In a striking response to subpar financial performance in 2023, Samsung Electronics has mandated a six-day workweek for its executives across all business units. This decision arrives amidst intense global competition and geopolitical tensions challenging the South Korean conglomerate’s operations.

Samsung’s extraordinary measure is being implemented as part of a broader strategy to revitalize the company and address the uncertainties that led to significant declines in key areas, particularly its semiconductor division, which faced an operating loss of $11 billion last year. This sector traditionally accounts for about 80% of Samsung’s earnings, underscoring the urgency of the company’s corrective actions.

The Korea Economic Daily reported that the change was enacted just two weeks ago in some units, requiring top management to add Saturday or Sunday to their traditional workweek. According to a Samsung Group executive, this move aims to “inject a sense of crisis” among the leadership and intensify efforts to navigate the company’s current challenges.

Despite this, Samsung recently outperformed earnings expectations significantly in the first quarter of 2024, with an operating profit surge of 933%. This rebound raises questions about whether the intensified work schedule will remain necessary if financial results continue to improve.

The decision contrasts sharply with global trends moving towards reduced working hours. Countries like Ireland, Spain, and the UK have experimented with a four-day workweek, often reporting gains in productivity and worker morale. In the United States, Senator Bernie Sanders recently spotlighted this issue by proposing legislation to standardize a four-day, 32-hour workweek, although no country has fully adopted such a model yet.

Samsung’s shift to a six-day workweek is not isolated. In countries such as Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India, extended workweeks are common in certain sectors, aligning Samsung’s latest policy more closely with these practices rather than Western movements towards shorter work hours.

While drastic, this policy adjustment at Samsung reflects the high stakes the technology giant faces as it navigates an increasingly volatile global market. With significant contributions to the company’s overall performance expected from its executives, Samsung is prioritizing a robust response to its recent fiscal disappointments. Whether this strategy will lead to sustainable improvements or adjustments in work culture remains to be seen as the global debate on work-life balance continues to evolve.