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Is Samsung a better job than Google or Apple? The secret to the surge 3 years ago

picture explanation[사진 출처 = 삼성전자]

As Samsung has been chosen as the number one ‘World’s Best Employer’ this year by Forbes, an American business magazine, attention is focused on its secret.

According to Forbes on the 16th, Samsung has maintained its ranking for the third year after first taking the lead in 2020. Forbes ranks the rankings based on surveys answered directly by corporate employees, and has been ahead for several years, beating Google and Apple, known as ‘dream workplaces’. It is also the only Korean company in the top 50.

Samsung didn’t stand out in that position until just three years ago. It was ranked 76th in 2018 and 106th in 2019. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, took the lead during this period, and Microsoft, Apple, and Red Hat were also in the top ranks.

However, during the 2020 novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis, Samsung’s crisis management capabilities shone through and quickly rose to the top.

First, Samsung formed a task force (FT) for workers in production facilities susceptible to group infection and worked hard to prevent it. Disinfectant supplies such as masks and disinfectants were provided to workers, and a thermometer and infrared camera were installed at the entrance to measure body temperature, while using the worker’s ID tagging system to identify movement.

In case the production facilities are closed, the company has prepared for a collapse in the supply chain by moving some smartphone production to other places such as Vietnam. OLED panel supply and demand has also diversified. Automated production facilities also played a role in reducing the impact of COVID-19. At that time, foreign media such as the Financial Times also compared Samsung to Apple and focused on Samsung’s response.

Samsung maintained this trend and maintained its throne for the third year until this year, striving to improve its brand value. Samsung analyzed this selection as a result of “employee satisfaction and pride higher than other companies, and the recognition of the same industry is positive.”

On the other hand, Samsung’s success in gaining the No. 1 position was due to labor-management conflicts among rival companies.

Alphabet, for example, sparked controversy early last year when an executive tried to cover up reports of an internal sexual assault and fired an employee for criticizing the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Earlier this year, compensation was paid for a gender discrimination issue.

Last year, when Amazon workers pushed for a union to improve the working environment, Amazon spent a large amount of money in an ‘anti-union campaign’, leading to conflict. Apple also teamed up with a law firm to legally block the formation of a union after some store workers showed movement to form a union.

[김우현 매경닷컴 기자]
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