Overseeing an international project in South Korea? Managing a local Korean subsidiary–the brand’s HQ and senior leadership in Korea? Then, you are from time to time bringing on new executives and team members. For starters, I feel there are 3 essentials to better understanding the Korean mindset and DNA with regard to Korean business.
Lesson learned tell us the new hires will need Korea facing support and insights into the many nuances that will impact their day to day interactions and business decision.
Hierarchy—place and order
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of Korean culture and deeply embedded in the workplace is hierarchy .
Unlike the West, within this hierarchy no two individuals have the same place within the social matrix–age, education, family, employment and title /position with a company or organization determining where one stands within this matrix.
Especially with new hires, Korean colleagues will ask questions to better place them in their social matrix. These questions may include family, the university they attended, the prior companies they were employed, and the work positions they have held. (Not trying to pry but it’s common for questions to get rather personal, too, such as marital status, if they have children, do they go to Church, and how old they are …).
Status
Traditionally Korea was a status conscious society. For the elites this manifested in a wide range of status markers from Celadon pottery, refined behavior, ritual robes, distinct cuisine, and table manners.
Today a former rigid class structure no longer dominates—class distinction and status more determined by one’s education, the company where one is employed, job position, and personal income. More so, we have seen considerable upward social mobility within Korea—a direct result of the nation’s economic successes.
Going hand and hand with upward mobility has been the demand for luxury and premium goods and products. In fact, these (most often Western branded) lux items have taken on the role of status markers.
This list can include designer eyeglasses, handbags, and watches, as well as ties, scarfs, belts and name brand clothing.
BTW with new casual dress codes in Korea, I am finding for the workplace top name brand jeans, polo and t-shirts very popular.
Generations—shared experiences
South Korea’s dominant age groups have great impact on Korean business culture, so there is value in understanding the differences in Korean generations.
In South Korea, a generational group is defined more by its shared experiences than by a specific number of years.
For instance, older Koreans who lived through the Korean War and its aftermath are more conservative, strongly allied with the U.S., and still uncompromising towards North Korea.
In contrast and the dominant generation in the workforce today are South Koreans in the 26-35 age group. Many of this group have studied abroad, look to work on overseas teams and projects, are fluent in English (and often another language or two), and have a global perspective.
This younger generation of Koreans is less concerned about ideology and are more pragmatic. Their primary concern is finding a job. They are also a strong “gotta have it” consumer class and individualistic as a result of the impact of globalization, the Internet, and many have attended western schools and universities.
It is no surprise that many of the recent changes we’ve seen in 2018 and in 2019 address concerns this generation have had about the Korean workplace. This ranges from work-life balances, gender issues, and no longer tolerating past norms where an older generation often bullied subordinates. In fact, on the later we find the new generation are now speaking out in social media and reporting cases to whistle-blower sites.
All three noted, I see hierarchy, status and generations as a lens to begin to better understand the Korean mindset, both within their society and in the workplace across their global organizations.
Adding to the above, and as a best practice there will be an ongoing need to support teams on the nuances of Korea impacting their day to day interactions and business decisions. As always, I am here to support and ready to jump in !
Korean Business: 3 Essentials
Overseeing an international project in South Korea? Managing a local Korean subsidiary–the brand’s HQ and senior leadership in Korea? Then, you are from time to time bringing on new executives and team members. For starters, I feel there are 3 essentials to better understanding the Korean mindset and DNA with regard to Korean business.
Lessonlearned tell us the new hires will need Korea facing support and insights into the many nuances that will impact their day to day interactions and business decision.
Hierarchy—place and order
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of Korean culture and deeply embedded in the workplace is hierarchy .
Unlike the West, within this hierarchy no two individuals have the same place within the social matrix–age, education, family, employment and title /position with a company or organization determining where one stands within this matrix.
Especially with new hires, Korean colleagues will ask questions to better place them in their social matrix. These questions may include family, the university they attended, the prior companies they were employed, and the work positions they have held. (Not trying to pry but it’s common for questions to get rather personal, too, such as marital status, if they have children, do they go to Church, and how old they are …).
Status
Traditionally Korea was a status conscious society. For the elites this manifested in a wide range of status markers from Celadon pottery, refined behavior, ritual robes, distinct cuisine, and table manners.
Today a former rigid class structure no longer dominates—class distinction and status more determined by one’s education, the company where one is employed, job position, and personal income. More so, we have seen considerable upward social mobility within Korea—a direct result of the nation’s economic successes.
Going hand and hand with upward mobility has been the demand for luxury and premium goods and products. In fact, these (most often Western branded) lux items have taken on the role of status markers.
This list can include designer eyeglasses, handbags, and watches, as well as ties, scarfs, belts and name brand clothing.
BTW with new casual dress codes in Korea, I am finding for the workplace top name brand jeans, polo and t-shirts very popular.
Generations—shared experiences
South Korea’s dominant age groups have great impact on Korean business culture, so there is value in understanding the differences in Korean generations.
In South Korea, a generational group is defined more by its shared experiences than by a specific number of years.
For instance, older Koreans who lived through the Korean War and its aftermath are more conservative, strongly allied with the U.S., and still uncompromising towards North Korea.
In contrast and the dominant generation in the workforce today are South Koreans in the 26-35 age group. Many of this group have studied abroad, look to work on overseas teams and projects, are fluent in English (and often another language or two), and have a global perspective.
This younger generation of Koreans is less concerned about ideology and are more pragmatic. Their primary concern is finding a job. They are also a strong “gotta have it” consumer class and individualistic as a result of the impact of globalization, the Internet, and many have attended western schools and universities.
It is no surprise that many of the recent changes we’ve seen in 2018 and in 2019 address concerns this generation have had about the Korean workplace. This ranges from work-life balances, gender issues, and no longer tolerating past norms where an older generation often bullied subordinates. In fact, on the later we find the new generation are now speaking out in social media and reporting cases to whistle-blower sites.
All three noted, I see hierarchy, status and generations as a lens to begin to better understand the Korean mindset, both within their society and in the workplace across their global organizations.
Adding to the above, and as a best practice there will be an ongoing need to support teams on the nuances of Korea impacting their day to day interactions and business decisions. As always, I am here to support and ready to jump in !
Don
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