November 28, 2024

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Shin Hak-cheol (center), LG Chem vice chairman and CEO, poses for photos with employees after a recent co-mentoring session. (LG Chem)

To foster a pleasant and fair work environment that promotes productivity, South Korea’s leading chemical firm LG Chem said Thursday it is taking measures to expand the avenues for communication and debate so employees can have more say.

The company introduced the "CEO Discussion Table" this year, a program in which Shin Hak-cheol, LG Chem's CEO and vice chairman, and other workers can participate together in the decision-making process for the company’s main strategies and trajectory through constructive debates.

The Discussion Table provides a space for healthy discussion, during which Shin can hear creative solutions and ideas presented by employees in different ranks, as well as the issues that different departments face.

The program has helped bolster a sense of responsibility and willingness to implement the decisions that were made during the discussions, the company said.

Departments are encouraged to apply to participate in the program, and the firm plans to bring in other leaders and executives later on.

In particular, the firm has sought to address generational differences in the company's workforce and have encouraged employees to hold open conversations about organizational culture through various projects since 2019.

CEO Shin described communication with younger staff in their 20s and 30s as the key to effectively maintaining a "speak up culture." One such way to foster communication is a two-way co-mentoring program in which executives and younger workers can talk to and mentor each other through activities such as making eco-friendly products.

To cultivate a more well-rounded staff, the company also provides support for foreign language education, which is proving to be a growing success, it said. In 2019, 600 employees took virtual foreign language lessons. Last year, that number jumped to 2,537.

LG Chem has also sought to improve employee welfare, such as lowering the frequency of late-night shifts and giving workers more days off, according to the company.

LG Chem said such efforts have granted employees more flexibility at work and enabled them to communicate more comfortably with executives, ultimately contributing to a more liberal corporate culture.

By Yu Ji-soo (jisooyu123@heraldcorp.com)