[THE VIEW]Will Samsung Executives' Six-Day Workweek Drive Innovation?

Divided Opinions: Overcoming Crisis vs. Turning Back the Clock
A Different Path from Global Big Tech Companies Draws Attention

Samsung announced that it will implement a six-day workweek for executives of its major affiliates. This measure is intended to address the stagnation in the semiconductor and smartphone markets as a crisis and to drive innovation. Samsung recorded a loss of approximately 15 trillion won last year. Its global competitiveness in semiconductors is gradually declining. The six-day workweek applies to all affiliates except financial subsidiaries such as Samsung Life Insurance, but insiders and outsiders alike expect these affiliates to soon join the executive six-day workweek initiative, following the overall organizational trend. This measure appears to be a kind of 'reform action' aimed at having executives deeply acknowledge the current crisis and sluggishness and adjust their working hours to foster innovation once again.

As Samsung, the largest domestic company, has entered an emergency work system by introducing the six-day workweek, there are expectations that other major conglomerates such as SK and LG may take similar measures. In the case of SK Group, Saturday meetings that require attendance from key management executives are currently being held.

Samsung has prohibited managers and lower-level employees from accompanying executives to work on Saturdays. Similarly, SK’s Saturday meetings are limited to key executives, so regular employees still maintain a five-day workweek. Opinions within Samsung about the six-day workweek are divided. Some see it as an appropriate measure to overcome the crisis together, while others view it as a step backward in time.

Will these measures bring genuine reform to Samsung and other major conglomerates? Overseas big tech companies also take various measures to prepare for the rapidly changing environment and foster innovation, but few impose extended working hours. Instead, they clarify performance and compensation systems. Their goal is performance management rather than attendance management. Regardless of when employees come to or leave work, those with good performance receive good rewards, while those who do not may be dismissed without mercy. Google, Apple, and Amazon all emphasize flexibility over rigidity by guaranteeing maximum freedom and holding employees accountable for that freedom. For example, Google allows employees to exercise or even receive massages during working hours. If such freedom helps individuals generate innovative ideas and engage in creative work, no restrictions are imposed. The intent is to guarantee freedom and flexibility so that each individual can achieve the highest work efficiency.

These companies also do not overlook the fact that innovative ideas emerge and efficiency improves through face-to-face interactions and conversations within teams. They set common team meetings or shared start times to enable the organization to operate organically. Zoom has issued a policy requiring employees to work from the office, and Tesla strongly encourages all employees to come to work. However, no big tech company innovates by voluntarily giving up weekends. If executives work, the regular employees who support and assist them cannot avoid working as well.

Ultimately, the six-day workweek could spread to all employees. If employees do not spend time with their families or rest on weekends, accumulated stress could actually reduce work efficiency. The likelihood of creating novelty and innovation in an environment lacking freedom is low.

Measures for innovation are certainly necessary. It has long been proven that communication and face-to-face interaction are important for innovation. However, it is questionable whether extending communication and face-to-face time into weekends will be effective. Although regular employees are not mobilized to work, it is uncertain whether it is realistically possible for only executives to come to work. Furthermore, even if only executives come to work, it is doubtful how many new ideas can be created without the entire team moving organically. It is a critical time to deeply consider whether Samsung’s innovation measures might result in a rigid organizational culture.

Kyung Na-kyung, Professor, Department of Computer Science, National University of Singapore