45.2% of workers in South Korea can take off days whenever they want: Survey

This ratio is lower among female, non-regular, and low-income workers.
By: | November 13, 2020
Topics: Compensation and Benefits | Employee Experience | Employment Law | Health and Wellness | News | South Korea | Talent Management

Only 45.2% of workers in South Korea can take off days whenever they wish to, reveals a nationwide survey of 1,000 workers.

The survey also highlights that the ratio for workers who can go on leave flexibly was lower among female, non-regular, and low-income workers .

The survey, comprising workers aged between 19 and 55, found that 811 respondents, or 81.1%, said that they stay at work over eight hours each weekday. Out of those, 54.7% highlighted that it was due to excessive workload. 

Another 30% said that they work longer than eight hours a day to earn more, while 15.3% said that they were forced by employers to work overtime. 

Due to the amount of time spent at work, 35.3% highlighted that they face health concerns. 

Meanwhile, 64.5% of respondents said that their companies complied to the nation’s labour laws, while 58.4% said that they did not trust the government, and government labour inspectors.

Conducted from Oct 22 to 26 by Embrain Public, the poll found that the ratio of workers taking less than eight days off a month was higher among non-regular workers, at 28%, than regular workers, at 21.3%.  

More than half of full-time workers are optimistic, with 57% believing that working conditions will improve in the future. 54.5% of non-regular workers believed otherwise.