【商業熱話】三星推每月額外一日週五有薪假望留住年輕人才 Samsung Introduces Monthly Extra Friday Paid Leave to Retain Young Talent
根據《彭博》報導，全球最大記憶晶片商、南韓最大企業三星電子為了留住和吸引更多的年輕人，每月將額外提供有薪假期。從下週開始，他們的非生產線全職員工將可以在每月在發薪日（通常在每月21日）當週星期五或當週前一個週五休假。藉此，身處全球最為超時工作地區的三星希望設立一個新標準，讓每個人都能享受到工作和生活的平衡。
據《韓國先驅報》報導，這項建議最初是由公司管理層提出，並獲到勞工組織的接受。三星希望透過此舉留住人才，尤其是那些重視工作及生活平衡的年輕員工。根據三星2022年的報告，千禧世代和Z世代的員工佔其全球員工的四分之一。這些年輕員工往往更重視工作及生活平衡。2021年，南韓打工仔的平均工作時間比經濟合作與發展組織成員國的平均水平，高出近200小時。三星的新政策不僅體現了對員工健康與休息的尊重，也顯示了對工作與生活平衡理念的支持。
三星以往一直以軍事風格作營運，但近年開始致力轉型為更靈活的初創風格。重要的變革包括取消在辦公室的最低工作時間要求、放寬高級員工的服裝規定（允許在週五不穿西裝和領帶）、縮短懷孕員工的工作時間，甚至超過了勞動法的要求。該公司還有一項新的「重返職場計劃」，旨在幫助在職父母更順利地返回工作崗位。
三星不是首家推行靈活工作政策的公司，其競爭對手SK海力士最近已經開始為每週工作超過40小時的員工，提供每月其中一個週五作休假。企業重視員工的工作及生活平衡，並且通過靈活的工作時間和休假政策，改善員工福利與工作環境。這種變革不僅對員工的工作壓力和健康有所幫助，同時也有助於企業吸引和保留人才。
According to Bloomberg's report, Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip manufacturer and South Korea's largest company, has introduced an additional paid day off every month in order to retain and attract more young talent. Starting next week, their non-production line full-time employees will be able to take a day off on the Friday of the week in which their payday falls (usually the 21st of each month) or the preceding Friday. With this move, Samsung hopes to set a new standard in regions known for excessive working hours and allow everyone to enjoy a balance between work and life.
According to the Korea Herald, the proposal for a monthly day off was initially put forward by the company's management and was accepted by labour organisations. Samsung aims to retain talent, especially young employees who value work-life balance. According to Samsung's 2022 report, millennials and Gen Z employees make up one-fourth of its global workforce. These young employees often prioritise a balance between work and life. In 2021, Korean workers' average working hours were nearly 200 hours higher than the average of member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Samsung's new policy not only reflects respect for employee health and rest but also demonstrates support for the concept of work-life balance.
In recent years, Samsung has been committed to transforming its military-style corporate structure into a more flexible startup-style approach. Important changes include eliminating minimum working hour requirements in the office, relaxing dress codes for senior employees (allowing them to dress casually on Fridays without suits and ties), shortening working hours for all pregnant employees, exceeding the requirements of labour laws. The company also has a new "Return to Work Program" aimed at helping working parents smoothly return to their job positions.
Samsung is not the first company to implement flexible work policies. Its competitor SK Hynix recently started offering a day off on one Friday per month for employees working more than 40 hours a week. Companies are placing more emphasis on work-life balance for employees and improving employee welfare and work environments through flexible working hours and vacation policies. This kind of transformation not only helps alleviate work stress and improve employee health but also aids companies in attracting and retaining talent.