By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Fuad Ali, Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporters
Published: December 02, 2007, 01:07
Dubai/Fujairah/Abu Dhabi: The pressure of doing a good job at work has taken its toll on residents who not only have to face the daily chores of setting up business meetings and satisfying customers, but the daily grind of heavy traffic jams as well.
In a recent Gulf News online poll, 85 per cent responded that it is possible to work fewer hours a week and still be efficient.
City Talk took to the streets for residents' views on whether their stress levels could be reduced by having fewer hours at work, and effects of stress on their lives.
Ahmad Rabe'e, 23, a cashier from Egypt, said as an expatriate labourer he is expected to work long, hard hours because after all, the reason he came to the UAE was to earn a living.
"In the fast food business, we work long hours and only have half a day off if you're lucky. However, I don't see why we should be treated differently from other employees."
He said he would be a lot more motivated if he could get at least one day off a week, as he currently does not have much time to socialise and barely enough time to sleep.
Egyptian fashion designer Abdul Aziz Jad, 25, is satisfied with his job and said that he is always keen on working the extra hours and does not mind staying in the office until 10pm if it is necessary to do so.
"The work does not stress me out, but the traffic in Dubai does. I actually prefer doing my job late in the evenings because I do not get customers, and at the same time I do not get stuck in traffic jams."
Fast food deliverer Mahmoud Abdul Rahman, 30, from Egypt, said he was stressed from working 12 hours a day with an afternoon break, with only half a day off a week.
"I have no time for socialising or taking time off for myself. The weather is too hot and I'm usually too tired to do anything, so I find that I have little else to do apart from just working and sleeping."
Marissa Sarmiento, a sales representative from the Philippines, said she does not feel overworked due to the friendly atmos-phere of her work environment. However, she noted that she gets frustrated on a daily basis because of the traffic while commuting on the bus.
"I live in Bur Dubai and getting to Shaikh Zayed Road first thing in the morning is terrible because of all the traffic. I get stressed getting stuck for so long in the middle of all the cars, and am grateful that my job is not stressful."
Egyptian car rental agent Ebrahim Quwayes, 27, said that he often works more than 10 hours a day while dealing with customers and the work becomes too stressful at times.
"I make an effort to go out with friends every night after work to relieve some of the job stress, even if it costs me sleeping hours, because I don't want to live in a cycle of just work and sleep."
He said he would still be able to do the same job if working hours were reduced and that the office would perform just as well, "and it would make me fresher and more socially active".
Surej Kumar, a 34-year-old Indian network engineer, said the stress caused by his workload does affect his social life because he is often too tired to go out.
"It ultimately affects my social life because I spend all my energy focusing on work. I do not have time to do anything and spend most of my leisure indoors."
Sales executive Arman Ahmad Khan, 25, from Pakistan, said that he was upset that his work load does not allow him time to get required amount of sleep, or time to eat or exercise.
"I try to ease the stress caused by work, but I can't manage it. I joined a gym recently but after two classes I stopped going because I didn't have the energy, even though I paid for a month's membership."
Belgian division manager Frank Javaux, 41, said he feels he is overworked like many others in this country. "But I'm working in a good environment surrounded by nice, professional people. I enjoy it so it is quite easy to handle time and stress. Working fewer hours is not a major concern to me."
Christian Albert, 53, senior electrical engineer from France, said the key to relieving one's stress is to organise and delegate. "Entertainment, music and reading could also help ease the burden. A working day is done within the first four to five hours in the morning so 35 hours per week is enough to get work done."
Indian senior executive Shaheer Moudu Rawther, 35, said even though he enjoys his job he does feel the stress at times because he needs to catch up with the fast pace of the city.
"Working fewer hours wouldn't be helpful because even though this could be enough to get actual work done, people would still need time to socialise ... at the office. Networking is an important part of any job these days."
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