But at least now I work for myself. These days, more companies are urging their employees to get lean and creative. Big corporations like Cheil Jedang, LG Electronics and SK encourage workers to shed sober suits and stiff ties. They have also abolished many executive posts to speed up decision-making. At Cheil Jedang, gone are the big desks and long titles for managers.
Individual merit determines wage increases and promotion.
In the past, everybody dressed and looked more or less the same. Now we see young employees going directly to the senior managers with opinions. For example, they come to me to ask for more responsible jobs rather than the dull work of typing data into the computer. Until recently, working for the nation's top conglomerates conferred status. Now more college graduates prefer Internet startups and foreign businesses.