So I’ve started working as a Retail Sales representative for a shop that sells healthy, active lifestyle products. I’m inside the shop 10 hours a day and tend to various types of clients. This gig has been going on for two months now and I’m getting used to the long hours of working and being inside the store. However, there’s one thing that I’m concerned about, and this is the one-day off every workweek.
Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
During a week, my job entails me to be in the office for six days. I only get one rest day, or a total of four days off in a month. This is a total big adjustment for me and I guess for anyone who has started working in their home country and have transferred to Dubai for employment opportunities.
In my previous jobs, we’ve always had eight hours to work and two days off in a week. This is according to the labor code adhered by every business in the Philippines. I’ve been to a number of companies back in the Philippines and it’s always been the case.
buildings in Dubai
Right now, I’m still not accustomed to the one-day rest day. I’ve heard that only those who work in the government and have administrative office jobs work five days a week. For those who belong in the Retail, Sales, Food & Beverage, Hospitality, and Manufacturing workforce, we have to work for six days. It’s a total rip-off if you ask me. Already working long hours during the day and only 24 hours for the rest of the week for yourself. I don’t think that it’s supporting work-life balance. To think that this was one of the principles that employers are advocating.
Food and Beverage workforce in Dubai
With all the work that one does during the week, one day is truly not enough. Heck, one can only have so much time doing household chores during their break period. What about having a life outside work? Anyway, it’s not mine to change and I can do nothing for now but adapt. I guess this is what they meant in my country that Singapore, Dubai, and other modern cities from these countries are places where you do nothing but work.
For now, I’m just maximizing my days off in order to go to places I’ve never been and try different adventures so I can write about them in this website. I really hope I can get a job that will give me two days off as opposed to one. Because this is really getting more and more taxing as each day passes.