As the movement to introduce a 4.5-day workweek gains momentum, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have become accustomed to overtime work express concerns that labor costs may increase. Among workers, there are simultaneous opinions that a full week's worth of work can be accomplished in just a 4.5-day workweek and reactions indicating that this is practically difficult.
According to a report from ChosunBiz on the 27th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has reported on the 4.5-day workweek to the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning and has begun to specify related details. The main content is to reduce working hours under the 4.5-day workweek while maintaining wages.
Small and medium-sized enterprises are skeptical about keeping wages under the 4.5-day workweek. A person surnamed A, who runs a metal processing manufacturing company in Gyeonggi Province, said, "Employees average about 2 hours of overtime per day, and when delivery deadlines are tight, it is common for them to work on weekends, leading to additional expenditures of over 10 million won in labor costs per month depending on the situation," and explained, "Implementing a 4.5-day workweek amid a culture of regular overtime and a lack of skilled labor will likely increase the burden of labor costs and related expenses."
Some corporations are maintaining productivity while reducing working hours. The automatic door manufacturing company "Koad" has been implementing a 4-day workweek for eight months a year, excluding peak seasons. Even with the 4-day workweek, there was no wage cut; instead, wages were increased. However, in general, if transitioning from a 5-day workweek to a 4.5-day workweek, companies are required to pay for additional work due to reduced working hours.
Person A noted, "Even if working hours are reduced, some places have managed to maintain wages and productivity, and any business operator would want to do the same." However, they added, "Considering the need for skilled labor and expenses, it is unrealistic to apply a few successful cases uniformly."
Workers display different reactions depending on the industry and type of work. A person surnamed B, who is part of the support team at a cosmetics company, said, "Seeing pregnant women work shortened hours, I notice that even with reduced working hours, they can handle their tasks without impacting others," and remarked, "A 4.5-day workweek without wage cuts seems feasible."
Opinions leaning towards the notion that a 4.5-day workweek is practically difficult are prevalent in manufacturing industries and small companies. A person surnamed C, who works in glass production, and a person surnamed D, who handles marketing at an IT startup, said, "If just one person is absent, someone else has to fill in, and the work schedule is tight, making additional work frequent," adding, "With lower salaries, even if wages are cut to implement a 4-day or 4.5-day workweek, workers will not agree."
The small and medium-sized enterprise management sector mentioned that "it is not appropriate to push aggressively without alternative personnel or sufficient labor cost support." They further noted, "While we agree with the direction of reducing working hours, policies that do not reflect reality will be detrimental to both SMEs and workers," adding, "A flexible implementation plan must be established considering industry characteristics and corporate size."