Kakao, SKT, and Others Adopt 'Office Commute' Instead of Remote Work
"Collaboration Needed," Overseas Companies Also Encourage 'Commuting'
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work, which was regarded as the 'new normal' for office workers, is being scaled back or completely lifted by an increasing number of companies. As the spread of COVID-19, the main reason for remote work, has eased, companies are choosing to return to office attendance to boost employee productivity.
According to industry sources on the 10th, Kakao Entertainment plans to abolish the remote work system it started in February 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19 and implement an office attendance system starting in February. Earlier, at the end of last month, Kakao headquarters officially introduced the face-to-face attendance system called 'Office First.'
Also, SK Telecom (SKT), which had been implementing unlimited remote work, announced a shift in its work system by limiting remote work to once a week starting February 1st. IT technology platform company Danggeun Market changed its work method this year by reducing the proportion of remote work and requiring employees to come to the office three times a week.
Overseas companies are also reducing remote work and expanding office attendance. Global content company Walt Disney has instructed employees to work at the company office three days a week starting March 1st. According to the U.S. economic media CNBC on the 9th (local time), CEO Bob Iger emphasized in an email to employees that creativity is the core of the content business and that collaboration among employees requires coming to the office.
After acquiring Twitter last October, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, also abolished remote work. CEO Musk mandated a minimum of 40 hours per week of office work.
As the transition to an endemic (the disease becoming endemic) becomes more visible recently, companies are increasingly changing their work systems, judging that office attendance is more efficient than remote work in improving communication and work productivity. According to a survey conducted by commercial real estate data specialist company R-Square from November 14 to December 2, 2022, targeting 416 office workers, 37.5% of all respondents said that within the last three months, there was a company policy or notice to 'reduce or end remote work and return to the office.'
The biggest reason for the reduction of remote work systems is the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic (79.5%, multiple responses allowed), followed by 'to strengthen work efficiency' (48.7%) and 'in response to the economic situation' (12.8%).
Since many people regarded remote work as a kind of welfare benefit, resistance to the reduction of remote work is also expected. Some companies have introduced 'carrot measures' such as expanding cafeterias. Kakao decided to renovate its cafeteria facilities in preparation for full office attendance, and NCSoft established a 'Fresh Bowl' corner offering eco-friendly salad bowls and vegan menus in its cafeteria in June last year when it switched to full office attendance.
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