Reduced working hours must go hand-in-hand with improved productivity: expert

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) has called on the government for the second time this year to reduce the weekly working hours for private sector workers from 48 to 44, and eventually to 40 hours per week.

VGCL is the sole representative of Vietnamese workers' interests and unified trade union organizations in the country.

Dr Nguyen Thi Lien, head of the department of business human resource management at the Vietnam University of Commerce in Hanoi, said the shorter working week proposal was scientifically researched, practical and in line with global norms.

Extensive research has shown that reducing working hours allows workers to rest, rejuvenate, and spend more time with their families, providing a wide range of wellbeing and social benefits. Businesses also benefit when workers come back fully rested and more committed to their jobs because fewer mistakes are made and productivity increases.

Lien, however, said reducing working hours should be implemented gradually to allow room for adjustments and proper assessment from both businesses and workers.

It must be properly communicated that reduced working hours does not necessary mean lower incomes.

She said the key to the challenge of maintaining national competitiveness and investment while giving workers more time to rest is increased labour productivity.

"Businesses must invest more in technologies and automation, and improve workflow and the working environment. Workers should be geared toward being adaptive, creative, and producing advanced products," Lien said.

She advised the government to implement additional policies to stimulate creativity and innovation while raising the nation's minimum wage and workers' living standards. As incomes increase, reduced working hours allow more time for family, rest and recreational activities, which aligns with global development trends.

She added that reducing working hours will inevitably happen in the future, but the timing and implementation need careful planning and execution.

Dr Cao Van Sam, chairman of the advisory council at the Institute for Human Resources Training and Development, said the proposal to reduce working hours was brought to and approved by the 2019 National Assembly's Resolution 101. However, policymakers must strike a balance between labour productivity and the ability to ensure minimum living conditions for workers and meet various conditions for implementation.

"There should be thorough research based on scientific principles and practical approaches to build a roadmap that allows for reduced working hours and increased labor productivity," he said.

Sâm said tests should be carried out at businesses that meet all the conditions for implementation before the country's labour authorities implement national-scale policies.

"There have to be solutions to ensure workers' incomes are not hurt significantly, as well as their employers' competitiveness and investment. Workers must be encouraged to improve their crafts, contributing to improved labor productivity," he said.

Businesswoman Nancy Ngo Thi Bich Quyen, VP of BNI Vietnam and a human resource management expert, said that while better regulations for workers are necessary, the impact on businesses must be considered.

"Vietnam remains among the countries with the lowest labor productivity, while wages are no longer exceptionally low in comparison to the regional average. The mindset of the young generation is to try out new fields and constantly seek better employment opportunities," she said.

She said to be practical and sustainable, the proposal must balance the interests of employers and workers.