Even a "Kulkuk" Cough Means "Go Home," Companies' COVID Phobia

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) sweeps across the country, companies and office workers are suffering from corona phobia. Even a simple cough in the office requires caution due to the watchful eyes of other employees, and rumors of symptomatic individuals or close contacts in the company have caused anxiety.

According to the industry on the 26th, a close contact of a COVID-19 confirmed case was identified on the 24th in the building of a major company, Company A. The company immediately closed the affected floor and conducted disinfection. All employees working on that floor were advised to work from home and returned to their residences.

However, complaints arose from employees working on other floors. They expressed dissatisfaction, saying that since they might have used the same cafeteria or elevator as the close contact, closing only that floor was an irresponsible response.

Park Sungmin (alias, 38), an employee at Company B, said, "There was some dissatisfaction that the company was responding complacently in a situation where the close contact could become a confirmed case and COVID-19 anxiety is spreading nationwide."

Kim Minkyeong (alias, 35), who works at major Company B, had to work from home for two days last week. She occasionally coughs due to a weak bronchial condition, but her team leader heard her cough and recommended early leave.

The team leader advised Kim to work from home until her condition improved. Kim said, "I felt a bit embarrassed in front of other employees because I was treated like a patient even though I was not infected with the virus."

When news of a COVID-19 confirmed case in a company is reported, anxiety spreads to family and relatives. Employees at workplaces where confirmed cases occurred, such as GS Home Shopping, Samsung Electronics, and LS Tower, reportedly received concerns not only from their families but also from relatives and acquaintances.

As concerns about COVID-19 spread, more major companies are deciding on employees' remote work as a preventive measure even without confirmed or symptomatic cases.

SK Telecom and KT started remote work this week. SK Telecom issued guidelines for all employees except essential personnel, on-duty staff, and those with unavoidable meetings to work from home for this week.

KT is implementing alternating remote work with half the employees working from home from the 26th until the 6th of next month. LG Uplus also instructed employees in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, except essential personnel, to work remotely. Naver switched to a full remote work system for all employees from the same day until the 28th, and Kakao began remote work for all employees from that day.

As remote work spreads, many office workers express feelings of relative deprivation. For employees working on production lines or in small and medium-sized enterprises, remote work is practically a "dream" that is difficult to implement.

Especially companies whose work characteristics do not allow production lines to be stopped must have employees come to work even if the situation worsens. A manufacturing industry official explained, "Some employees may feel relative deprivation, but due to the nature of manufacturing, remote work is completely impossible."