Shorter working hours during Ramadan can boost productivity

Muscat: Shorter working hours during Ramadan will not lead to a reduction in employee productivity, officials and business leaders in Oman have said.
Oman’s government announced the working hours for those who are observing Ramadan in the public and private sectors, saying, “The official working hours for ministries, public authorities and other units of the administrative apparatus of the state during the Holy Month of Ramadan is from 9am to 2pm.
“The maximum number of working hours during the holy month of Ramadan in private establishments for Muslim workers is six hours per day, 30 hours a week,” added ONA
Said Al Badi, head of Al Dhahirah Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: “The real measure of production is the level of achievement, not the number of hours spent in work and according to statistics, the production of individuals on normal days compared to the number of working hours could also be low.”
Al Badi added: “In our institution, each year, we prepare a special schedule during Ramadan so that there is no stagnation in the activities of the institution where through the table we distribute the work in a balanced manner among the staff in accordance with the nature of the month.”
“Sometimes some people display fatigue during Ramadan, so everyone should prepare for this month.”
Hashar Al Mandhari, CEO of Alamah Marketing Company said: “The decrease in the number of working hours naturally will affect productivity but can be compensated by focusing on accomplishment. Employees must adhere to the completion of their work. This change in work hours should not be taken as an excuse for accumulating work and delaying the service of the beneficiaries because the work is also worship. This reduction in the number of hours does not happen in many other communities, so people have to be thankful and make a greater effort to accomplish their duties.”
Ahmed Hassan, the owner of a real estate company, said that there was no difference in the productivity of employees between Ramadan and other months, despite the change in the number of working hours. He said: “Minimising working hours does not affect work productivity. This decision is positive because it takes into account the fasting period and other rituals that they have to perform during Ramadan. “
Ahmed added: “We have created alternatives accordingly, so that this does not affect the level of services that we provide to our customers.”