41% of professionals surveyed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) either start early or stay later than work hours almost every day, according to a recent report by Robert Walters.

The report also found that 13% of respondents strictly adhere to core work hours, while 45% revealed that their office timings depend on the workload for the day. Standard working hours across Middle East offices are from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, with an hour-long lunch break. This makes the average working week 37.5 hours.

However, the research shows that UAE professionals work an additional seven hours per week on average, the equivalent of 3.5 days of unpaid overtime per month.

Additional insights from the report revealed that:

• 62% of respondents stay in the office beyond work hours to catch up on tasks or meet deadlines.
• One-third of them stay longer to communicate with teams in different time zones.

Interestingly, some respondents admitted to taking work calls even while on holiday, a practice also common in the UK, where employees often check emails during their annual leave to clear backlogs before returning to work.

The report also cites Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, which highlights the rising trend of the "infinite workday." According to the Index:

• 40% of professionals worldwide check their emails as early as 6 am to manage busy inboxes.
• 29% log back into work emails by 10 pm.
• 20% check work emails over weekends.
• The number of meetings held after 8 pm has increased by 16% year-on-year.

The report further pointed out that many Middle East employers maintain a frugal approach to headcounts, causing workloads to snowball. Among surveyed employers:

• 27% said they reallocate workloads among existing team members.
• 32% admitted to hiring less skilled workers to fill gaps.
• Others reported exploring low-cost alternatives, such as offshoring certain roles or responsibilities.

As a result, nearly 60% of employees across surveyed organizations feel their workloads are heavy and demanding.

Jason Grundy, Managing Director of Robert Walters Middle East, said, “Despite rising costs affecting hiring plans, many employers still expect the same productivity and output, putting pressure on existing staff. Our research indicates that many Middle East workers are working longer hours to meet demands or connect with colleagues in different time zones.”

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Sharing a few suggestions to tackle talent shortages and other gaps, Grundy said:

#1 To avoid professionals feeling pressured to clock in at all hours, employers should:

• Clarify response times through time-zone tagging in correspondence
• Implement delayed sends for emails/messages
• Allocate specific, pre-agreed time slots for international calls

#2 On shifting talent strategies:

• AI tools are streamlining certain job roles
• Rising costs are limiting disposable income for salary increases
• Global volatility makes employers cautious about competing for top talent
• Many Middle East leaders are turning to overseas talent in regions like Eastern Europe and South Africa
• While this offers cost and productivity benefits, it disrupts domestic offices, as coordinating across multiple time zones becomes difficult

#3 On workplace culture and productivity:

• Implementing ‘power hours’ may not suit every workplace, but helps optimise the working day 
• Silent overwork, especially during hiring freezes, risks burnout, attrition, and declining morale and productivity

#4 Employers must reset expectations on working hours from the top by:

• Openly acknowledging when responsibilities and remits increase
• Establishing clear protocols to support staff in prioritising tasks
• Setting realistic deadlines
• Being transparent about employee capacity