Is it permissible for us to shorten and combine prayers throughout our 28-day stay at work, given the distance of the workplace from our homes and its being devoid of inhabitants and facilities?

It is not permissible to shorten or combine prayers except for a traveler. A traveler who intends to reside for more than four days does not qualify for the concessions of travel; he must complete the prayers and perform each prayer at its appointed time. Scholars have differed in determining the distance of travel that permits shortening prayers, with the majority holding that it is approximately 80 kilometers.