This undated file photo shows people walking into the main government complex in Sejong, 130 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean public servants from both younger and older generations showed a low preference towards eating lunch with department coworkers on a daily basis.
According to a survey conducted by the Korea Institute of Public Administration of 1,021 public officials, those in their 20s and 30s and older generations showed a negative response to the statement, “Unless there is a special reason, department members should have lunch together.”
On a five-point scale, however, there was a statistically significant difference between those in their 20s and 30s who scored 2.23 and the older generations who scored 2.70.
Among the younger generations, members of Generation Z (1.95), who are younger than millenials (2.30), were more likely to be against department lunches.
The results of the survey revealed that the older generations mostly showed the tendency to avoid lunches with other department members or team members.
The research team interpreted this tendency as a consideration of discomfort that other department or team members may feel when having lunch with them.
According to the report, both younger employees (in their 20s and 30s) and the older generation showed a preference toward having lunch together during departmental gatherings, rather than holding late-night drinking sessions.
As for a statement saying that it is important for department members to have a better understanding of each other, the younger generation scored 3.44 and the older generation 3.70.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
