"Not Jealous of Big Corporations"... 137 SMEs with Excellent Work-Life Balance Gathered in One Place

The 1st Korea Work-Life Balance Excellence Company Awards Ceremony Held
Co-hosted by Relevant Ministries and Economic Organizations, 203 Excellent Companies Selected

Companies exemplary in flexible work arrangements, balancing work and childcare, reduced working hours, and leave gathered in one place as 'Excellent Work-Life Balance Companies.' Among the 203 selected companies, 137 are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 6th that it held the '1st Korea Excellent Work-Life Balance Companies Awards Ceremony' in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea Employers Federation, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Korea Federation of SMEs. Excellent Work-Life Balance Companies in Korea receive benefits such as tax audit deferrals, preferential treatment in immigration, technology guarantees, credit guarantees, and procurement.

Among 385 applicant companies, a total of 203 companies, including 137 SMEs, were selected through a judging committee composed of experts, related ministries, and economic organizations. The selected companies promote work-life balance by introducing systems suitable for their industries and sizes, such as balancing work and childcare, flexible work, and reduced working hours.

Kim Seong-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the "1st Korea Work-Life Balance Excellent Companies Awards Ceremony" held on the 6th at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Polaris Office supports items needed as children grow, from stretch mark cream for pregnant women to newborn clothing and auxiliary bags. Employees can utilize parental leave and flexible work arrangements tailored to their situations through up to two days of remote work per week and flexible working hours, with a parental leave return rate reaching 100%. Thomas, with 17 employees, has installed an in-house kids' room allowing employees to come to work with their babies. 89% of employees have children, and the return-to-work rate after childbirth is also 100%. Geo System Research provides 20 days of adoption leave in addition to the statutory maternity leave. When an employee has a child, a congratulatory allowance is given, and the entire staff is informed to foster a culture of celebration. The utilization of male-focused policies is notable, with 95% of spouses taking paternity leave and 24% of men taking parental leave.

Some companies work efficiently through flexible work arrangements. Geukdong Energy Co., Ltd., due to the nature of its work involving solar heat collectors and photovoltaic power plant construction, introduced a pilot staggered commuting system for field workers during the summer to work when temperatures are relatively lower. After employee satisfaction increased, the system was expanded to all job categories, and employees can now choose their commuting times without restrictions, resulting in a 100% utilization rate of staggered commuting.

Taejo Engineering, to reduce the high turnover rate characteristic of the construction engineering industry, introduced a flexible work system in 2021, allowing employees to work at their preferred times and locations. To use space efficiently, the office was reorganized from assigned seating to free seating, and rest facilities were expanded. The company's sales increased from 35.9 billion KRW in 2021 to 41.8 billion KRW last year, and the number of employees grew steadily from 280 in 2022 to 314 this year.

Efforts to reduce working hours also stood out. Newrizon, which manufactures eco-friendly purification filters, introduced a four-day, 30-hour workweek from its founding in 2019 and has maintained the system due to steady sales growth. Grade Health Chain implements a 6.5-hour workday to foster an atmosphere where talented employees can work proactively and autonomously. Employees can freely use annual leave without supervisor approval, and the company supports five days of fitness leave and 1 million KRW in expenses to care for employees' health. With high productivity, sales continue to rise, and the number of employees increased by 20% this year.

Jung Yun-mo, Executive Vice President of the Korea Federation of SMEs, said, “To resolve the manpower shortage in SMEs and encourage young people to work in SMEs, it is important for SMEs to adopt various work-life balance systems and become ‘good workplaces.’” He added, “Many SMEs have the will but lack the capacity to implement these systems, so continuous government interest and support are necessary.”

Kim Seong-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, stated, “Facing a demographic crisis of low birth rates and aging, the government, companies, and all social members must work together to consider and participate in solutions for work-life balance.” He added, “We will continue to communicate with the SME sector and work with related ministries to expand support measures that SMEs can feel.”

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