Unions say Malaysia isn't ready for the shortened work week
Malaysia's Public Service Department (JPA) has underscored that it's still studying the proposed four-day work week, after a union urged the government to instead focus on other employment issues.
Last week, the JPA said that it established a special team to study the implementation of a four-day work week in the country. But this drew criticism from the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public Service (Cuepacs), Bernama reported, which called on the government to focus on other pending matters.
Some of which include workers' welfare and salaries, said Cuepacs president Datuk Adnan Mat in a statement.
"With the rising cost of living, of course, matters related to the improvement of the public delivery system as well as the welfare of civil servants must be given priority," he said in a statement quoted by Bernama.
He said the focus should be on the implementation of minimum wage through the new renumeration system, early redemption of leave replacement, as well as time-based promotions.
According to Adnan, Malaysia is not yet ready for a four-day work week.
JPA, in response to the statement, said it takes note of Cuepacs' statement on the proposed working arrangement. It underscored, however, that the matter is still under review.
"JPA would like to emphasise that the proposed four-day work week is at the research and study stage only," it said in a statement.
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafiq Abdullah, director-general of public service, said in a statement that while other countries have begun trialling a four-day work week, the approach should be done holistically
"JPA is also aware of the impact of the implementation of any new policy on the public service delivery system, especially when the government is in the process of reviving the country's economy for the well-being of Keluarga Malaysia," the official said.
According to the director-general, the JPA will remain open for comprehensive input from parties, stressing that it is critical to study the feasibility of the proposal.
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The proposed four-day work week is seeing growing popularity across the world as more employees demand further work-life balance.
In a study early this year from Milieu Insight, 48% of employees in Malaysia said they want a compressed four-day work week to be implemented in their workplace.
But applying the proposed working arrangement will require further study, according to Dr. Melanie Peacock, associate professor of HR at Mount Royal, in a previous interview with HRD.
"An initial review requires the structure of this offering. Will all employees work the same four days, or will there be staggered days off, or overlapping or core hours on-site during the workdays? What jobs are suitable for this type of arrangement, and which may not be? This requires that a thorough and transparent job analysis for all company roles be conducted," Peacock said.
