A Saudi writer has proposed paying employees on a weekly, not monthly, basis, arguing the shift has positive socio-economic effects.

“It is appropriate to reconsider dates of disbursing salaries to cope with the amazing economic and social progress and changes,” Mohammed Al Abbas wrote in the economic newspaper Al Eqtisadiah.

“There is no longer a convincing argument to continue disbursing salaries monthly. It’s better to make the pay on a weekly basis.”

He remarked that thanks to present-day advanced technologies, employees’ work hours and dues can be calculated daily.

According to the writer, his proposal entails “praiseworthy” economic and social impacts.

“It will improve the family’s ability of balanced spending as they will no longer spend the salary on paying bills and stay without money for the rest of the month,” he said. “Having a weekly salary, the family will keep a generally stable budget and good planning.”

He noted that usually stores do a brisk business when the monthly salaries are disbursed, but they experience a low turnout of customers in other times, thus creating a shortfall in cash inflows.

“When salaries are paid every week, families will not concentrate their shopping at the start of the month. The change will ensure that markets and store to have a brisk business throughout the year.”

Another benefit cited by Al Abbas is related to workers’ performance. “Employees will be constantly satisfied as they will be rewarded for their work by the end of the week. This will enhance their sense of attachment to the workplace and generally improve their productivity,” he said.