Screens are set up on tables of a cafeteria at LG Group building in Seoul to help prevent coronavirus infections between them. (image: LG Group)
SEOUL, April 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The social distancing movement that is seen as a significant measure in the fight against the novel coronavirus is changing the landscape of work environments as more companies are implementing ‘untact’ working procedures.
Lotte Home Shopping Inc., a shopping unit of retail conglomerate Lotte, is implementing untact working procedures for general company tasks.
On Tuesday, the company interviewed candidates for job openings via video conference.
Internal training and education for staff members will now be held online, where participants can ask and answer questions in real-time.
As the company gym was shut down due to the coronavirus, managing trainers are distributing instruction videos on home training through the company network.
GS Home Shopping, another home shopping channel operator, changed the original rules of the company’s welfare program that gives out prizes to staff members working out at the company gym by allowing participants to submit exercise results from home.
The company also offers a ‘Business Meal at Home’ program where staff members can receive up to 30,000 won (US$25) when they order food from a nearby small business.
Lunchbox sales among customers in their 30s and 40s have also jumped as more office workers are opting for lunchboxes rather than gathering for group meals.
G9, an online shopping platform operated by eBay Korea, reported that sales of lunchbox-related goods between March 8 and April 7, such as heated lunch boxes, spoons and chopsticks, jumped by 289 percent since last year.
Sales of lunch and side-dish boxes increased by 235 percent, and spoon/chopstick sets by 189 percent.
Sales of lunchbox-related goods jumped by 343 percent among those in their 30s and 40s since last year, more than double the growth among teens and those in their 20s (142 percent).
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
