Daewoo E&C's employee healthcare program poster / Courtesy of Daewoo E&C

By Kim Jae-heun

After the Korean government decided to lift most of the social distancing rules against COVID-19 recently, people's expectations for returning to normal life have been growing. But because so many people became used to night curfews and working from home over the last two years, they are suffering from aftereffects of the pandemic, or the so-called "Corona Blues."

Corona Blues refers to depression and lethargy induced by self-isolation and social distancing.

Many office workers are experiencing emotional difficulties attributed to sudden changes in their work environment and interpersonal relationships resulting in fatigue, reduced work efficiency and depression.

In response, a number of local companies are implementing various mental health management programs for their employees.

Daewoo Engineering & Construction (Daewoo E&C) has been running its "Shim Care" mental health program since 2015. The company formed a partnership with Kangbuk Samsung Hospital to invite clinical psychology experts to company headquarters in Seoul every Wednesday, so their employees can access mental health services conveniently.

Employees can make reservations for the healthcare program to receive counseling on anything they want, including issues arising at work as well as at home.

Daewoo E&C and Kangbuk Samsung Hospital operate a separate mental healthcare program outside of the company, for employees who do not wish for their colleagues to know they are receiving help.

The Shim Care program is also available online for Daewoo E&C's employees working overseas. A psychological counselor assesses each client's condition and helps them form strategies to improve their state.

For those who are working in Africa or the Middle East ― where proper medical care is either expensive or difficult to access, Daewoo E&C has opened an online clinic to diagnose employees' illness and prescribe medicine to be delivered from Korea by express mail service (EMS).

"The company understands its employees' health is equal to corporate value. It has been providing various healthcare programs to improve both physical and mental conditions of workers so that they can have the best performance output in the office," a Daewoo E&C official said.