President Lee Jae-myung pledged a 4.5-day work week during the presidential election campaign. He is of the position that it should ultimately lead to a 4-day work week. On April 30th, President Lee posted on Facebook, "We must embark on a bold policy shift for a sustainable balance between work and life," stating that "we will reduce the average working hours in Korea to below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average by 2030."
The medical community believes that President Lee's pledge is highly likely to be realized, considering that more hospitals are already allowing nurses to work a 4-day week. There are evaluations in the medical community that the 4-day work week is "a system that prevents nurse turnover, increases work efficiency, and enhances medical services for patients," but there are also reactions noting that "support is needed to secure substitute personnel."
◇Expansion of the 4-day work week in the medical community
The National Health and Medical Industry Union (Health and Medical Union) at Korea University Medical Center is currently proposing a 4-day work week in collective bargaining. This means that nurses, medical technicians, and administrative staff would work only 32 hours a week at the hospital. A representative from Korea University Medical Center stated, "We are still in the early stages of negotiations, and there is no specific direction yet, including wage cuts," adding that "the 4-day work week is intertwined with employee treatment and welfare, so we are examining various aspects while keeping an eye on government policies."
The National Medical Center, an institution under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, has also piloted the 4-day work week this month for 300 nurses working in rotational shifts. Initially, it will start with 5 nurses working in one ward and add 5 more nurses by September. The two parties plan to expand the 4-day work week targets every three months. A representative from the Ministry of Health and Welfare noted, "Working hours will decrease from 40 hours to 32 hours," while adding, "Wages will be at 90% of the current level."
This is in line with an agreement made last year between the National Medical Center and the Health and Medical Union. Earlier, a survey conducted by the union on the 300 nurses included in the 4-day work week showed that 92% responded positively. The most common reason for wanting a 4-day work week was that it would "reduce physical and mental burden and seems beneficial for health" (91%).
◇0% turnover rate for those on the 4-day work week
Hospitals that have already implemented the 4-day work week have reportedly seen a significant decrease in turnover rates. Yonsei Medical Center began piloting the 4-day work week as the first medical institution in 2023. At Severance Hospital and Gangnam Severance Hospital, 30 nurses participated in a 4-day work week across three wards (2 at Sinchon and 1 at Gangnam). According to the Severance Hospital union, all wards participating in the 4-day work week have reduced turnover rates.
In one ward in Sinchon, the turnover rate dropped from 3.6% in 2022 to 0% in 2023. Meanwhile, another ward in Sinchon saw the turnover rate decrease from 9.1% to 2.9%. The turnover rate in the Gangnam ward dropped from 27% to 18.2%. Nurses participating in the 4-day work week stated, "The desire to resign has decreased," and "Having more time now allows us to attend to more patients." They noted an improvement in patient care and service quality.
Nursing is considered a profession with high work intensity. Those working in intensive care units or emergency rooms cannot let their guard down and often work night shifts in a rotation. They may rush meals or skip them altogether while caring for patients. Since last year, working conditions have become much tougher as medical residents have left due to conflicts with the medical community. This is one reason why hospitals focus on implementing a 4-day work week primarily for nurses. The medical community believes that providing nurses with time to recharge can prevent resignations, stabilize staffing, and offer better services.
However, securing substitute personnel must be prioritized to implement the 4-day work week. Depending on the ward, it is said that typically 1.5 additional staff are needed for every 5 nurses working a 4-day week. A representative from the medical community stated, "The additional labor cost burden cannot be ignored."
From the hospital's perspective, they either need to reduce wages for existing staff since working hours are reduced or require separate financial support. A representative from Yonsei Medical Center, which has implemented the 4-day work week, stated, "The wages of nurses who work a 4-day week have been adjusted downward somewhat as their working hours have decreased." President Lee stated, "Instead of pursuing a 4.5-day work week with wage cuts, I will ensure that there are solid support measures for companies that implement it."