[MZ Expression - Meaning] "I'll take a half-day off today"... Confused Manager

Editor's NoteWere you confused by the difficult language and behavior of the MZ generation? We help you understand without any misunderstandings. Real MZers reveal the true meanings.

"I will use a half-half day off."

A worker named A, who works in Jongno-gu, Seoul, leaves work two hours earlier than others on Fridays. This is because they used a half-half day off. A said, "I have to take care of some banking tasks and meet a friend in the evening," adding, "Since it's Friday, leaving work early makes me feel good and I can enjoy a walk along Cheonggyecheon."

Mr. B, a manager in his 50s, was quite taken aback by a new employee who asked, "Is there no such thing as a half-half day off?" He had heard of a half-day off but never of a half-half day off. Mr. B said, "I thought a half-day off was already a sufficient vacation, so I don't quite understand how someone would use a half-half day off, which is just two hours." After actually searching, he found that many companies are increasingly adopting the 'half-half day off,' which involves splitting annual leave into smaller parts.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have diversified their working methods, allowing employees to choose their working hours and locations. Many companies have entrusted employees with 'autonomy' to flexibly respond to situations. In this process, a culture emphasizing work-life balance (WLB) has spread, and the 'half-half day off,' which allows detailed time management, has emerged.

Unlike in the past when it was only seen in large corporations, nowadays it is rapidly increasing among small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.

The 'Half-Half Day Off' Operated 'Autonomously' by Companies

A half-day off means taking a vacation for half a day, usually divided into morning and afternoon halves, using about 4 hours. In other words, two half-days off equal one full day of annual leave. Unlike 'annual leave,' which is defined by labor standards law, a half-day off is not a legal concept. Therefore, even if a company does not allow the use of half-half days off instead of full-day annual leave, it is not a legal violation. However, many companies voluntarily use the half-day off system.

However, the concept of a 'half-half day off,' which divides a half-day off even further, has emerged. A half-half day off is a vacation of 2 to 3 hours during the day. Since the time is short, it is convenient for brief personal tasks such as hospital visits. Office workers say that a half-half day off is closer to a 'break' than a 'vacation.' The half-half day off is also a system that companies allow employees to use autonomously.

With a half-half day off, employees can arrive 2 hours late or leave 2 hours early. Because annual leave can be split into 2-hour units, time management can be more efficient. In practice, workers use half-half days off for unavoidable personal matters during work, self-development, or childcare such as taking children to and from school.

Concerns about Confusion and Misuse

Office workers commuting near Yeouido Station in Seoul./Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Since 'half-day off' and 'half-half day off' are not legally defined, their use depends on the discretion of the company or manager.

Because it is 'autonomous' and the standards are vague, confusion can arise. For an employee who works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., if they use an afternoon half-day off, they should come to work at 9 a.m. and leave at 2 p.m., including lunch time. If they use a morning half-day off, they should come to work at 2 p.m. and leave at 6 p.m., working 4 hours.

However, some companies allow employees who use an afternoon half-day off to leave at 12 p.m., and those who use a morning half-day off to come in at 1 p.m. In this case, the former works 3 hours and the latter 5 hours, which is unfair even though both used a half-day off. Also, some employees who took a morning half-day off come in early due to workload and social pressure, effectively negating the meaning of the half-day off.

In this situation, voices are raised that the 'half-half day off' could also cause confusion. On HR-related online communities, posts with the keyword 'half-half day off' discuss whether it interferes with work and whether employees can be well managed by time units. Some also worry that "some people might suddenly use a half-half day off in the morning because they overslept and think they will be late."

However, most office workers view the 'half-half day off' positively. One netizen lamented on an online community, "The company is abolishing the half-half day off because they think it won't improve work efficiency." Other users responded, "Half-half day off has nothing to do with efficiency," and "If you abolish the half-half day off, you end up losing a whole day or half a day, which is worse." Some even shared office tips like, "If you don't want to attend a company dinner, you can use a half-half day off and leave without feeling pressured."