[Jjinbit] If I Could Rest a Bit More 'My Way'

Work-Life Balance Emphasizes 'Self-Determination Rights'
Key Issue in Working Hours Reform Discussions

Editor's Note[Jjinbit] is a shortened form of 'Jung Hyunjin's Business Trend' and 'Real Business Trend,' a segment that showcases trends in changes in work.

The work-life balance that modern office workers desire, known as 'Wolabal,' focuses on escaping from the so-called 'time poverty,' where one is so pressed by work that they cannot have personal time. This concept, which emerged in the late 20th century, refers to the phenomenon of lacking free time and self-determination over time use due to wage labor or household and caregiving labor. According to a 2014 survey by the Korea Employment Information Service, 9.3 million people, or 42% of the total domestic workforce, are experiencing this time poverty.

[Image source=Getty Images]

Recently, as the government has brought out the working hours reform plan again after eight months, attention is focused on whether the government’s proposal can truly be a solution to time poverty. The government’s stance is to first examine the factors necessary to quell strong opposition and lead to social consensus, but from the workers’ perspective, the feeling remains that there is still a long way to go.

Throughout this year, the government has been reviewing a reform plan to make the uniform and rigid extended working hours system, which has been confined to a fixed total amount of time, more flexible. In March, based on the preferences of the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) who favor flexible work and the workforce utilization needs of companies, the government proposed a reform plan to increase the maximum weekly working hours from 52 to 69, under the principle of 'work when there is a lot to do, rest when you can.' Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik even mentioned that 'living in Jeju for a month' during downtime would be possible.

However, immediate backlash followed. Since the authority to decide flexible working hours ultimately lies with companies, concerns grew that contrary to the government’s intent, only the maximum weekly working hours would be significantly increased, while rest rights and compensation would not be properly guaranteed. Under the existing reform plan, workers would inevitably have to endure up to 69 hours of work per week depending on company needs.

The core issue of this reform plan is that adjusting working hours through equal negotiation between labor and management is difficult to achieve. According to a survey released on the 8th by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, 7 out of 10 respondents still worry that labor and management cannot be on equal footing. If flexible working hours mean that both working and resting times are controlled by the company’s will, workers see no reason to implement it.

On the contrary, if it is assumed that flexible working hours can be arranged through equal labor-management agreement according to workers’ own opinions, 61% responded positively to expanding flexible working hours. Ultimately, the core of the time poverty issue should focus on fully granting the individual worker the authority to decide how to use their time, whether for work or leisure.

Long working hours and burnout, uniformly imposed by companies and society, have made it impossible to balance work and life, ultimately leading to decreased labor productivity. The reason modern workers focus on regaining control over how to use their time is to achieve higher productivity by concentrating work during their own peak focus times and to find a balance between work and life. If the government proceeds with discussions without understanding these workers’ desires and social changes, failure is inevitable once again. It remains to be seen whether the resumed working hours reform discussions after eight months will this time lead to social consensus.