(Yicai) March 17 -- A number of private companies in China’s eastern Zhejiang province have begun to introduce a four-and-a-half-day working week to boost creativity, as original products and brands become an important driving force for growth, and to conform with the new economic climate and international trade conditions.

Lera New Energy Technology has had a four-and-a-half-day work week in place for the last two months for staff such as product managers and designers, Zhu Jianda, deputy general manager of the power tool and garden equipment manufacturer, told Yicai. The goal is to give these employees more autonomy to boost their creativity and improve the quality of their work.

The process-based work model of traditional manufacturers is not conducive to fostering creativity in design roles, Zhu said. Creativity is a crucial part of the Ningbo-based company’s transition from a conventional manufacturing and trading business to a brand-driven enterprise.

Online fashion retailer Zibuyu Group also trimmed the working week to four-and-a-half-days in February. Employees who complete their assignments can take Friday afternoons off.

An enjoyable work rhythm can inspire greater creativity, which is where the company’s core competitiveness will lie in the future, Chief Executive Officer Chen Caixiong said.

The Hangzhou-based firm decided to switch to a four-and-a-half-day work week after the company finally turned a profit last year, which was largely due to the success of its brand transformation strategy. The company is expecting to rake in net profit of between CNY140 million (USD19.3 million) and CNY160 million in 2024.

The move to reduce working hours is being driven both by market voices and external pressure, said Zhan Yubo, director of the research office at the Shanghai Academy of Social Science’s Institute of Economics.

Shorter working hours help companies attract talent, Zhan said. Rising geopolitical risks, which have led to China’s exports encountering trade barriers such as restrictions on products with overtime records, are prompting some Chinese companies to reduce the number of hours in the office, he added.

The four-and-a-half-day work week is a way to attract creative talent by offering them more flexible working hours, Zhu said. It allows them to attend exhibitions, museums or visit tourist spots to gather inspiration, and not be office-bound.

However, for traditional, labor-intensive manufacturing companies, cutting the working week will also reduce output, and it may be hard for these companies to accept or implement a four-and-a-half-day work week, Zhan said.

Despite challenges such as tariffs and economic downturns, Lera New Energy will continue to focus on branding and expanding its overseas footprint, Zhu said. The firm, which boasts Stiga, OBI and Lidl among its foreign clients, will also put an emphasis on original products and technological innovation.

Although it is unlikely that the working week will be shortened further, the company will continue to look at introducing more flexible work arrangements, he added.

Editor: Kim Taylor