Hyundai Card, Hyundai Capital set trends in employee well-being during pandemic

Employees of Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital attend a virtual meeting. Courtesy of Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital

By Lee Kyung-min

Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital have become model corporations because they were quick to adapt to changes brought on by COVID-19.

They moved quickly to take care of their employees' well-being during the pandemic by allowing them to work from home from the very beginning of the pandemic.

Also, the company introduced a paid time-off (PTO) program for vaccinations in March this year even before the announcement was made by the government.

They are creating a working environment that adapts quickly to the current pandemic situation by replacing in-person meetings with video or audio conference calls.

The companies implemented the changes not only to their corporate culture, but also to all areas covering the working environment and employee welfare, such as recruiting, onsite clinics and external events.

Before the government announced "vaccination leaves" on April 1, the two companies had already introduced a PTO program for inoculations on March 18.

All employees eligible for vaccination can take leaves preemptively. The two were the first Korean companies to introduce such a program.

Employees are allowed to take the day following being vaccinated off since they might experience side effects 10 to 12 hours after getting the shot.

Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital also allow the time employees spend traveling, waiting and getting shots on the day of the vaccination to be counted as hours worked, so that getting vaccinated will not be a burden for them as individuals.

At their headquarters, there is an onsite medical site called the Clinic, where employees can make online appointments to see a physician, without traveling to a doctor's office outside.

At the Clinic, a doctor, nurses and a physical therapist provide clinical examinations, medical prescriptions and physical therapy.

With the revision of Korea's Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, “the Clinic” offers virtual care services to employees who are hesitant to visit a doctor, or are not able to visit one because they are working from home.

Those who are not able to access the Clinic's medical services because they are working at a regional branch are also offered the same services.

When employees get a prescription and need to take the medication every day for a long time or get transferred to a different location, the Clinic can offer consistent care.

Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital also offer virtual counseling services not only to employees, but also to their family members who suffer from depression, as they continue to work from home and become more stressed mentally and physically.

Their employees and family members can choose either a 50-minute virtual counseling session (via Zoom) or a 30-minute phone call, and the service is offered free of charge for up to four sessions per person.