Perks of working for a corporate Korean company
This may not apply to you if you are teaching English or working independently in Korea. However, if you want to work for a corporate company, this should be able to give you an idea of what kind of perks you get regardless of disadvantage of working in South Korea.
On the way to work
South Korea has undergone a tremendous amount of change in terms of it economy development in comparison to about 60 years ago. I do think that Koreans are hard workers, and that is why Korea could have developed so much in such a short period of time.
Unfortunately, behind its success shown on the surface, there is a lot more to the story. That is, working in Korea may not exactly be an ideal place to work depending on what you prefer of course. At the same time, good benefits do exist in spite of the fact that South Korea has the worst productivity in the OECD according to an article by Business Korea.
A productive office?
Corporate Korean companies have a separate budget for extracurricular activities. The main purpose of having clubs is to encourage workers to bond and broaden their connections within the company. I have heard of a list of various clubs that includes snowboarding club, cooking club, swimming club, hiking club, etc.
A cooking club within the company?
Some other perks include discounts and services: Discounted gym membership, health insurance service, free language classes, free meals, etc. Most big companies have their own cafeterias, and all three meals are discounted. Depending on where you work, you could get a free lunch/dinner or the company pays partially. Staff dinners/drinks called ‘hwesik’ and company workshops are sponsored by the companies. Staff dinner could potentially be stressful depending on the culture of the company. But, you do get to eat and drink for free! Company workshops can also be a perk or a stress factor depending on the companies you work for. An example of a workshop could be going on a trip with your team members to eat and drink.
I would say one of the biggest perks to work in Korean companies is that the company will sponsor your children’s education. That is not limited to only in Korea. If your child is studying in the U.S., for instance, the company also provides some financial support. Of course, depending on what position you hold, the level of company’s support can be much more than a regular worker.
Not all companies have the same benefits. But, I believe they tend to be similar. Even though you have just read that there are many benefits of working for a Korean company, don’t forget to read the opposite aspect of working for a Korean company before you make a decision!