There are plenty of design studios in Bahrain, so why is this one making history?

Limefish is a visual design studio based in Bahrain, providing high-end visual design solutions such as: visual identity, UI/UX design, video editing and motion graphics. Founded by Executive Director Yonis Attiya in 2015, it started as a freelance design business with just Yonis and has grown to be a fully fledged studio employing eight Bahrainis.

So far, so normal, right? But the company recently took the decision to reduce hours to work a four-day week – a system that has been gaining traction in Europe but which is, so far, untapped in Bahrain with Limefish being the first to dip its toes in the water.

Yonis explains: “At the Eid al-Fitr holiday, we had Sunday off and it was a four-day week. On that week I noticed that my team had so many achievements, at the same time I was looking for ways to reduce the team’s stress. I did some research and found some studies indicating the benefits of a four-day work week. So decided to try it out for two months. Just a trial to see how it would work out.”

The experiment started in mid-May and Yonis was surprised and delighted with the results. He says: “Honestly, I didn’t expect the results we got. Because team members got an extra day off at the weekend, they had the chance to work on their personal projects, hobbies and spend more time with their families. Because of that, team mental health got much better, everyone is smiling and laughing in the office, the positive vibe is carried throughout the work week.

“As a result, the productivity became much better, the team became more creative and better at solving problems and coming up with creative concepts. The four-day week worked well for us because we value quality of work over the quantity.”

And that level of success means the experiment is here to stay. We wonder if other businesses will follow suit once working from home begins to ease as pandemic restrictions are lifted. ✤

GO: CALL 6661 7217 TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LIMEFISH.