Flexible Work Arrangements on the Rise Among Large Corporations in South Korea

In South Korea, flexible work arrangements are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among large corporations. Employees like Park (39) have the option to start work anytime between 7 AM and 11 AM, allowing them to drop their children off at daycare before heading to the office. Similarly, Lee (46) extends his work hours from Monday to Thursday to leave early on Fridays, often taking his son skiing.

This trend is largely driven by the need for work-life balance, especially for dual-income families struggling with childcare. Major companies such as POSCO have implemented a bi-weekly four-day workweek, where employees work 44 hours one week and 36 hours the next. Other public enterprises, like Korea Electric Power Corporation, have also adopted flexible work policies, allowing employees to adjust their hours based on personal needs.

Many large firms, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, SK Telecom, and Lotte Group, have various flexible work systems in place. The IT sector, with companies like Naver, Kakao, Nexon, and NCSoft, has almost universally embraced these arrangements, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the shift towards remote and flexible work.

However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face significant challenges in adopting flexible work policies. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, only 2.6% of SMEs with fewer than 300 employees have implemented the popular 'selective work system,' compared to 36% of large corporations. The disparity is even more pronounced with other flexible work arrangements, such as the 'flexible working hours system' and 'compensatory leave system,' where large companies lead with 40.6% and 43.1% adoption rates, respectively, while SMEs lag far behind.

Experts suggest that the lack of flexible work options in SMEs is a deterrent for young job seekers, who often prefer companies with established flexible work policies.