KUWAIT: The changed working hours introduced in many state and private sector bodies since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan are viewed as a source of confusion by a number of personnel , while others view them as "manageable." For a third group among those questioned by the Kuwait Times, however, the altered working shifts impose a financial burden, with working hours beginning later and the working day being shorter than usual. In many areas, these reduced hours also reportedly lead to a slight decrease in productivity levels.

Abu Ahmad, an employee with a customs clearance firm, said that the change in working hours during Ramadan has dramatically affected his area of work: "We have to do some paperwork to receive the shipments we take delivery of, some of which are sent by plane, and there are daily charges for storing the shipments in the airport warehouses. So, the shorter the working day, the more days it will take to finish the paperwork, and the more money we will have to pay," he explained. Abu Ahmad added that the increase in storage charges is ultimately paid for by the costumers, leading some of them to complain about the increase in prices.

Another private sector employee had the opposite opinion, however. "You feel like the job you're doing is condensed and concentrated into a short time. You do what you have to and you go home early, which is fine by me," said Salim Abdulkhaleq, an advertising agency worker. "As to your paperwork in the government ministries, even without Ramadan they would finish work at midday, so the change is not that significant," he added.

Abu Mashaan, a truck driver, said that the new working hours are more suitable for summer than those before Ramadan, except for the fact that he doesn't have time for Suhoor (the dawn meal). "Before Ramadan we worked from 4 am to 12 pm, because there is a law that forbids working after 12 o'clock in the summer. Now the company's decided to shift the working hours to the evening, so our working day begins at 8:30 PM, right after Iftar, and ends at 3:30 AM, which is 15 minutes before the Imsak [the period when Muslims should abstain from eating], and we never have time to eat!" said Abu Mashaan.

The driver said that it would have been better if the company gave employees a little time for Suhoor. Another section affected by the change is businesses in contact with people outside the Muslim world. Mohsin Fariozuddine, a Tours Manager with the Badur Travel Agency, said that due to his professional need to communicate with agents in Europe, the change in working hours limits the time available for this communication, forcing him to do some of his work from home.

We only work for a few hours while our agents are working in Europe, and then when we come back after Iftar they have already closed," he explained. "So, there are times when we have to do some work at home in between because there are issues that can't wait till the next day." Fairozuddine added, however, that although he still has to do roughly the same amount of work as usual, he still prefers the changed hours. "At least I am sitting at home," he added. - Kuwait Times