Interview Herbalife Korea CEO highlights award-winning workplace

Herbalife Korea General Manager Sean Chung speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the health supplement company's office in Seoul's Gangnam District, Tuesday. Courtesy of Herbalife Korea

Herbalife Korea General Manager (GM) Sean Chung on Wednesday held “Open Talk with GM” with employees at the company’s office in Seoul’s Gangnam District. The open discussion follows an inaugural discussion event the previous month, which consisted of a two-hour meeting and a casual dinner outside the office. Both occasions allowed him to realize how broad the employees’ concerns are.

Open Talk with GM is the latest version of conversational events with Chung where employees of the global multi-level marketing company’s Korean office are invited to speak with him. Since 2023, he has been regularly listening to employees in their 20s to 30s as well as older workers. He also hosts a monthly town hall meeting, inviting employees with questions and doubts.

Their queries range from minutiae to professional concerns, according to Chung.

“Some ask why the company doesn’t provide a financial condolence support for grandparents, while it does for parents. Some ask why their promotion isn’t happening as fast as they wish. Some division leaders ask how they can boost sales,” said Chung in an interview with The Korea Times on Tuesday. “As a focus of their attention, I don't want to just comfort them with a rosy, unrealistic prospect. I want to give them a structured view of what I think, based on precise information.”

Last year, Chung’s approach to the employees earned Herbalife Korea six honors from Great Place To Work (GPTW), a California-based market analysis firm that surveys workplace culture worldwide. The honors included recognition for leadership, innovative management and parent-friendly policies.

Part of what made the employees assess their company positively was a horizontal organizational culture. Employee welfare policies also helped with the positive assessment, including support for club activities, language learning, psychological consultations, paid time off for family emergencies and an education fund for children.

Herbalife Korea General Manager Sean Chung, second from right, speaks during a Korea Baseball Organization match between Kiwoom Heroes and Doosan Bears at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, May 30. Second from left is Park Kyung-mi, senior marketing manager. Courtesy of Herbalife Korea

“I started my career here as a call center clerk in 1999. Luckily, I got opportunities to advance my experience further through our departments for customer support, sales events, business development and strategic analysis. All along, I listened to our consumers, distributors and colleagues and learned their needs. In meetings among the heads of Herbalife’s regional offices worldwide, I also learned about business tactics from my colleagues in other countries and applied them here,” said Chung, who has been the general manager since 2021.

He added, “GPTW has ranked us 30th or 40th among companies in Asia in past years. But looking closer, we fell below average in certain categories. I wanted to explore how to improve those problems. To find solutions, I arranged the meet-ups to share opinions.”

Herbalife Korea sells nutritional supplements and uses its close relationship with sports teams and celebrities as marketing leverage. It currently has partnerships with the Korea Weightlifting Federation, Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club Kiwoom Heroes, and KBO stars like Samsung Lions outfielder Koo Ja-wook and Kia Tigers pitcher Lee Eui-lee. Herbalife headquarters also hired Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo and Indian cricket hero Virat Kohli as models.

The Korean company’s attention to the sports industry extends to outreach for sports clubs, philanthropic foundations for children and welfare centers. Through its non-profit subsidiary, Herbalife Family Foundation, it has been donating funds since 2007.

“One of the legacies left by Herbalife Founder Mark Hughes was the Herbalife Family Foundation. Beyond charity, the group is our tool to expand our company’s identity here, promoting a well-being lifestyle and generating positive effects among local communities,” he said.