[Weekly 52-Hour Workweek Manual] (Part 1) "Six Days a Week, 12-Hour Shifts... Concerns Over Overtime"

Manufacturing Industry Necessarily Operating 24 Hours
Shift System Reform and Flexible Working Hours Combined

Source=Korea Federation of SMEs

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing difficulties due to the government's introduction of the 52-hour workweek system. The Korea Federation of SMEs has created a manual titled 'Preparing for the 52-Hour Workweek System Like This' to help the 52-hour workweek system smoothly settle in workplaces.

This manual presents step-by-step solutions centered on case studies encountered in the field. It introduces methods for reducing working hours that SMEs can use more easily.

SME A, a manufacturer of automobile parts, has about 200 employees, with approximately 150 in production positions. To meet delivery deadlines, production workers operate in a two-shift, two-team system covering day and night shifts, working six days a week with 12-hour shifts in a relay format.

These production workers work 11 hours daily excluding a one-hour break, resulting in regular overtime exceeding the 52-hour workweek. Since the grace period for workplaces with 50 to fewer than 300 regular employees under the 52-hour system ends this December, countermeasures must be prepared.

The company operates in a manufacturing environment where 24-hour operation is unavoidable. Fortunately, it is growing annually, allowing for additional hiring, and is considering wage compensation for employees up to a certain level. First, the company needs to find solutions to long working hours by reorganizing the shift system.

Typically, a two-team, two-shift system divides the day into day and night shifts, with two teams alternating every one to four weeks. When reorganizing this system to reduce working hours, a three-team, two-shift system similar to the current method is often adopted. The three-team, two-shift system rotates three teams through day shifts (4 days), night shifts (4 days), and days off (2 days).

If the company currently operates a two-team, two-shift system with 11 hours per day × 6 days (66 hours per week), reorganizing to a three-team, two-shift system would allow working 10 hours per day × 4 (or 5) days, reducing weekly hours to 40 (up to 50), thus shortening working hours within the 52-hour limit.

If adjusting daily working hours to 10 hours is not possible due to work characteristics, combining the three-team, two-shift reorganization with a flexible working hours system within 3 months (12 weeks) can ensure lawful operation.

Source=Korea Federation of SMEs

The flexible working hours system adjusts working hours according to workload, averaging working hours within the legal limit (40 hours per week).

In this case, working hours per day must be set in advance. Hours exceeding the agreed working hours, hours exceeding 12 hours on a specific day or 52 hours in a specific week, and hours exceeding 40 hours per week averaged over the unit period are considered overtime and require additional pay.

The company can also respond to changes in the working hours reduction environment by improving productivity. In manufacturing, speed, cost reduction, and improved quality are the greatest competitive advantages.

To enhance competitiveness in manufacturing sites, the government offers a program supporting 50% of project costs to build smart factories. By gradually establishing smart factories, companies can manage everything from product planning and design to manufacturing and distribution, increasing productivity. Additionally, defect rates decrease, costs are reduced, and delivery compliance rates improve, making this program worth utilizing.

If companies want consulting from related experts on shift system reorganization, productivity improvement, or work culture improvement, they can apply for the government's '2020 Workplace Innovation Consulting Support Project' and '2020 Working Hours Reduction Expert Consulting Support Project.'

Yang Okseok, Director of the Human Resources Policy Office at the Korea Federation of SMEs, said, "The newly created working hours reduction guide improves readability and accessibility for SME practitioners by simplifying technical terms. We hope companies interested in the 52-hour workweek system will actively use it."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.