Major South Korean companies have encouraged their employees to take their annual leave, a survey showed Thursday, as the country pushes its people to better strive for work-life balance.

The survey of 155 major South Korean firms released by the Korea Economic Research Institute, a private think tank, found that 52.3 percent of the companies polled said annual leave was the best implemented of 10 proposals drawn up by the government in 2016 to help people strike a balance between work and life, which can improve productivity.

The survey also showed that leaving work on time is the second-best implemented shift, with 41.9 percent saying there has been positive change in that area. Refraining from engaging in after-hours communication came in at third place with 23.9 percent confirming that conditions have changed.

The findings came days before South Korea is set to cut the maximum for working hours to 52 hours per week from the current 68 hours.

The reduced working hours will first be applied to "big" companies -- those with 300 or more workers -- on July 1, while firms with 50 to 299 workers and those with five to 49 workers will be subject to the new rule starting Jan. 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021, respectively. (Yonhap)