Case Studies in the Field of Research and Development (R&D)... Distribution of Working Hours System Q&A
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok]
#Video streaming company A experienced a sharp increase in the main working hours of program developers due to the rise in non-face-to-face services. In response, they introduced a flexible working hours system, setting mandatory working hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., start times from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and end times from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., adjusting individual working hours accordingly. They also hired two new employees. As a result, no workers exceeded the 52-hour workweek.
#Software (SW) company B often had R&D staff working more than 52 hours per week. To address this, they implemented a discretionary working hours system and a biweekly flexible working hours system to prevent excessive long working hours and supplemented the 52-hour workweek regulation.
#Media publishing and B2B platform company C saw a surge in workload due to new business ventures, leading to employee resignations. They promoted a culture of leaving work on time and encouraged the use of annual leave to activate vacations, rehired retired employees as contract workers, and hired new staff, successfully complying with the 52-hour workweek.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor collected exemplary cases of responding to the 52-hour workweek and released them on the 27th. The message is that by applying flexible working hours systems such as flexible, selective, and discretionary working hours according to company circumstances, the system can be established without side effects.
The ministry reported that after three months of enforcing the 52-hour workweek law for companies with 5 to 49 employees, most companies are generally complying well, but some are facing difficulties. In particular, some companies were unable to properly utilize the supplemented flexible working hours system due to lack of awareness.
Therefore, the government compiled and announced cases of reduced working hours focusing on IT, software, and research and development sectors for companies to refer to. Various cases were gathered, including the introduction of flexible working hours systems and concentrated working hours systems, as well as the spread of a culture of leaving work on time.
They also suggested suitable flexible working hours systems depending on business conditions. For all workplaces with five or more employees, ▲when predictable workload fluctuations such as peak seasons exist, apply flexible working hours systems on a 2-week, 3-month, or 3-6 month basis; ▲in fields where worker autonomy is important, operate selective or discretionary working hours systems on a 1-month or 3-month basis; and ▲in unpredictable emergencies such as machine breakdowns or sudden order surges, apply special extended working hours, thus optimizing operations.
Especially, since companies with 5 to 29 employees, accounting for 94.9% of companies with 5 to 49 employees, are legally allowed an additional 8 hours of extended work until December 31 next year, they were encouraged to actively utilize this. This means working hours can be extended up to a total of 60 hours per week.
Additionally, a Q&A booklet for employers, workers, and the public was created. This booklet includes explanations on ▲the meaning and principles of working hours ▲statutory working hours and extended, night, and holiday work ▲flexible working hours systems ▲exceptions to the 52-hour workweek ▲and five topics on holidays, leave, and breaks. The ministry plans to provide customized briefings by detailed industries such as mold and casting among root companies. They will continue to offer system guidance and one-on-one tailored consulting for industries and companies facing difficulties.
Park Jongpil, head of the Labor Inspection Division at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "We will continue to support so that no companies fail to utilize the working hours system due to lack of knowledge," and urged, "We hope companies will also strive to comply with the law by utilizing reformed systems such as flexible working hours."
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