Will shorter Ramadan hours affect UAE workplace output?
Ramadan hours for private sector employees will be shorter this year with working hours reduced by 2 hours during the month of fasting. Though workers will have less time to fit eight hours’ worth of work into six, HR experts say Ramadan will give workers more time to spend with family members and loved ones.
Ramadan will also allow employees time to “reset”, HR leaders say. While workers will have less time in the day to get work done, professionals say people tend to be more focused and intentional with how they spend their time during Ramadan.
New sleep schedules and meal times
Ramadan typically means waking up early for Suhoor, a meal consumed before dawn, while the days can be longer due to fasting from sunrise to sunset. Khan explained that people will need some time to get used to shifting meal times and longer bouts of fasting, which can cause some people to feel sleepy or unfocused for a few days.
“Many people find the first four to five days of Ramadan the most difficult as their bodies get used to their new eating, drinking, and sleep schedules. After this initial period, many describe feeling more consistently energized throughout the day.”
Khan also noted that if employers don’t institute policies that allow for flexibility or if managers aren’t supportive of these temporary changes, the “adjustment period” can be difficult for some employees. However, theORG.com researcher added that Ramadan allows many workers to “reset” by prioritising tasks, cutting out low-value activities, and spending more time on high-impact work.
Fasting doesn’t change the brain
Ramadan can be tough, but Khan points to how studies of athletes fasting during Ramadan have shown some excel in their performance despite not eating or drinking during the day. Much like these athletes, studies on intermittent fasting have shown that while the body adjusts to not eating or drinking for long periods of time, the brain tends to operate as usual.
In fact, some research has shown the brain can operate better while fasting. A study published by the American Psychological Association found no difference in cognitive abilities between people who fast and people who don’t.
Another study on intermittent fasting published by the National Library of Medicine discovered that periods of fasting “without caloric or nutritional changes” actually had positive effects on the brain.
“When we look at data from previous Ramadans, we don’t necessarily have hard metrics on productivity (at scale), but what we do know is that shorter hours don’t tend to mean lower output,” Khan said.
White collar vs blue collar
Knowledge workers and white-collar employees experience a completely different kind of workday when compared to blue-collar workers.
“The ability to concentrate, pay attention, and access cognitive energy are drivers of productivity in knowledge work. Employees with reduced hours tend to have more of this resource available,” Khan said.
The lifestyles of professional athletes and manual workers are vastly different. While athletes often have teams of nutritionists, trainers, and sleep coaches, manual workers often do not have access to the same resources. Many manual labourers are also from lower-income communities, Khan said, which can make it harder to eat nutritious foods before and after work.
As such, Khan said it’s critically important for employers to think about policies that will benefit everyone during Ramadan. From longer breaks to adjusted work schedules, there are many ways companies can support manual workers who may struggle with shorter workdays.
Jessie Quintilla, People and Culture Director at LINKVIVA, told Justdubai.com that shorter working hours can allow employees to shift their mindset when it comes to working smarter – not longer – during Ramadan.
“Productivity increases when we tie reduced hours back to smarter ways of working. Ensure you’re protecting focus time, keeping meetings short, and measuring your team by outcomes vs. who logged the most hours in their inbox,” Quintilla said.
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