Only 28.5% of Daegu Companies Support Four-Day Workweek... Daegu Chamber of Commerce Survey Shows 59.2% Oppose

The Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chairperson Park Yunkyung) announced on the 10th that it had conducted a survey to determine how the end of the 'guidance period for the 52-hour workweek system' (applied to workplaces with fewer than 30 employees, ending on December 31, 2024), as well as the recently discussed 'Special Semiconductor Act' and 'Four-Day Workweek,' are affecting local businesses.

According to the recent survey of 260 companies in the Daegu region, 76.2% of respondents supported 'exceptional application of the 52-hour workweek system based on industry and job characteristics' under the 'Special Semiconductor Act.' Regarding the 'Four-Day Workweek,' 59.2% were opposed, 28.5% were in favor, and 12.3% responded 'not sure.'

Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry

When asked about the impact of the '52-hour workweek system' on their companies, 53.1% of responding companies said it had a 'significantly negative impact,' with the negative impact being more pronounced in the manufacturing sector.

Among the companies that reported a 'significantly negative impact' (multiple responses allowed), the most common reason was 'burden of managing working hours' (57.2%), followed by 'additional labor cost burden' (55.1%), 'increased employee dissatisfaction due to actual wage reduction' (51.4%), and 'disruptions in tasks such as delivery management and R&D' (40.6%).

On the other hand, companies that reported a 'significantly positive impact' cited 'increased employee satisfaction' (80.3%) most frequently, followed by 'improved productivity' (47.5%), 'improvement of inefficient work processes' (23.0%), 'introduction of new technologies and systems such as automation equipment' (9.8%), and 'other' (0.8%).

Notably, contrary to expectations at the time of the law's revision that it would create new jobs, the '52-hour workweek system' has had little effect on new hiring among responding companies (66.2%).

As for responses to labor and working hour shortages resulting from the implementation of the 52-hour workweek system (multiple responses allowed), 'expanding automation of production processes' was the most common (30.8%), followed by 'expanding outsourcing of production processes' (30.4%), 'hiring new employees' (28.5%), 'improving work processes' (28.5%), 'introducing flexible work arrangements' (27.7%), and 'other' (1.5%).

Meanwhile, when asked about the appropriate maximum weekly working hours, the majority of companies (45.8%) answered 56 hours or more per week (56 to 68 hours).

Lee Sanggil, Executive Vice Chairman of the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated, "The 52-hour workweek system is a very important policy for balancing work and life for employees, but there are growing calls for improvement due to its rigid application in the industrial field." He added, "It is necessary to flexibly revise the 52-hour workweek system by considering the characteristics of each industry and job type, and especially to prepare customized support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups that are vulnerable in terms of workforce supply."