KOTA TINGGI, NOV 24 – Johor’s proposal to introduce working hours of four and a half days a week is subject to justification by the state government.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legislation and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the state government certainly has reasons and studies that underlie the decision to examine the proposed working hours.
However, he refused to give further comments because he did not have complete details about the state government’s plans.
“I do not have detailed information about this proposal. However, I am confident that the state government has a strong rationale before making any decision,” he told reporters after the Pengerang Parliament Community Service Dinner Program yesterday.
The Pengerang Member of Parliament also shared his personal views on the changing landscape of working hours due to the rapid development of increasingly sophisticated technology.
“My view in general is that not many people work only eight hours a day anymore (because) most people now work more than eight hours, due to technology systems such as smart phones,” he said.
“Working time is actually subject to certain professions because there are professions that require more than eight to 10 hours of work, and sometimes the work can be done from home.
“We need to be more open because by 2025, many changes will occur, especially in the technology aspect that moves so fast,” he said.
Last Thursday, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced that the state government was examining the proposal to change the working hours of the public sector in the state to only four and a half days following the implementation of weekend holidays which were changed back to Saturday and Sunday from 1 January 2025.
In 2022, 61 organizations took part in a four-day working week trial in the United Kingdom which showed that organizations implementing shorter working hours reaped significant benefits, including increased productivity and employee well-being.
According to the Certified Management Institute (CMI), data showed that those who participated in the six-month trial showed a 71 percent reduction in employee burnout and a 65 percent reduction in sick leave, leading to 89 percent of participating organizations continuing to reduce hours after the trial period with some organizations reporting revenue growth of up to 34 percent. – Named
