Handok requalifies for a family friendly corporation, certified by Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

 – Handok first obtained the qualification as a family friendly corporation in 2011. The re-qualification achieved this year will last until 2019, making Handok to have sustained the qualification for a total of 8 years
– Handok’s various family friendly policies and the corporate culture which enables the active utilization of such policies have been highly acknowledged

Handok (Chairman Youngjin Kim) requalifies for a family friendly corporation, certified by Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Handok first obtained the qualification as a family friendly corporation in 2011 and the re-qualification achieved this year will last until 2019, making Handok to have sustained the qualification for a total of 8 years.

Certification of family friendly corporation is given to companies and public institutions which implement family friendly policies effectively. The candidate corporates and institutions undergo strict screening and evaluation. Handok runs various policies which enable the employees to balance work and personal life and also has maintained a corporate culture which enables utilization of those policies. As a result, Handok was able to achieve re-qualification. 

Handok introduced family friendly policies before many other companies, to enable the employees to spend more time with their family. Handok introduced the fortnightly office closing in 1977, and subsequently the 5 working day per week policy in 1998, much earlier than its legal enforcement in 2005. Also, maternity leave for pregnant female employees as well as child care leave and pregnancy check up leave are in place. There are also nursing rooms in various places in Handok office and the employees enjoy flexible working hour scheme which makes working and caring for children easier for female employees. They also have the option of shortened shift and working from home to care for the families. Since the beginning of this year, Handok had also signed a consignment agreement with a childcare center nearby the office and will offer subsidy to the employees for parking space and some of the childcare cost associated with using the childcare center.

Handok’s effort was not only limited to developing these policies, but extends to creating a corporate environment where employees feel comfortable receiving those benefits. For example, employees working from home will receive the same benefit package and annual leave as the employees working at the office. It also will not have any effect on the employee’s promotion or advancement. There are numerous real life cases of female employees being promoted whilst they are on their maternity leave. Also, male employees on maternity leaves are not uncommon at Handok.

Also, Handok holds a variety of activities which promote health and well-being of employees and their families. It ranges from smoking cessation campaign and weight loss program to free influenza vaccinations. This year, the existing weight loss program was upgraded to a program which seeks fitness as well as losing weight. Families of employees are allowed to join in some of these programs, such as family tour where families of personnel working at the manufacturing plant in Eumseong are invited in May each year to take a tour of the plant. Lastly, Handok contributes to the society through various activities such as charity event, cleaning and decorating park of Han river and visiting facilities of the disabled where families of employees are welcome to join in the program.

Chairman Youngjin Kim of Handok had mentioned that “Only happy employees work effectively and enable advancement of the company as a whole. We will continue to endeavor to be a company where employees can balance their work and personal life, as well as being the best they can be in what they do”.

Meanwhile, Handok is continuously trying to create a corporate culture which enables development of employees and the company together. Handok had its effort acknowledged when it received the presidential award at the ‘Competition for a good place to have children campaign’, held by Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2010. Also in 2014, Handok was selected as an excellent corporation at Best HRD, held by Human Resources Development Service of Korea.