"Post-Corona Era: Need for Work Style Transformation and Protection of Vulnerable Groups"

'Post-Corona, Corporate Management and Social Safety Nets' Symposium
"Need for Horizontal Organization and Workforce Management, Work Style Transformation"
Kang Soon-hee, Director of Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, "Role as Labor Welfare Hub"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (KCOMWEL), in collaboration with Song Ok-ju, Chairperson of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee, and the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration, held a symposium on the 20th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building under the theme "Post-COVID-19 Era, Corporate Management and Social Safety Nets."

The symposium was conducted in three sessions: Session 1, "Labor Welfare Policies to Support Corporate Management: Current Issues and Development Directions"; Session 2, "Changes and Responses in Corporate Management Environment Due to COVID-19"; and a Special Session, "Corporate Management in the Post-COVID Era."

Lee Sang-ho, Director of the KCOMWEL Labor Welfare Research Institute, reviewed the domestic and international health, economic, and social crises caused by COVID-19 during Session 1, and presented the government's efforts to protect vulnerable groups as well as KCOMWEL's role as a labor welfare hub within the social safety net.

Earlier this year, KCOMWEL operated the Daegu and Changwon hospitals as infectious disease-dedicated hospitals, playing a role in treating residents of the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions threatened by COVID-19.

The organization has implemented numerous support projects for struggling workers and companies, including reducing industrial accident insurance premiums, extending deadlines for employment and industrial accident insurance premium payments, and promoting livelihood stabilization funds for low-income long-term unemployed individuals through the Labor Welfare Promotion Fund established by public donations.

Professor Yoon Dong-yeol of Konkuk University analyzed the current situation of companies and South Korea in Session 2, focusing on changes in working methods, the necessity for companies to respond to non-face-to-face services, and institutional support for digitally vulnerable groups.

As countermeasures, he proposed policies such as government support for changes in corporate human resource management, expansion of public investment in digital transformation, and preparation of social protection measures for vulnerable groups.

Finally, in the special session, Professor Kim Dong-won of Korea University explained how economic, management, and employment conditions transformed after pandemics by citing examples of the Black Death and the Spanish flu, and presented three scenarios for the progression of COVID-19.

Professor Kim stated, "The COVID-19 pandemic will bring significant transformations to all areas of human life," and emphasized, "For companies to continuously develop, it is necessary to transition to agile, flexible, and horizontal organizations, adopt new workforce management, and new ways of working."

Lee Jae-chun, President of the Korean Academic Society of Business Administration, said, "COVID-19 has brought changes to corporate and labor environments, including lifestyle changes and digital economic activities," and added, "I hope today's symposium serves as an opportunity to contribute to sustainable corporate management and national development."

Chairperson Song Ok-ju remarked, "Today’s event provided an opportunity to review changes in the corporate management environment during the COVID-19 era and for the legislature and government to deeply consider these issues," and stated, "We will do our best to secure corporate competitiveness and protect workers from social and economic risks so that South Korea can lead the world in the post-COVID era."

KCOMWEL President Kang Soon-hee said, "We will strive to ensure that the organization becomes a 'labor welfare hub' welcomed by the public in the post-COVID-19 era by reflecting the opinions expressed at this symposium."

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