Samsung Takes On A Six-Day Workweek

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

​The Korea Economic Daily reports that the strategy is a reaction to the company's declining performance expectations. Reports indicate that performance fell short in 2023 among central units, including the manufacturing and sales divisions.

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 the opposite of 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 2019. Samsung's move toward a longer workweek doesn't mean other employers will follow suit.

"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 highlighted the increasing demand for more sophisticated generative AI and advanced process technologies. As Samsung is increasing investments in overseas operations, a weaker won has raised borrowing costs and dented 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." ​