Some companies in the UAE offered their employees the option to work from home on Tuesday, a day after Iran launched a missile attack on a US air base in Qatar.
In an email to their employees, some explained that it was a measure taken for “caution” in the aftermath of the regional conflict.
Sana K, an employee at a homegrown company, said that she got an email late on Monday evening. “It gave everyone the option to work from home, and I was very thankful,” she said. “My family and I were up all night following the news. So, the work from home (WFH) option was a welcome move. I also decided not to send my children to school today.”
She said Monday’s situation made her family introspect: “We were up almost all night following the live news updates on TV. Even though there was no threat in the UAE, the attack in Qatar was scary. We are due to fly home next week, so everything seemed unsettling. That’s when my son pointed out that people in many parts of the world live in a state of war daily. We were filled with gratitude for the safety and security we experience in the UAE.”
On Monday, Iran attacked an American airbase in Qatar, causing panic among Qatari residents. The incident was followed by a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after a 12-day conflict which saw both countries attack each other with missiles.
Cautious step
Another Dubai resident, F.K., said that his company also offered employees the option to work from home on Tuesday. “Ours is an international MNC with headquarters in the US,” he said. “They wanted to be extra cautious in light of the recent regional events. However, I decided to go in because I had some meetings that I wanted to attend in person. The drive to work was very smooth with very little traffic.”
Meanwhile, several companies have cancelled all work-related travel plans of their employees.
Ali, who works as a sales manager, said that he was due to fly to Doha and later to Riyadh on Monday night but was advised to cancel all meetings. “My supervisor called me and asked me to cancel the meeting and the trip,” he said. “He said the situation was too fluid and it was better to reschedule later. I am glad I did because I know there were brief suspensions of flights, which caused significant delays.”
Several flights were cancelled and rerouted as the conflict caused brief closures of airspaces of several countries in the region. Many travellers in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait faced delays due to the issue. Some airlines have advised people to expect delays in the coming weeks due to the incident.
