The concept of a 4-day work week, with three days off, has long been a dream for many office workers. However, concerns about wage reduction and decreased corporate competitiveness have also been raised.
The issue of reduced working hours has resurfaced as a hot topic in South Korea, with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung advocating for the introduction of a 4-day work week.
As more countries around the world experiment with the 4-day work week, there are calls for South Korea to consider a phased implementation. However, with significant differences in opinion between labor and management regarding working hour reductions, it is expected to take considerable time before any legislation is passed.
Lee Jae-myung's Proposal
On June 10th, during a representative speech at the National Assembly, Lee Jae-myung mentioned the 4-day work week, stating, "To move towards a society of advanced technology, creativity, and autonomy, we must reduce working hours and move towards a '4.5-day work week' or a '4-day work week nation.'"
This is not the first time Lee has proposed the 4-day work week.
As telecommuting became more widespread and flexible work arrangements increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 4-day work week was presented as an alternative by politicians, starting with Justice Party leader Shim Sang-jung in 2021. Lee himself mentioned the need for a 4-day work week in the long term during the 2022 presidential election.
SK Telecom and POSCO implement a bi-weekly 4-day work week.
Samsung Electronics introduced a monthly 4-day work week, allowing employees to take a Friday off if they meet their monthly required working hours.
Jeju Island launched a "4.5-day work week" for public institution employees last year. This program, tentatively named "Friday at 1 PM," allows employees to work an additional 4 hours from Monday to Thursday and leave at 1 PM on Friday.
Jeongseon County in Gangwon Province operates a bi-weekly 4.5-day work week, with one week of normal work followed by a week of 4-day work.
Gyeonggi Province will pilot a "4.5-day work week without wage reduction" for some public institutions and private companies starting this year. This program allows employees to choose one of three options through labor-management agreement: a bi-weekly 4-day work week, a 35-hour work week, or a half-day work day every Friday.
Global Trends
Major countries overseas are also actively discussing the introduction of a 4-day work week.
Belgium is the most proactive country. In 2022, it became the first European Union country to legislate the "right to request a 4-day work week." Employees can switch to a 4-day work week by increasing their daily working hours while maintaining the legal working hours of 38 hours per week.
In the United States, companies and state governments are implementing the 4-day work week autonomously. Some states are encouraging the adoption of the 4-day work week through tax benefits or financial support.
The United Kingdom is conducting a second pilot project after completing a pilot project on "4-day work week without wage reduction." Discussions are also underway to revise the law to stably guarantee a 4-day work week.
In Japan, the 4-day work week is gaining attention as a measure to address the declining birth rate. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will implement a 4-day work week using flexible work arrangements from April. Employees can take an extra day off each week by working 155 hours over four weeks.
Challenges and Future Directions
Labor groups are calling for swift legislative discussions, as they expect the 4-day work week to increase productivity, employee satisfaction, and work-life balance.
On the other hand, management groups are expressing concerns about increased workload and decreased competitiveness, arguing that the 4-day work week may be unrealistic depending on the industry and company size.
Some argue that instead of a 4-day work week, the 52-hour work week system should be abolished or applied more flexibly. Above all, reaching an agreement on reducing working hours without wage reduction is crucial for implementing the 4-day work week.
As labor and management have conflicting views, it is expected to take considerable time for the 4-day work week to be legislated. The government also states that it is difficult to revise the Labor Standards Act without prior agreement between labor and management.
Ultimately, the success of the 4-day work week depends on finding a balance between maintaining productivity and preserving wages. Experts advise that it is desirable to verify the effectiveness of the policy through pilot projects and then introduce it gradually.
Kim Jong-jin, head of the Working Citizen Research Institute, said in an interview with the World Daily, "As discussions on working hour reduction, the 4-day work week, and telecommuting are taking place globally, South Korea could see the 4-day work week take shape within 5 years at the earliest, or 10 years at the latest." He suggested, "Before legislation, it is necessary to conduct pilot projects targeting small and medium-sized enterprises and consider a plan to gradually reduce the weekly working hours from 40 to 36 or 32 hours so that the system can be implemented smoothly."
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