Samsung, LG, and Others Launch 'Year-End Quarantine' Full-Scale Effort... Ban on Gatherings and Shift to Remote Work (Comprehensive)

Cancel or Reduce Company Dinners, Private Gatherings, and Business Trips
Minimize Contact by Increasing the Rate of Remote Work

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyeyoung] Major domestic companies have launched an all-out year-end "quarantine battle" by banning company dinners and minimizing meetings and business trips. This is a follow-up measure in response to the government strengthening quarantine guidelines due to the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.

According to the industry on the 3rd, Samsung Electronics announced to its employees that from the 6th, quarantine measures such as ▲refraining from overseas business trips ▲banning company dinners ▲minimizing private gatherings ▲suspending operation of indoor and outdoor sports facilities such as in-house fitness centers will be applied. The scope of allowed business trips will be limited to "business-essential trips" and only permitted with separate approval from each business division. In particular, business trips to the nine countries where the Omicron variant first emerged, including the Republic of South Africa, are completely banned.

Samsung Electronics is closely monitoring the local situation and any additional measures by the U.S. government regarding attendance at CES 2022, the world's largest industrial exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 5 to 8 next year.

LG Electronics and its affiliates also decided to apply strengthened quarantine guidelines starting next week in line with the special quarantine measures announced by the government on the same day, including ▲increasing the work-from-home ratio to over 40% (previously 30%) ▲reducing the number of participants in meetings and group training to 20 or fewer (previously 30), and events to 30 or fewer (previously 50), with attendance limited to fully vaccinated individuals ▲restricting external visitors' access to company premises.

LG stated, "We will prioritize the safety and health of our employees and continuously apply quarantine rules that fully consider government guidelines."

Hyundai Motor Company also communicated strengthened internal quarantine guidelines to its employees on the same day. According to the new guidelines, from the 6th, the maximum allowed number of participants in training, meetings, and seminars will be reduced from 50 to 30. Work-from-home for employees under team leaders will be expanded. Use of in-house lounges will be restricted to minimize contact among employees. Kia Motors is expected to strengthen internal guidelines to a similar level as Hyundai Motor.

Hanwha Group has switched internal meetings to video conferencing and banned company dinners. Additionally, work-from-home is mandated at 30% or more per department, and domestic and overseas business trips will only be allowed in unavoidable cases.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Group is expanding the work-from-home ratio from the previous 30% to 50% and extending the staggered commuting system (7 a.m. to 10 a.m.) until the end of this month. Face-to-face meetings will be minimized, and if unavoidable, only allowed with fewer than 10 participants.

Doosan Group also announced internal quarantine guidelines focusing on work-from-home for non-essential personnel, refraining from domestic and overseas business trips, and banning company dinners. LS Group has canceled all year-end company dinners and is reviewing additional guideline enhancements for each affiliate.

SK recommends employees actively utilize work-from-home, conduct non-face-to-face meetings, and refrain from private gatherings, and plans to adjust detailed measures after monitoring the government's additional quarantine guidelines.