Tired even before you open emails on Monday? Why traffic stress is 'overloading' UAE workers
Flexible start times for office goers on Mondays could ease workplace stress in the UAE, experts suggested, as growing evidence shows that traffic stress at the start of the week quietly drains employees before the workweek even begins.Rethinking Monday office schedules with small adjustments such as flexible timings, fewer high-pressure meetings early in the day, and greater empathy from managers could have a big impact on productivity."Monday should be treated as a transition day, not a pressure day," said Fedaa Hasan, clinical psychologist at Aspris by Alkalma. “When people start the week calmly, they perform better for the rest of it."Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.Even before laptops are opened, many employees are already tired, stressed and mentally drained after spending hours in slow-moving Monday traffic. Experts said that this early stress affects focus, mood, and energy — even before work properly begins.A recent hiring trends study by Robert Walters highlights this growing divide. While 53 per cent of employees said Mondays are the most valuable workdays, 62 per cent said they prefer not to commute to the office on Mondays. The main reason, experts said, is not work pressure but the stress of getting to work. A 2024 joint study by Dubai’s RTA and the Dubai Government Human Resources Department found that a growing number of private companies already offer remote and flexible work options, with many more open to expanding them. The study showed that flexible start times and limited remote work could significantly reduce peak-hour traffic across Dubai, easing pressure on major roads such as Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.'People arrive already feeling overloaded'HR leaders in the UAE said that Monday traffic has become one of the biggest workplace challenges in the UAE.Suzanne Gandy, HR director at Bayut and dubizzle, said the problem is not how far employees live but how stressful and unpredictable their commute has become.“Regardless of distance, sitting in slow or congested traffic on Monday mornings can be frustrating and mentally draining,” she said. “By the time people arrive at work, they may already feel overloaded.”She added that Monday stress is often worse for parents, as school drop-offs happen around the same time, making roads even more congested.“Rather than treating this as a performance issue, companies need to design Monday mornings more thoughtfully, with understanding and flexibility from managers,” said Gandy.When traffic cancels teamworkMany companies encourage in-office Mondays to improve collaboration and teamwork. But HR professionals said that long commutes can sometimes cancel out those benefits.Rehna Shajahan, talent acquisition lead at Azizi Developments, said employees who spend hours in traffic often arrive mentally exhausted, even if they are physically present.“People may attend meetings, but they are less engaged and take longer to reach full productivity,” said Shajahan. “This is especially true for those commuting from Sharjah or Ajman to busy areas like Sheikh Zayed Road.”In some cases, the effort spent getting to work drains the energy that was meant to be used for collaboration.What traffic stress does to the mindPsychologists said that there is a clear reason why Monday commutes feel heavier.Fedaa Hasan, a clinical psychologist at Aspris by Alkalma, explained that stressful commutes push the body and mind into stress mode before work even begins.“When someone starts the week with a long, stressful commute, the body reacts immediately,” she said. “By the time they reach work, they may already feel tired, tense and mentally overloaded.”This early stress reduces patience and concentration. People may feel more irritated in meetings, struggle to focus on small tasks, and make quicker, less thoughtful decisions.“Mondays feel heavier because the body is shifting from rest into responsibility,” she said. “Even a normal commute can feel harder at the start of the week.”Why starting at home helps some employeesThe study found many employees feel that working from home on Mondays helps them ease into the week.Without traffic stress, people often feel calmer and more in control. Psychologists said this allows the brain to slowly switch into work mode, improving focus and emotional balance.Hasan said starting the week at home helps save mental energy and gives employees a sense of control, which improves overall readiness for the day.However, HR leaders stress that remote work is not the solution for everyone. Some teams benefit from meeting in person early in the week, but only when employees arrive mentally prepared, not exhausted.Burnout riskWhile Monday stress may seem manageable at first, psychologists warn that repeated stress at the start of every week can slowly lead to burnout.“When stress happens again and again and feels unavoidable, people can become emotionally drained over time,” said Hasan. “This can lead to dise
Flexible start times for office goers on Mondays could ease workplace stress in the UAE, experts suggested, as growing evidence shows that traffic stress at the start of the week quietly drains employees before the workweek even begins.
Rethinking Monday office schedules with small adjustments such as flexible timings, fewer high-pressure meetings early in the day, and greater empathy from managers could have a big impact on productivity.
"Monday should be treated as a transition day, not a pressure day," said Fedaa Hasan, clinical psychologist at Aspris by Alkalma. “When people start the week calmly, they perform better for the rest of it."
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Even before laptops are opened, many employees are already tired, stressed and mentally drained after spending hours in slow-moving Monday traffic. Experts said that this early stress affects focus, mood, and energy — even before work properly begins.
A recent hiring trends study by Robert Walters highlights this growing divide. While 53 per cent of employees said Mondays are the most valuable workdays, 62 per cent said they prefer not to commute to the office on Mondays. The main reason, experts said, is not work pressure but the stress of getting to work.
A 2024 joint study by Dubai’s RTA and the Dubai Government Human Resources Department found that a growing number of private companies already offer remote and flexible work options, with many more open to expanding them. The study showed that flexible start times and limited remote work could significantly reduce peak-hour traffic across Dubai, easing pressure on major roads such as Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.
'People arrive already feeling overloaded'
HR leaders in the UAE said that Monday traffic has become one of the biggest workplace challenges in the UAE.
Suzanne Gandy, HR director at Bayut and dubizzle, said the problem is not how far employees live but how stressful and unpredictable their commute has become.
“Regardless of distance, sitting in slow or congested traffic on Monday mornings can be frustrating and mentally draining,” she said. “By the time people arrive at work, they may already feel overloaded.”
She added that Monday stress is often worse for parents, as school drop-offs happen around the same time, making roads even more congested.
“Rather than treating this as a performance issue, companies need to design Monday mornings more thoughtfully, with understanding and flexibility from managers,” said Gandy.
When traffic cancels teamwork
Many companies encourage in-office Mondays to improve collaboration and teamwork. But HR professionals said that long commutes can sometimes cancel out those benefits.
Rehna Shajahan, talent acquisition lead at Azizi Developments, said employees who spend hours in traffic often arrive mentally exhausted, even if they are physically present.
“People may attend meetings, but they are less engaged and take longer to reach full productivity,” said Shajahan. “This is especially true for those commuting from Sharjah or Ajman to busy areas like Sheikh Zayed Road.”
In some cases, the effort spent getting to work drains the energy that was meant to be used for collaboration.
What traffic stress does to the mind
Psychologists said that there is a clear reason why Monday commutes feel heavier.
Fedaa Hasan, a clinical psychologist at Aspris by Alkalma, explained that stressful commutes push the body and mind into stress mode before work even begins.
“When someone starts the week with a long, stressful commute, the body reacts immediately,” she said. “By the time they reach work, they may already feel tired, tense and mentally overloaded.”
This early stress reduces patience and concentration. People may feel more irritated in meetings, struggle to focus on small tasks, and make quicker, less thoughtful decisions.
“Mondays feel heavier because the body is shifting from rest into responsibility,” she said. “Even a normal commute can feel harder at the start of the week.”
Why starting at home helps some employees
The study found many employees feel that working from home on Mondays helps them ease into the week.
Without traffic stress, people often feel calmer and more in control. Psychologists said this allows the brain to slowly switch into work mode, improving focus and emotional balance.
Hasan said starting the week at home helps save mental energy and gives employees a sense of control, which improves overall readiness for the day.
However, HR leaders stress that remote work is not the solution for everyone. Some teams benefit from meeting in person early in the week, but only when employees arrive mentally prepared, not exhausted.
Burnout risk
While Monday stress may seem manageable at first, psychologists warn that repeated stress at the start of every week can slowly lead to burnout.
“When stress happens again and again and feels unavoidable, people can become emotionally drained over time,” said Hasan. “This can lead to disengagement and reduced motivation.”
She added that recognising these patterns early allows both employees and employers to make small changes before long-term damage occurs.
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