LG Chem, South Korea’s leading chemicals company, held an event to bolster communication and understanding between millennial employees and executives, the company said Friday.

The event was led by six new employees under the topic “happy companionship with millennials” during a workshop for some 300 executives, factory managers and chief researchers at its leadership center in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province, earlier this week.

The participating newbies talked openly about the millennial generation, with the aim of reducing the prejudice that younger generation workers tend to be self-centered and lack devotion to the company. 

“When searching for jobs, for the younger generation, work-life balance is as important as the job itself. I think a well-balanced life, between work and personal life, boosts work efficiency,” said Lee Joo-eun, a new employee at LG Chem.

With the number of employees in their 20s and 30s growing, LG Chem has been increasingly trying to promote a horizontal work culture through various events, to break away from the traditional top-down hierarchical culture.

The number of employees at LG Chem in their 20s and 30s rose from roughly 7,000 in 2012 to some 11,000 this year, accounting for over 60 percent of the total workforce, the company said.

LG Chem Vice Chairman and CEO Park Jin-soo has met with 1,600 workers so far this year to listen to their opinions and ideas, it added.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcrop.com)