Company is a second home in Korean corporate culture

For most Korean companies, their corporate cultures have surely helped them grow and expand globally in a very short time. As foreigners interested or working in Korea, some of the traditional cultural traits common among Korean companies include:

For most big companies in Korea the founders have already shaped the corporate culture and laid down the ground rules which most often can’t be changed. The management style and philosophy have a strong influence on the company’s culture even though they may be public companies.

Most Korean employees view the company as their second home. With this kind of attitude, they remain very loyal, dedicated and always engage in teamwork activities with coworkers. These are very important attributes in the management philosophy that will lead to work efficiency.

One of the first words most foreigners learn in Korea is “palli palli”, which means “quickly quickly!”. This is an embedded aspect of the culture where everything is done quickly. This aspect has also been transferred to the companies where everything is done quickly and it has been a necessary tool behind the fast growth and economic development of the nation.

As the nation moved into the era of modernization, hard work was highly valued by the society and this trend is now reflecting itself among Korean companies as many employees usually work very long hours. It’s common for a Korean staff member not to be able to leave the office until their boss does and some bosses like to stay as late as possible. Foreigners may be exempted from such practices.

While working in Korea, it’s always a good to remain mindful of the issue of chain of command. This is a very important aspect of the corporate culture.. In this light, orders come from the top and move downwards. If there’s a problem, move back up the chain. Trying to avoid this bureaucracy by going directly to the top boss may help in the current situation but may damage your reputation in the long run especially with your immediate supervisor.

Koreans usually appreciate it a lot if as a foreigner, you try to identify with their culture. Simple things about the culture will leave long lasting good impressions on the minds of coworkers. For example, handing something to someone with both-hands, reading or writing a coworkers name in Korean (Hangeul) will surely open up good tidings. One of the ways of gaining respect from coworkers and management will be showing some interest in the Korean culture.

Teams and team membership is also a critical factor. One of the most important parts of the Korea working environment is team relationship. Most often this relationship is solidified during drinking. Koreans like drinking and if you are a heavy drinker, this may earn you some respect among coworkers.

Eye contact is also an aspect you may want to avoid. In the West, it’s polite to look someone in the eye as they talk to you, looking away will show dishonest, disrespect and mean not paying attention. This is quite different in Korea. Eye contact with a supervisor means aggression and confrontation. As a foreigner, you may be caught in between these 2 schools of thought so please beware.

Lastly, it is common for Koreans to place trust outside of signing a contract. Oral agreement is in fact taken more seriously and actually more trusted than written. Most Koreans tend to think the final contract is actually less important than the strength of the relationship between the two parties and that’s what usually westerners fail to understand.

The number of foreigners in Korea will only keep increasing and about 5% of the population has studied overseas in the last 10 years. As a foreigner in Korea, you don’t have to become Korean in order to be respected. Trying to understand the culture will go a long way to make your stay in the land of Morning Calm memorable.