RIYADH, 2 November 2006 — In a move that may affect over 25,000 employees in the banking sector and millions of people living in the Kingdom, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) is set to change bank operating hours into one shift beginning at 9.30 a.m. and ending at 4.30 p.m.
Many people in the Kingdom now expect that the next change will be in line with other Gulf countries and will alter weekends to Fridays and Saturdays from the present Thursdays and Fridays. Supporters of the change hope that the shift in bank operating hours will make life easier for bank employees.
Said Al-Shaikh of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) said the new system would make banks more effective and that the Kingdom’s bank operating hours would be unified with other countries.
“Unifying the timing is in agreement with what already exists across the world. Bank employees feel that they are socially isolated because of the two-shift system. With the new timing, bank employees will have more time with their families and will be able to attend social gatherings and that will reflect positively on their performance,” he said, adding, “Large segments of society do not wish to work in banks because of the two-shift timing. The new timing will make working in banks more attractive.”
Speaking about the proposed changes, a bank employee from Jeddah said that unifying the timing would put an end to employees leaving the banking sector. “The two shifts are exhausting for many people. The new timing will reflect positively on security and will increase demand for electronic services and phone banking.”
