A humane society gives workers due leisure time
Companies should encourage employees to work smarter, not longer. Increasing productivity should be their goal, not lengthening the time they spend at their posts. The government has taken the lead in shortening civil servants' working week to five days, and has encouraged the private sector to follow suit.
In this, the Housing Authority may be considered something of a pioneer. In 2002, it adopted a three-shifts-a-day roster for its security guards, thereby shortening each shift from 12 hours to eight. This went against the private-sector practice of 12-hour shifts, which was, and remains, the norm. Now The Link Management, having taken over ownership and management of shopping malls and car parks in public housing estates from the authority, is changing course to make its car park guards revert to the previous regime of 12-hour shifts. This is a step backwards.
Union leaders have for years agitated for a minimum wage and maximum working hours. The government is now preparing a statutory minimum wage, but a cap on working hours remains contentious. Before 2002, public estate security guards had argued for a long time that 12-hour shifts were too exhausting and deprived them of time with their families. The merit of their argument applied then, as it does today.
It also applies to workers in other fields. Many of The Link's guards are women with families and children to take care of. An eight-hour shift means they can still meet their family duties; a 12-hour shift would make that impossible for most. Even if some guards are not laid off, they may have to quit to take better care of their children and elderly family members. And while the guards will be given a token pay rise, their hourly rate will drop substantially, from HK$28 to HK$23.
The Link's chief executive, Ian Robins, said the plan did not breach any labour laws and that it was only following industry practice. That may be so, but a socially responsible company should aim beyond meeting minimum legal requirements and following others. Without doubt, The Link has been a commercial success. Its bid to make security guards work longer is the way free markets work. But more than other commercial enterprises, it is answerable not only to shareholders but stakeholders as well. Because it took over public assets, it faces extra political and social pressures. Rather than considering that as a burden, why not see it as an opportunity to become a truly progressive corporate citizen, not just a profitable company?
As a humane, liberal and wealthy society, we should aim to give enough leisure time to workers; a five-day week and an eight-hour daily shift should be the goals. Moves like The Link's to make guards work longer hours are discouraging such efforts. Granted, some of their work has been automated, but this is an opportunity to upgrade and broaden their skills so they can help manage parking lots and estate affairs.
We have left behind sweat-shop working conditions, yet many of us - whether we earn high incomes or take up low-paying jobs - still work long hours. Surely one advantage of an advanced economy is that people can enjoy more leisure time to pursue activities they enjoy and spend quality time with families. Progressive companies should realise happy workers, not stressed-out ones, are more productive, creative and co-operative.
