Commuting to Cafe to Boost Creativity
Establishing Hub Offices Considering Frequent Fieldwork
Operating Counseling Centers for Stress Management
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] The advertising industry, known for frequent overtime and high work intensity, is undergoing changes by strengthening in-house welfare. This is to enhance work capabilities by fostering creativity and to prevent the outflow of talent among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z).
According to the industry on the 29th, Cheil Worldwide unified all employee titles to "Pro" to create a horizontal organizational culture. They are also focusing on supporting employees' childcare, such as workplace daycare centers. Last month, they invited child education expert Dr. Lim Youngjoo to hold a seminar on child education. Since introducing a flexible work system in 2018, Cheil Worldwide recently operates programs like "Yeongcha Day," which guarantees annual leave, and a time-based annual leave system to create an autonomous work environment. Additionally, they provide in-house counseling support programs to manage employee stress.
Innocean also replaced office chairs with high-end products for employees in the first half of this year. They operate "Orange Day," encouraging employees to actively use annual leave on sandwich holidays. Innocean implements systems such as casual dress codes and flexible working hours, fitting the advertising industry's emphasis on individuality.
HS Ad recently remodeled the 15th floor of its headquarters to create a 700-pyeong (approximately 2,310 square meters) lounge where coffee and wine are provided free of charge. To foster creativity, they have implemented a "Hybrid Work" system allowing employees to work freely from locations like the Han River or cafes without being confined to the office. Considering the industry's frequent fieldwork, they operate base offices in Seoul’s Mapo, Banpo, and Yeouido districts, allowing employees to choose their commuting location. They also conduct a "one-on-one negotiated salary system," where salaries are agreed upon based on individual performance rather than rank-based notifications. Counseling programs for stress management are also provided.
Daehong Communications introduced the "Office Free" work system from the first half of this year, allowing employees to freely work from locations other than the company once a week. They also introduced "Happy Friday," where employees do not work on Friday afternoons of the third week each month. Daehong Communications operates a smart base office in Gangnam as well.
The reason for the change in industry atmosphere is to respect the MZ generation, who prioritize work-life balance, and to prevent recent talent outflows. Recently, employees in their 20s and 30s have been moving to other industries such as gaming and startups, which offer higher salaries and stronger in-house welfare. An industry insider said, "The advertising industry has a high work intensity, so many MZ employees want to change jobs. We need to keep pace with the trend that values work-life balance," adding, "Since creativity is important in this profession, how the company leads this is a key concern in the industry."
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