Reducing working hours to ensure workers’ health

With extended working hours to meet rising orders - particularly during peak production periods - many workers have little time for rest, which adversely affects their health, livelihoods, and labor productivity.

Numerous Trade Union officials note that sustained overwork and fatigue are warning signs for workers’ physical health and morale. Reducing working hours is therefore not only a legitimate aspiration of workers but also an urgent requirement at present.

Workers have limited time for rest

Currently, many enterprises in Dong Nai implement a 48-hour workweek, leaving workers with only one day off for physical recovery and rest, which results in a reduced quality of life. Additionally, continuous overtime over several weeks weakens workers’ physical health, raising the risk of occupational accidents and work-related illnesses. When health is worn down, productivity not only fails to improve but also declines.

Workers at Shingmark Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Bau Xeo Industrial Park, Dong Nai province) during working hours

At this time, amid labor shortages across many enterprises, most workers are required to work overtime at high intensity, with daily working hours ranging from 10 to 12 hours to fulfill large orders. Prolonged overtime forces many workers to sacrifice time for rest, learning, and personal development to maintain income and secure a minimum standard of living as consumer prices continue to rise.

Many workers return to their rented rooms late at night after long shifts, fatigued and exhausted. Therefore, workers have expressed a strong desire for shorter working hours to rest adequately and regain their capacity to work.

Nguyen Van Hien, a mechanical worker at Ho Nai Industrial Park in Dong Nai province, said he works from early morning until late evening every day, with frequent overtime that leaves him physically exhausted and harms his health.

During peak months with heavy orders, I work overtime constantly to meet delivery schedules. Some days, I return to my room just in time for a quick meal before sleeping, only to go back to work the next day. I hope working hours can be reduced, or that we could have an extra Saturday off each month to protect our long-term health. This is not just a wish but a practical need to reduce stress and prevent lasting fatigue,” Hien shared.

Tran Thi Hanh, a garment worker at Bien Hoa 2 Industrial Park in Dong Nai province, said that long factory hours force her children to rely on others to pick them up when she returns home late, putting them at a disadvantage. However, to maintain a basic standard of living, she still works overtime to earn enough to support her family. If base salaries increase, she and many other workers would not need to depend so much on overtime.

Currently, many workers still rely on overtime to make ends meet, especially amid today’s rising living costs. A survey by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour shows that over 80% of workers favour reducing the weekly hours from 48 to 44, proposing a 5.5-day workweek instead of the current six-day schedule to allow more time for rest and family care.

Ensuring compliance with regulations on working hours

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), workers who work more than 48 hours per week face a 20–30% higher risk of occupational accidents compared to those working standard hours. In labour-intensive industries such as garment manufacturing, footwear, seafood processing, and electronics, workplace accidents tend to occur more frequently toward the end of shifts and during peak overtime periods, when workers experience fatigue, reduced concentration, and slower reflexes.

Given this reality, functional agencies and local intersectoral inspection teams must exercise stricter oversight of overtime practices across enterprises. This includes a comprehensive review of cases where overtime limits are extended, ensuring a proper balance between production demands and workers’ health. Effective management of overtime is a key factor in safeguarding occupational safety and hygiene, and it is closely linked to corporate responsibility and the supervisory role of trade unions.

At a recent scientific workshop assessing five years of implementation of the 2019 Labour Code, organized by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, delegates agreed that a roadmap should be adopted to reduce standard working hours from the current 48 hours per week to 44 hours, and eventually to 40 hours per week, in line with international trends and Viet Nam’s development conditions. In amending the Labour Code, it is essential to ensure the practical enforcement of workers’ right to rest, including through strengthened inspections of rest breaks and compliance with annual leave requirements.

Reducing working hours gives workers more time to rest and recharge, enabling them to work with greater comfort and focus. It also creates opportunities for workers to participate in training and skills development, thereby contributing to technological innovation and improved product quality across enterprises.

Lowering standard working hours to below 48 hours per week has been repeatedly proposed by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour in the implementation of National Assembly Resolution No. 101/2019/QH14. According to Ngo Duy Hieu, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, reducing working hours offers multiple benefits as it helps workers restore their working capacity, protect their health, and ease pressure on the social security system.

From the grassroots perspective, Tran Van Don, Vice Chairman of the grassroots Trade Union of FTT Vina Co., Ltd. (Binh Loc ward, Dong Nai province), noted that excessively long working hours have a negative impact on workers’ mental well-being. Labour productivity depends not only on the number of working hours, but more importantly on the quality of each working hour. Therefore, he fully supports the roadmap to reduce working hours from 48 to 44, and eventually to 40 hours per week, to safeguard workers’ health and quality of life.

In recent years, some enterprises have proactively implemented working schedules of fewer than 48 hours per week. For example, at Quadrille Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Amata Industrial Park, Long Binh ward), since 2019, workers have been granted eight Saturdays off per year to increase rest time and improve their spiritual well-being. This practical policy helps ensure good health and a positive working mindset among workers, thereby motivating them to perform more productively.

Reducing working hours is not only a legitimate aspiration of workers but also a sustainable development strategy for enterprises. When workers enjoy reasonable working conditions, good health, and work–life balance, they can contribute more effectively, fostering the long-term development of the business community and the local economy.

By Thao My – Translated by Hong Van, Thu Ha