As the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic has decided to apply the 4th stage of social distancing in the metropolitan area, companies have also started to strengthen quarantine measures. It appears that internal quarantine measures are being strengthened through active social distancing, such as increasing the ratio of telecommuting to more than 50%.
According to the business community on the 9th, LG Group increased the proportion of telecommuting from 40% to 50%. In addition, from the 12th, external meetings, business trips, and group training are prohibited in principle. LG Group tried to reduce the telecommuting ratio by 20% when the government's social distancing policy is eased this month, but decided to increase the telecommuting ratio as the COVID-19 rapidly spread.
SK Group decided to implement a telecommuting policy for all employees by the 16th, centering on the holding company SK Corporation. All affiliates, excluding essential workers, are required to work from home. Currently, about 40% of all employees are working from home.
At the level of all affiliates, Hanwha Group announced quarantine guidelines that recommend that more than half of its employees work from home and that more than a third of them are obliged to work from home only in departments that can work from home. Face-to-face meetings, meals outside of work, and outside business trips are also prohibited. Previously, Hanwha Group was considering easing telecommuting, but the government announced the strengthened quarantine guidelines on the same day due to the government's decision to practice social distancing.
Samsung Electronics will also strengthen its in-house quarantine rules starting from the 12th. If an employee visits an entertainment facility or a karaoke room, etc., they will be tested for COVID-19 before returning to work. In addition, all face-to-face meetings and events with fewer than 10 people will be suspended. It is recommended that up to 30% of employees be applied for telecommuting in areas where possible, such as home appliances and mobile. Hyundai Motor Group will continue the current telecommuting guidelines for up to 50% of office workers. It also decided to maintain restrictions on business trips, bans on gatherings, and bans on outsiders.
The financial sector is also tightening quarantine rules in accordance with the government's four-step upward adjustment of social distancing. On the same day, most commercial banks announced that they would raise their telecommuting ratio all at once. Shinhan Bank raised the ratio of its employees, which had been dispersed through dual work or telecommuting, from 15% to 40%. Hana Bank also raised the proportion of employees who work from home and dispersed in the headquarters department from 30% or more to 40% or more. KB Kookmin Bank has strengthened it from 'recommending' that 30% of its headquarters employees work from home, to 'implementing' it.
In addition, from the 12th, commercial banks' operations in the metropolitan area will be shortened by one hour. Bank branches, which previously operated from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will only operate from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. starting next week. The Financial Industry Employers Council explained, "This is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the metropolitan area from spreading to a nationwide pandemic."
