Samsung Electronics DS Division (Semiconductor) for North America (DSA) has taken the unprecedented step of introducing a three-day office attendance policy to combat the growing semiconductor talent shortage.
According to semiconductor industry sources on the 26th, Samsung’s DSA recently implemented a hybrid work system that only requires employees to be in the office for three days a week. The remaining work hours can be flexibly managed from home or other locations.
Samsung’s DSA expects that this hybrid work system will increase employee satisfaction and help attract talent from other regions. The reduced commuting time alone is predicted to help prevent staff turnover. The hybrid model might also lead to some cost savings related to office operations.
Before introducing the hybrid work system, the company conducted internal training on remote meetings and virtual collaboration systems to ensure smooth operations.
The significant shift in Samsung’s DSA work system was prompted by the intensified competition for talent in the U.S. as global semiconductor companies have been ramping up their investments. Despite these firms increasingly establishing factories and R&D facilities in the U.S., most face challenges in hiring skilled workers.
According to consulting firm Oxford Economics, by 2030 the U.S. semiconductor industry will need 460,000 workers, but at the current pace there will be a shortfall of 67,000. Notably, TSMC, the world’s top semiconductor foundry based in Taiwan, delayed the operation of its new Arizona plant by a year to 2024 due to a lack of manpower. Samsung is also making all-out efforts to secure personnel for its foundry factory in Taylor, Texas, set to operate in the second half of 2024.