Samsung Execs Take on Six-Day Workweek

At a time when the four-day workweek is gaining traction among employers and lawmakers globally, Samsung Electronics is adopting a six-day workweek for its executives.

The strategy is prompted by performance expectations that fell short in 2023 among major units, including the manufacturing and sales divisions, the Korea Economic Daily reported.

Samsung Life Insurance Co. “and other financial services firms under the Samsung Group will likely join them soon,” it added. Some Samsung executives have been voluntarily working six days a week since January.

The aim is “for executives to inject a sense of crisis and make all-out efforts to overcome it,” the paper reported, quoting an unnamed Samsung Group company executive. Employees below the executive level will continue working five days a week. 

Last year, South Korea’s government proposed a 69-hour workweek “after business groups complained that the current cap of 52 hours was making it difficult to meet deadlines,” according to The Guardian. However, protests from members of Generation Z and Millennials there caused the government to reconsider the proposal.

Samsung’s approach is completely opposite from Microsoft Japan, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. It adopted a four-day workweek after seeing a 39.9 percent productivity boost among employees during a pilot of the shorter workweek in 2019.

“It appears Samsung executives are being cautious in the face of uncertain macroeconomic and geopolitical tensions,” said Sydney Ross, an economic researcher at SHRM. “Since it is only for executives, the six-day week seems to be an opportunity for executives to regularly assess global market conditions to mitigate potential losses.”

Ross also pointed to the increasing demand for more sophisticated generative AI and advanced process technologies. And as Samsung is increasing investments in overseas operations, a weaker won has raised borrowing costs and put a dent in company profits. 

“It’s possible,” Ross said, “the public announcement is an effort to put pressure on the South Korean government to institute policies to protect the domestic semiconductor industry.” 

Samsung’s move toward a longer workweek doesn’t mean other employers will follow suit, though.

SHRM senior labor economist Justin Ladner noted that, “at present, there is insufficient evidence of a broader shift among South Korean firms toward extended workweeks, either for executives or employees in general. However, future policy changes by other firms may provide more evidence of a trend with notable labor force implications.”

SHRM Online collected the following articles on the news.

Samsung Increases Workweek to 6 Days for Executives Amidst Mounting Pressure

The new work schedule allows executives at Samsung Electronics to choose whether to come in on Saturday or Sunday, giving them some flexibility. However, regular employees will continue to work the usual five days a week.

(Business Today)

India Debate on 70-Hour Workweek: Illegal or Road to Greatness?

Infosys founder Narayana Murthy sparked a controversy on social media in 2023 when he said young people should be working 70 hours a week to boost India’s economy. 

While many took to social media to express their distaste for Murthy’s comments, industry leaders who spoke to CNBC agreed that it may be necessary if India wants to compete on the global stage. 

(CNBC)

Average Workweek by Country 2024

Globally, the average workweek can range from less than 40 hours in length to close to 50 hours. High-income and/or developed countries with a cultural emphasis on work/life balance and adequate leisure/family time generally have shorter official workweeks—some as short as four days—and more vacation days. By contrast, countries with longer workweeks, fewer worker protections, and reduced amenities often rank as hard-working countries.

(World Population Review)

A Brief History of the 5-Day Workweek

By the mid-19th century, it was common for workers to log 70-hour, six-day workweeks in newly mechanized factories. Industrialization was radically transforming the nature of work. With a growing sense of autonomy, workers began to protest long work hours and poor working conditions. In the U.S., Henry Ford became one of the first employers to adopt a five-day, 40-hour week at his Ford Motor Company plants in 1926. After the disruptions of the pandemic, some say it’s once again time to rethink the rhythm of the week.

(Morning Brew)

A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The four-day workweek—in which employees work 32 hours and are paid for 40 hours—could be supported by artificial intelligence as it increases productivity and streamlines some workplace tasks. Steve Cohen, New York Mets owner and hedge fund firm founder, is the latest to say it’s only a matter of time before the four-day workweek is adopted, thanks to AI, according to a Fortune report.
But AI by itself won’t usher in the change to a condensed workweek, the BBC reported.

(SHRM Online)

The Benefits of a 4-Day Workweek, According to Employers

Nearly one-third of large U.S. firms are exploring new schedules like the four-day workweek. Economics correspondent Paul Solman takes a look at what happened at some companies that tried out a four-day, 32-hour week at the same pay.

(PBS)