Samsung to Implement Five-day Workweek from May

The Samsung Group said on April 22 that starting from next month the company would put a five-day workweek in practice.

Once a five-day workweek is introduced, various leaves will be excluded within the range of the current Labor Standard Act. The system will be put in place through labor-management consultations of each subsidiary.

“According to the results of the consultations between the labor unions and management, nearly all subsidiaries will introduce the five-day workweek,” said Lee Soon-dong, head of Samsung`s restructuring team. “When it comes to factories that operate everyday, only office workers are expected to have Saturdays off.”

“We decided to have Saturdays off to adapt better to the changes of the working environment after the five-day workweek are implemented nationwide,” the Samsung Group announced. “This move is expected to contribute to an enactment of the system.” It also explained that the decision was made based on the evaluation that the company has expanded the opportunities of employees` leisure, improved the quality of life and achieved improved productivity such as the best management performance last year since the foundation.

In addition, Samsung will provide employees with programs to support sound use of leisure and self-improvement, and speed up the reform of the production processes and the management. As a result, it will expand the support for language learning, club activities, weekend farms and condominiums.

Office workers of the Samsung Group have been working every other Saturday since 2001. From March 2003, Samsung Securities have introduced the five-day workweek. Currently, LG subsidiaries including LG Electronics and LG Chemical and Isu Chemical put the system in practice.

Yeon-Su Shin ysshin@donga.com