(The Beacon Group - Jan. 17, 2008)

You've heard about all the wild schemes for employee well-being and corporate team-building... Rock-climbing, workplace massages, poem writing, song singing and other creative benefits.

There's another one to add to the list from an Associated Press article.

Workers and students in South Korea are nailing themselves shut in coffins to renew their lives.

The mock death inspires participants to reflect on their past and plan out their future. It's called "well-dying", much like North Americans are concerned with "well-being".

Samsung Electronics, South Korea's largest company, sent over 900 factory workers to mock funerals. The company's human resource staff is convinced that these activities improves worker performance.

But whether or not you buy the concept behind these activities, there was an interesting point in this article:

Quotation

Experts see the well-being and well-dying trend as a sign that South Koreans have grown affluent enough to be able to consider quality-of-life issues. But some dismiss services such as the fake funerals as moneymaking ventures.

For years companies have outsourced back-office jobs and other tasks to countries around the world.

Late last year we saw some of the unexpected backlash of outsourcing in the form of poor quality control leading to defective and dangerous toys. Toy companies were caught off guard by the risk.

The well-being trend is also sneaking up on global employers.

While South Korea may be an example of a country well under development, other nations are only beginning to display quality of life concerns. Yet most companies still look to overseas labour markets for cost-reductions and nothing else. It is these same companies that will be caught off guard when they face local competition for talent.

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