have the flexibility to do so. From both the company perspective and an employee's point of view, it is a win-win situation. People are more productive, and the company is getting work done seamlessly. I think all companies should give flexibility and longer weekends as it is beneficial to everyone involved.'
Khaleej Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Beginner's guide to crypto: Why I started investing in bitcoin
One of the most common things I hear from people when I bring up Bitcoin is some version of: 'I'm curious — I just don't know where to start.' The person who finally said yes to getting started was Natasha Hatherall-Shawe. She's a well-known Dubai resident, founder and CEO of TishTash Marketing Agency, a seasoned investor, and someone I've known professionally for more than a decade. We were texting one afternoon when our conversation veered into crypto. She asked a few questions and I answered as best I could. Then I said what I say to everyone at some point: 'Why not just get some?' Most people hesitate. They say they'll think about it. They don't do it. But in very short order — the course of our discussion — Natasha downloaded a platform I mentioned, signed up, and bought her first stack of sats. That's short for satoshis, the smallest units of Bitcoin. In the way a smart person would start a new exercise routine, she didn't overthink it or procrastinate, make a big plan or go too deep. She just took one small step — and that is the foundation of any action. And that's the thing: you don't need to go all-in to start exploring Bitcoin or crypto, in general. You don't need a course, a coach or a financial advisor. You don't need to wait until you 'understand everything'. This investment is the opposite of all that. It's accessible to all of us. You just need a small amount — an amount you're willing to lose — and a little curiosity. From that place, everything shifts. Suddenly, you're watching the charts and noticing the headlines. You are involved in an entirely new financial system. You've got skin in the game, and that changes how you learn. I dare you to not be excited about it. Bitcoin is accessible in a way most people don't realise. It's fractional —meaning you don't have to buy a whole coin (now more than $100,00). You can put in a few dirhams. And once you're in, the confusion starts to fade. Not all at once — the terminology is still foreign and the platforms don't always make things easy — but you begin to see it's not as mysterious as it seemed. You also start to see how many of us have been trained to believe financial systems are for someone else — someone smarter, someone richer, someone 'in the know'. That conditioning runs deep. Many people have completely outsourced their finances to headlines and advisers. Crypto flips that dynamic. You don't need permission. Just a little action. Of course, there are issues in the space. The branding of crypto is still messy. I'm not that excited about people getting kidnapped and tortured for their Bitcoin, although I don't suppose many thieves would bother for my small haul. And depending on what company you keep, there's almost always a lingering cultural cringe when you bring it up — like you're falling for something unserious or unstable. That's why community matters. Finding a group, a friend, a trusted resource —someone to help you cut through the noise and remind you that yes, this is confusing, and yes, it's okay to not know everything yet. Regardless, you and I both deserve to be here. One of the easiest places to start getting acquainted is X and TikTok. If you are a newcomer, and especially of you are a woman, I'd suggest Bec Jones (@becejones on X and @cryptobec_ on TikTok) for how adept she is at explaining complex topics. It's still the wild west in some corners. But if you stick to reputable exchanges, go slow, and only invest what you can afford to lose, you've lowered your risk significantly. You can then do what many people do — what Natasha later told me she's planning to do — and invest a small, fixed amount every month. Some people do this every week, or even every day. This strategy is known as dollar-cost averaging. And no matter how you invest, it's as close to a can't-lose strategy as there is, helping average out market volatility and building your confidence over time.
