"Return to Daily Life? Company Dinners Also Making a Comeback" 2030 Office Workers Sigh

Social Distancing Eased from 6 to 8 People... Relaxation of Response System
Concerns Expressed by 2030 Generation Over Return of Company Dinner Culture
Older Generation Also Shows Regret, Saying "I Think of It as a Place to Unwind and Rely on Each Other"

As signs of easing quarantine rules emerge, concerns among 2030s generation office workers about the returning culture of company dinners are also growing.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Jung-wan] "They will soon ask us to have a company dinner." , "My head already hurts."

As the COVID-19 response system shows signs of easing, voices of concern about company dinners are already emerging among workers in their 20s and 30s. They find it distressing to have to listen to their boss acting like a "kkondae" (old-fashioned authoritarian), and above all, there are complaints about the risk of contracting COVID-19 during such gatherings.

Since the temporary lifting of the vaccine pass in March, COVID-19 prevention measures have been gradually relaxed. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the 1st, the government stopped applying the vaccine pass from midnight that day to 11 types of facilities including restaurants and cafes, vulnerable infection facilities, and gatherings, assemblies, and events with more than 50 people. Along with this, it was announced that cohabitants of confirmed COVID-19 cases no longer need to self-isolate regardless of vaccination status.

Accordingly, procedures such as QR code verification or presenting a negative test certificate when entering multi-use facilities or events have been removed, and passive monitoring is applied to close contacts such as cohabitants of confirmed cases regardless of vaccination status.

Unvaccinated cohabitants also no longer need to quarantine for 7 days, and the two mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that had to be taken immediately after a cohabitant’s confirmation and before quarantine release have been eliminated.

Among office workers in their 20s and 30s, there are concerns that the number of company dinners may increase in line with the easing of COVID-19 measures. On the other hand, managers in their 40s and 50s argue that communication through company dinners is also important.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ "Already stressed" Workers in their 20s and 30s urge 'refraining from company dinners'

As discussions about easing social distancing continue, workers in their 20s and 30s have expressed concerns. Kim (27), who had been working from home due to the spread of COVID-19, said, "Apart from the prevention measures, I’m not very happy about the easing of social distancing," expressing worries about the return of company dinner culture. Kim said, "Before working from home, I attended company dinners 2 to 3 times a week," adding, "I don’t even like drinking, but just imagining going to those gatherings after work already stresses me out."

Kang (30), who said he consistently went to the gym and Pilates after social distancing was implemented, said, "Because company dinners decreased, I was able to exercise more after work," adding, "After work is my time. It used to be really hard to exercise when I wanted during my own time." He sighed, saying, "It’s not work hours, and it’s not even my will, but I think few people like being dragged to second and third rounds of drinking."

Park (28), who works in marketing, said, "I can’t understand the company dinner culture itself," raising his voice, "The phrase ‘return to normal life’ is not welcome at all." Park explained, "My boss said he wants company dinners to be understood as time for cooperation, just like how time spent going to the bathroom or slacking off during work is considered work time," adding, "Then shouldn’t we get a ‘company dinner allowance’? People are not machines, and it hurts my feelings when they rationalize dragging us from bathroom breaks or unfocused time to company dinners."

People in their 20s and 30s expressed a hope that company dinners and similar events would be refrained from even after COVID-19 ends. According to a survey conducted by the employment platform JobKorea in June last year targeting 1,424 workers, 44.9% of respondents in their 20s and 30s said they hoped company dinners and workshops would be refrained from even after COVID-19 ends. Following that, 44.1% said they hoped to refrain from late-night drinking and partying, which was the second most common response.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, older generation workers expressed regret over the reduced number of company dinners. Kim (50), who has 23 years of work experience, said, "It shouldn’t be excessive, but I think company dinners are a process where team members who work together bond and support each other," adding, "Personally, I want social distancing to be eased soon so I can have opportunities to communicate with my team members."

Meanwhile, on the 18th, the CDSCH announced that regarding social distancing adjustments, "From Monday (the 21st), the limit on private gatherings will be adjusted from 6 to 8 people."

At the CDSCH meeting that day, Kwon Deok-cheol, the first deputy head of CDSCH, said in his opening remarks, "Although it is time to newly adjust social distancing for two weeks, considering the Omicron surge, the burden on the medical response system, and the uncertainty of predicting the peak of the outbreak, there are great concerns about a drastic easing."

Regarding additional easing measures beyond the number of people, he suggested that the timing of the peak must be considered and hinted at the possibility of easing after the peak. Lee Ki-il, the first controller of CDSCH, said at the regular COVID-19 response briefing that day, "It is predicted that the outbreak will pass its peak within the next two weeks," adding, "If the peak clearly subsides and the medical system is stably managed, we will consider it comprehensively."

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