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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Rotational assignments create burnout: Constant moves leave employees as 'eternal beginners'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • A 40-year-old public servant, Min-hyuk, experiences severe burnout due to a company policy of rotating positions every two years.
  • The constant job changes, including adapting to new roles like AI utilization, have led to decreased confidence, stress, and depression.
  • Unlike Western countries, South Korea's rotational system creates "eternal beginners," hindering expertise and mental well-being, especially in the AI era.

The article highlights the detrimental effects of South Korea's mandatory rotational job system, exemplified by the case of Min-hyuk, a 40-year-old public servant. His company requires employees to move to different departments and roles every two years, a policy ostensibly aimed at preventing corruption and maintaining integrity.

Employees who cannot use artificial intelligence will become unnecessary in the future.

— Department HeadMin-hyuk's supervisor's comment that increased his anxiety about adapting to new technologies.

Min-hyuk's experience illustrates the severe personal toll of this system. He faces constant challenges adapting to unfamiliar tasks, including a recent assignment requiring AI proficiency, a skill he lacks. Witnessing colleagues adeptly use AI, coupled with his supervisor's dismissive remarks about employees who don't adapt, has significantly eroded his confidence. The frequent relocations also disrupt his family life, forcing his children to change schools.

Despite his experience, Min-hyuk finds himself performing at a novice level in new roles, leading to mistakes and a sense of inadequacy. The long commutes, often extending past midnight, further exacerbate his exhaustion. When he seeks help from colleagues, he faces impatience, increasing his isolation and reluctance to ask questions. The company's manuals and handover notes are often incomprehensible, leaving him struggling to navigate his responsibilities.

I'm having a hard time because I constantly have to back up Min-hyuk. I have a lot of my own work too. Can't you just figure it out yourself?

— ColleagueExpressing frustration with Min-hyuk's need for assistance.

This relentless cycle of adaptation has led Min-hyuk to experience "burnout," characterized by a loss of confidence and motivation, and even thoughts of ending his life. A psychiatric evaluation diagnosed him with adjustment disorder and depression, directly linked to the abrupt changes in his work environment and duties.

Adjustment disorder is a condition characterized by depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems as a reaction to stress, with clinically significant severity that noticeably impairs daily functioning.

— PsychiatristDefining the diagnosis given to Min-hyuk.

The article contrasts South Korea's system with those in Western countries, which prioritize long-term specialization and use transparent systems to manage corruption. Even Japan's rotational system is described as more gradual and focused on maintaining expertise within related fields. The author argues that South Korea's short, disjointed rotations are incompatible with the demands of the modern, AI-driven workplace, creating "eternal beginners" and severely impacting employees' mental health. The piece concludes by emphasizing the need for systemic change and personal coping strategies, such as seeking support and adjusting expectations, to navigate these challenges.

My brain is overloaded right now, so I'll just do the basics without causing any trouble.

— Min-hyukHis adjusted mindset to cope with the overwhelming work situation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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