Workweek and weekend
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week (British English), or workweek (US English), is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally non-working days in the seven-day week. What constitutes the workweek is mandated either by law or custom.
The present-day concept of the weekend first arose from the Dies Solis (Day of the Sun) decreed by Constantine, and the Biblical Sabbath. The weekend in Western countries comprises Saturday and Sunday, when most employees do not have to work. Whereas the Sabbath itself was just one day each week, the preceding day also came to be taken as a holiday, because it was considered necessary to do preparatory tasks at home that would permit proper Sabbath observance the next day.
Weekly hours worked have been falling in the developed world. Some economists and commentators have recommended moving to a 21 hour standard work week to address problems with unemployment, high carbon emissions, low well-being, entrenched inequalities, overworking, family care, and the general lack of free time. Other economists are concerned that shortening the work week will unfairly limit individual earning potential and weaken developed economies due to competition from the less regulated developing world.
History
In cultures with a seven-day week, the day of rest derives from the main religious tradition: Friday (Muslim), Saturday (Jewish) or Sunday (Christian).
Friday–Saturday weekend
Reform in a number of Arab countries of the Persian Gulf in the 2000s led to a number of countries replacing the Thursday–Friday weekend with the Friday–Saturday weekend. This trend is to allow for respect of Fridays as the day for Jumu'ah prayers in Muslim countries while also having more working days to overlap with international financial markets.
Saturday–Sunday weekend
Other countries with Muslim-majority populations or significant Muslim populations nonetheless follow the Saturday–Sunday weekend.
