XN000022-1979-10-31 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1979

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HONG KONG CANNOT EMULATE THEM IN WORKING FEWER HOURS AT THE PRESENT STAGE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY IN INDUSTRY WHERE THERE IS STILL WIDESPREAD SHORTAGE OF LABOUR, BUT WE CAN STILL EXPERIMENT WITH A FIVE-DAY WEEK FOR OFFICE WORKERS.

HE MAINTAINED THAT LOSS OF FOUR WORKING HOURS ON SATURDAY EACH WEEK WOULD NOT NECESSARILY LEAD TO LESS PRODUCTIVITY. MOST DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OFFICE MANAGERS ARE ONLY TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE CASUAL MOOD OF THE SATURDAY SYNDROME WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND THE EXTRA LEISURE TIME WOULD HELP BOOST STAFF MORALE, IMPROVE STAFF RELATIONSHIP AND THEREBY LEAD TO INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY.

HE SUGGESTED THAT IF MANAGEMENT IS STILL SCEPTICAL OF THE IDEA OF LOSING ONE-ELEVENTH OF ITS STAFF'S WORKING HOURS, AN EXTRA HOUR COULD BE ADDED TO EACH OF THE FIVE WEEK DAYS TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS, AND MANY OFFICE WORKERS WOULD NOT HESITATE TO ACCEPT THIS,

IN ANY CASE, HE SAID, A WORKER IS GEARED FOR A FULL DAY'S WORK WHEN HE GOES TO OFFICE SO AN EXTRA HOUR WOULD NOT MAKE TOO MUCH DIFFERENCE. OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY WOULD MOST PROBABLY BE INCREASED AS WORK MOMENTUM COULD BE GATHERED AND SUSTAINED MORE EASILY, THAN ON A FOUR-HOUR SATURDAY, AND STAFF WOULD HAVE LESS TENDENCY TO LEAVE WORK OVER UNTIL THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

THE ARRANGEMENT WOULD ALSO SAVE ELECTRICITY AND OTHER NORMAL OFFICE MAINTENANCE EXPENSES - AND IT SHOULD COST LESS TO LEAVE THE AIR-CONDITIONING ON FOR AN EXTRA HOUR EACH DAY THAN TO PROVIDE IT ON SATURDAYS.

+PRODUCTIVITY APART, A MAIN ARGUMENT FOR A NON-WORKING SATURDAY IS THE SAVING OF THE TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY NOW BEING SPENT BY MANY OFFICE WORKERS ON GETTING TO AND BACK FROM WORK ON SATURDAYS, MR. LEUNG SAID,

FOR THOSE NOT LIVING CLOSE TO WORK, A TWO-WAY COMMUT I NG JOURNEY MAY TAKE AS MUCH AS THREE HOURS, WHICH WOULD BE A MOST INEFFICIENT USE OF TIME FOR A FOUR-HOUR WORKING SATURDAY, HE SAID.

TWO DAYS OF FULL UNINTERRUPTED HOLIDAY AT THE END OF THE WEEK WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND FAMILY GATHERINGS OR EVEN TIME TO FINISH HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

THE EXTRA DAY HOLIDAY WOULD ALSO HELP TOWARDS A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION IN THE USE OF LEISURE AND RECREATION FACILITIES AT PRESENT OVER-CONCENTRATED ON SUNDAYS, HE SAID.

MR. LEUNG WAS AWARE THAT INEVITABLY SOME GOVERNMENT OFFICES WOULD HAVE TO REMAIN OPEN ON SATURDAYS. THESE WILL HAVE TO RETAIN THE ALTERNATE SATURDAYS OFF SYSTEM NOW ALREADY ENJOYED BY MANY GOVERNMENT OFFICES. HOWEVER FOR THOSE OFFICES WHICH HAVE NO REAL NEED TO OPEN ON SATURDAYS, THE FIVE-DAY WEEK SHOULD BE INTRODUCED. IF IT PROVES PRACTICABLE, IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, HE SAID.

HE BELIEVED THE SCHEME WOULD FURTHER IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG AND HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD GIVE HIS PROPOSAL SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

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