Korean battery companies that have production facilities in North America and Europe are currently prioritizing the management of their local workforce. Due to the ongoing labor shortage in their overseas factories, these companies are focusing on improving the job skills of their existing workers in an effort to minimize employee turnover. To achieve this goal, they are sending employees from their headquarters to provide direct training and increasing employee exchanges. Additionally, they are making efforts to secure available labor from overseas.
Industry sources have revealed that Korean battery maker Samsung SDI sent support staff from its headquarters to its Hungarian plant in late 2020. The purpose of the visit was to provide training on how to respond to local media and promote the brand. The Hungarian plant is the largest battery production base for Samsung SDI worldwide, and engineers and production workers are selected based on applicants.
Last October, EcoPro, a Korean EV battery material company, invited local employees from Hungary to Korea for a two-month training program. The training started with a tour of the Pohang campus in Gyeongsangbuk-do, and 30 employees learned about the company’s products, technology, and received on-the-job training. They also learned about Korean corporate culture and work styles. In April last year, EcoPro broke ground on the Hungarian plant and aims to achieve mass production by 2025.
The domestic battery industry has been investing heavily in overseas markets, but managing local labor has proven to be a major challenge. Recruiting workers is difficult, and even after hiring, there are many problems to deal with.
Communication is often limited by language barriers, and cultural differences can lead to conflicts. In Europe, where the percentage of immigrants is high, employees often quit or change jobs.
Companies are running various programs to raise awareness of the company in the local area and make employees feel a sense of belonging. SK On’s Hungarian subsidiary conducts community contribution activities with its employees, such as environmental maintenance in the neighborhoods where it operates. LG Energy Solutions has sponsored local schools and organizations and organized cultural events in Michigan, USA, and Wroclaw, Poland, where it has production facilities.
The company is aiming to increase its talent pool by recruiting personnel from foreign universities and research institutes. With the primary production centers of the domestic battery industry moving from Korea to North America and Europe, it is widely agreed that local industry-academia programs should be utilized to develop research and development (R&D) personnel in order to stay ahead of the market.
Samsung SDI has been opening overseas R&D centers to secure talent. In April last year, they opened a battery research center in Shanghai, China, and began operating research centers in Munich, Germany, in July 2021 and Boston, USA, in August 2021. LG Energy Solution and SK On have also sent executives to hold job fairs and conduct interviews overseas.
