Dubai's 4-day work week got us thinking: What would Indians do with an extra leave?
This summer, Dubai government employees get to enjoy three-day weekends. But what if Indians got it too? How would they spend that extra day? We asked around.
"Kaash ek aur din mil jaata."
The last day of a vacation or the final day of the weekend always comes with the same feeling — if only there was just one more day to relax before hitting the grind, again. Amidst all the chatter around burnout, work-life balance, hot takes on working hours and the hustle culture, a three-day weekend is nothing short of a fantasy for most Indians.
Dubai recently re-introduced its 'Our Flexible Summer' initiative for its government sector. Running from June 29 to September 10, the programme offers two flexible work models. One lets employees work seven-hour days from Monday to Thursday with a shorter Friday. The other one compresses the work week into four eight-hour days, giving employees a three-day weekend. The idea is simple: better work-life balance without compromising productivity.
Interestingly, the idea is not completely foreign to India. The new Labour Codes include an optional provision for a compressed work week, allowing employees to work up to 12 hours a day over four days. It hasn't become the norm, but it signals that the conversation around flexible work is slowly finding its way here too. So when Dubai announced its initiative, we couldn't help but wonder: what would Indians actually do with a three-day weekend?
We asked around, and the answers were pretty interesting and highlighted how the hustle is deeply entrenched in our minds. People have elaborate plans for a day that they don't even have yet!
Self-optimisation mode: ON
For Tanya Garg, a 27-year-old media professional, there would definitely be a timetable — or at least she'd like to believe so.
"I'd dedicate a few hours to upskilling. Reading novels, attending workshops to improve my writing, or taking digital marketing courses and getting certifications. I think that'll eventually show in my work too."
Ishmeet Singh, a 32-year-old senior analyst in public relations, called it the "luxury of trying things you otherwise keep pushing for someday."
"I'd probably use that extra day to invest in becoming a little more me, whether that's through learning something new, building something exciting or just doing cool stuff I normally wouldn't have time for."
And it's not just younger professionals trying to optimise every waking hour.
A 58-year-old sales consultant has a similar game plan. "One day would definitely be to improve myself: either I'd resume a hobby I've procrastinated on for years, invest time in my health, or simply do something just for myself," Abhay Sahay told India Today assertively. He is already looking forward to restarting his Instagram account about cooking and, perhaps, one day turning it into a side gig.
Looks like productivity plans are already in place.
Side hustles for the win
Let's not even get into the conversation around the job market and unemployment. Everyone seems to have a side hustle brewing. From ghostwriting and freelancing to cloud kitchens and content creation, there's a passion project waiting in bookmarked tabs, and people are exploring new ways to create an additional source of income.
Singh believes that investing in yourself eventually pays off.
"If I can actually use that extra day to upskill, learn something new, or build on a passion, there's a good chance it'll pay off in the long run," he said.
Garg agreed. "Once I finish those certification courses, I can probably start a side hustle in a few months. I could even do social work. I've volunteered with children before, and I'd love to do that again."
Then there's leisure
Not everyone wants to spend their bonus Friday chasing productivity.
"I'd definitely turn it into more long-weekend getaways and probably become a tourist in my own city," said Krati, a 33-year-old IT professional.
"Leisure will always, always be there. Even if I don't mention it, it's always there," Garg chuckled. Interestingly though, not one person said they'd spend the day doing absolutely nothing.
It seems everyone is carrying around a list of unfinished business. Speaking of it, a 25-year-old, Sansriti, had a rather practical wish: leave for work.
"Believe it or not, my colleague and I have spoken about this so many times during our work rants. I wish there was one day just to finish pending tasks - work-related or otherwise. Maybe complete a presentation or an article that needs peace of mind. Then I'd still have two days left for leisure, socialising or simply chilling at home."
At the end of the day, everyone we spoke to seemed to be racing against time, trying to squeeze in productivity, efficiency, hobbies and job satisfaction all at once. Just hustle culture things, we guess!
Can it actually help?
Almost everyone we spoke to agreed on one thing - a three-day weekend would improve work-life balance. Whether it improves productivity, however, is a little more nuanced.
Garg believes both employees and employers stand to benefit.
"If I'm well-rested, it'll reflect in my punctuality, work ethic and overall productivity. I'll probably take fewer leaves because when I'm at work, I'll be fully present. Right now, there are days when you're already thinking, 'When will I go home? I'll finish this later.' But if you've had enough time to recharge, you're completely focused."
Singh, meanwhile, had a different take.
"Productivity isn't determined only by the number of working days. It's also about how we manage our time. A four-day work week can certainly create better conditions for productivity, but it's not a guarantee."
Prashast, a 34-year-old fintech engineer, looked at it from an economic lens.
"Viewed holistically, a shorter work week could create a ripple effect. Better-rested employees may become more productive, while an extra day off could encourage spending on travel, leisure and experiences. That boosts businesses and tax collections. But if demand outpaces supply, it could also contribute to inflation," he said, adding that it would depend on how businesses, consumers and the wider economy respond.
Reality check
Of course, dreaming is easy. Implementing it is another story altogether.
For Sakshi Mathur, an HR professional with over two decades of experience, the debate isn't really about four days versus five. "It's about whether the work model supports the business."
She said flexible arrangements - whether remote work, compressed schedules or four-day weeks - should be welcomed if they align with operational needs. Mathur argued that organisations need to stop measuring commitment by hours spent at a desk and start evaluating outcomes instead.
She also pointed out that flexibility cannot be applied uniformly. Manufacturing, healthcare, retail, airlines and security services operate very differently from corporate support functions.
Sahay, a former regional sales manager who has seen workplaces evolve over decades, agrees. "To put it bluntly, while I support flexible working hours, in the Indian context, it's not as easy. Fridays are already assumed to be lighter workdays. If you officially introduce a three-day weekend, that mindset might begin on Thursday itself. Post-Covid, hybrid work showed us that while flexibility works, accountability remains a challenge."
As tempting as a three-day weekend sounds, what works for Dubai or parts of Europe isn't an easy copy-paste for India. Dubai's initiative, for instance, is limited to government employees, while other countries and regions, including the UAE and Iceland, have implemented flexible work models in ways that suit their own contexts. India, meanwhile, has a far larger labour-intensive and informal workforce, with millions employed in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, logistics and other sectors that simply can't press pause for an extra day.
So while the idea is incredibly appealing, perhaps the real opportunity lies in rethinking flexibility where it makes sense.
And in the end, who knows? The next conversation might be about a three-day work week, because yeh dil maange more.
"Kaash ek aur din mil jaata."
The last day of a vacation or the final day of the weekend always comes with the same feeling — if only there was just one more day to relax before hitting the grind, again. Amidst all the chatter around burnout, work-life balance, hot takes on working hours and the hustle culture, a three-day weekend is nothing short of a fantasy for most Indians.
Dubai recently re-introduced its 'Our Flexible Summer' initiative for its government sector. Running from June 29 to September 10, the programme offers two flexible work models. One lets employees work seven-hour days from Monday to Thursday with a shorter Friday. The other one compresses the work week into four eight-hour days, giving employees a three-day weekend. The idea is simple: better work-life balance without compromising productivity.
Interestingly, the idea is not completely foreign to India. The new Labour Codes include an optional provision for a compressed work week, allowing employees to work up to 12 hours a day over four days. It hasn't become the norm, but it signals that the conversation around flexible work is slowly finding its way here too. So when Dubai announced its initiative, we couldn't help but wonder: what would Indians actually do with a three-day weekend?
We asked around, and the answers were pretty interesting and highlighted how the hustle is deeply entrenched in our minds. People have elaborate plans for a day that they don't even have yet!
Self-optimisation mode: ON
For Tanya Garg, a 27-year-old media professional, there would definitely be a timetable — or at least she'd like to believe so.
"I'd dedicate a few hours to upskilling. Reading novels, attending workshops to improve my writing, or taking digital marketing courses and getting certifications. I think that'll eventually show in my work too."
Ishmeet Singh, a 32-year-old senior analyst in public relations, called it the "luxury of trying things you otherwise keep pushing for someday."
"I'd probably use that extra day to invest in becoming a little more me, whether that's through learning something new, building something exciting or just doing cool stuff I normally wouldn't have time for."
And it's not just younger professionals trying to optimise every waking hour.
A 58-year-old sales consultant has a similar game plan. "One day would definitely be to improve myself: either I'd resume a hobby I've procrastinated on for years, invest time in my health, or simply do something just for myself," Abhay Sahay told India Today assertively. He is already looking forward to restarting his Instagram account about cooking and, perhaps, one day turning it into a side gig.
Looks like productivity plans are already in place.
Side hustles for the win
Let's not even get into the conversation around the job market and unemployment. Everyone seems to have a side hustle brewing. From ghostwriting and freelancing to cloud kitchens and content creation, there's a passion project waiting in bookmarked tabs, and people are exploring new ways to create an additional source of income.
Singh believes that investing in yourself eventually pays off.
"If I can actually use that extra day to upskill, learn something new, or build on a passion, there's a good chance it'll pay off in the long run," he said.
Garg agreed. "Once I finish those certification courses, I can probably start a side hustle in a few months. I could even do social work. I've volunteered with children before, and I'd love to do that again."
Then there's leisure
Not everyone wants to spend their bonus Friday chasing productivity.
"I'd definitely turn it into more long-weekend getaways and probably become a tourist in my own city," said Krati, a 33-year-old IT professional.
"Leisure will always, always be there. Even if I don't mention it, it's always there," Garg chuckled. Interestingly though, not one person said they'd spend the day doing absolutely nothing.
It seems everyone is carrying around a list of unfinished business. Speaking of it, a 25-year-old, Sansriti, had a rather practical wish: leave for work.
"Believe it or not, my colleague and I have spoken about this so many times during our work rants. I wish there was one day just to finish pending tasks - work-related or otherwise. Maybe complete a presentation or an article that needs peace of mind. Then I'd still have two days left for leisure, socialising or simply chilling at home."
At the end of the day, everyone we spoke to seemed to be racing against time, trying to squeeze in productivity, efficiency, hobbies and job satisfaction all at once. Just hustle culture things, we guess!
Can it actually help?
Almost everyone we spoke to agreed on one thing - a three-day weekend would improve work-life balance. Whether it improves productivity, however, is a little more nuanced.
Garg believes both employees and employers stand to benefit.
"If I'm well-rested, it'll reflect in my punctuality, work ethic and overall productivity. I'll probably take fewer leaves because when I'm at work, I'll be fully present. Right now, there are days when you're already thinking, 'When will I go home? I'll finish this later.' But if you've had enough time to recharge, you're completely focused."
Singh, meanwhile, had a different take.
"Productivity isn't determined only by the number of working days. It's also about how we manage our time. A four-day work week can certainly create better conditions for productivity, but it's not a guarantee."
Prashast, a 34-year-old fintech engineer, looked at it from an economic lens.
"Viewed holistically, a shorter work week could create a ripple effect. Better-rested employees may become more productive, while an extra day off could encourage spending on travel, leisure and experiences. That boosts businesses and tax collections. But if demand outpaces supply, it could also contribute to inflation," he said, adding that it would depend on how businesses, consumers and the wider economy respond.
Reality check
Of course, dreaming is easy. Implementing it is another story altogether.
For Sakshi Mathur, an HR professional with over two decades of experience, the debate isn't really about four days versus five. "It's about whether the work model supports the business."
She said flexible arrangements - whether remote work, compressed schedules or four-day weeks - should be welcomed if they align with operational needs. Mathur argued that organisations need to stop measuring commitment by hours spent at a desk and start evaluating outcomes instead.
She also pointed out that flexibility cannot be applied uniformly. Manufacturing, healthcare, retail, airlines and security services operate very differently from corporate support functions.
Sahay, a former regional sales manager who has seen workplaces evolve over decades, agrees. "To put it bluntly, while I support flexible working hours, in the Indian context, it's not as easy. Fridays are already assumed to be lighter workdays. If you officially introduce a three-day weekend, that mindset might begin on Thursday itself. Post-Covid, hybrid work showed us that while flexibility works, accountability remains a challenge."
As tempting as a three-day weekend sounds, what works for Dubai or parts of Europe isn't an easy copy-paste for India. Dubai's initiative, for instance, is limited to government employees, while other countries and regions, including the UAE and Iceland, have implemented flexible work models in ways that suit their own contexts. India, meanwhile, has a far larger labour-intensive and informal workforce, with millions employed in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, logistics and other sectors that simply can't press pause for an extra day.
So while the idea is incredibly appealing, perhaps the real opportunity lies in rethinking flexibility where it makes sense.
And in the end, who knows? The next conversation might be about a three-day work week, because yeh dil maange more.
