Shinsegae Department Store Proactively Introduces 'Cool Biz' Reflecting COVID-19 Situation

Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch Exterior View

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] Shinsegae Department Store announced on the 10th that it will start summer store operations three weeks earlier than usual to comply with the government's policy of making mask-wearing a daily habit.

As temperatures rapidly rose in May, there have been increasing complaints about the difficulty of wearing masks. Since the start of the daily quarantine system on the 6th, mask-wearing has become routine, but with recent daytime highs reaching up to 30 degrees Celsius, many people have been feeling the heat.

Accordingly, Shinsegae Department Store will lower store temperatures and introduce summer uniforms starting from the 11th to ensure that both employees and customers can wear masks comfortably. The introduction of "Cool Biz attire" has also been advanced by about three weeks compared to early June last year.

For male employees, the dress code has changed from suits requiring neckties to suits without ties, while female employees have no specific uniform changes but are encouraged to wear cool materials such as linen. Parking staff as well as environmental and building management personnel will also be allowed to wear summer uniforms starting from the 11th of this month.

The working environment for on-site support staff has also been switched to the summer system earlier than usual. Portable air conditioners have been installed throughout the parking lot more than a month earlier than usual to support parking staff working outdoors. Ice water is also provided to employees who must wear masks for extended periods to help them cool down.

Not only employees but also customers wearing masks visiting the department store will benefit from changes to the store environment. While the store temperature in May has typically been set at an average of 25 degrees Celsius, this year it has been lowered to about 22 to 23 degrees since the 6th, considering customers wearing masks. Starting from the 11th, the air conditioning system will be enhanced to improve the circulation between indoor and outdoor air. Recently, the air conditioner filters have been replaced with high-grade filters capable of filtering ultrafine dust particles of 1㎛ or larger to improve air quality.

Kim Jeong-sik, Vice President and Head of Support Headquarters at Shinsegae Department Store, said, “This decision was made after careful consideration to ensure that both employees and customers can wear masks comfortably in an environment where the quarantine authorities emphasize the importance of mask-wearing in daily life. As temperatures are expected to rise further, we will take the lead in ensuring customers can shop safely.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.