[Edaily Reporter RHEE JAE-EUN ] A post by a team leader-level employee expressing frustration over certain behaviors of a new hire—whose job performance was otherwise satisfactory—is gaining attention online. The post cited incidents such as the new hire wearing headphones and watching videos during a group meal, or attempting to leave work without consulting anyone even though there was unfinished work remaining.

This disparity between the competencies companies expect from employees and the working conditions that new job seekers expect from companies is also evident in recruitment surveys. In such surveys, corporate HR managers cited job expertise and communication and collaboration skills as key hiring criteria, while new job seekers were found to primarily consider annual salary, performance bonuses, and employee benefits.

“Wearing Earbuds While Eating Together”… Resignation Just One Month After Hiring

On the 10th, a post titled “A Story About Meeting a New Employee I’d Only Heard About” was uploaded to an online community. Mr. A, who identified himself as a team leader at a small company, reported that the employee in question arrived 10 to 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled start time and performed their assigned tasks diligently.

According to the post, the employee gradually spent more time looking at their phone during group meals, and on one occasion, they were so engrossed in their screen while wearing earbuds that they didn’t hear Mr. A speak to them. When Mr. A suggested they chat while eating, the employee replied, “Okay,” but kept the earbuds in. Mr. A also mentioned that he heard from colleagues that on a day when he was away from the office, the employee had spoken on the phone with their partner for about one to two hours during work hours.

There were also discussions regarding annual leave and leaving work on time. The employee, who was still in the probationary period, asked on a Friday if they could take annual leave the following Monday. When Mr. A asked for a reason, the employee replied that it was a personal matter and difficult to disclose. In response, Mr. A explained that while he could adjust the schedule if he knew the circumstances, company policy made it difficult to grant annual leave during the probationary period.

Mr. A explained that the company had allowed the new employee to leave 5 to 10 minutes early, taking into account that the bus schedule had 20- to 30-minute intervals. However, one day, the employee sent a message via instant messenger around 5:50 p.m. showing the progress of the work that needed to be completed that day, and Mr. A interpreted this as an attempt to leave before finishing the task. In light of this, Mr. A told the employee that, in the future, if they needed to leave early, they should explain how far they had progressed with their work and discuss whether it was appropriate to leave.

Subsequently, about a month after starting the job, the employee reportedly requested a meeting with Mr. A—who was out on a business call at the time—and announced their intention to resign. The employee felt the company wasn’t a good fit due to the incidents with Mr. A and also mentioned being criticized by others for using a cell phone during meals or for not cleaning the restroom, as well as having little interaction with colleagues.

Feeling frustrated, Mr. A—who had previously eaten alone while wearing earbuds at his former job—later asked the employee if it would be okay for a junior colleague to wear earbuds while working. The employee reportedly replied, “It doesn’t matter as long as you do your job well.” Mr. A also noted that the employee had packed belongings into a company work bag without permission, adding that he wished the employee had at least asked if it was okay to use the bag.

“Communication and Collaboration” at 55.4% During Hiring… “Salary and Bonuses” Rank First Among Job Seekers’ Criteria

Meanwhile, the competencies companies evaluate during

the hiring process

include both the professional expertise to get the job done and the ability to communicate and collaborate with colleagues.

According to a survey by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry released last September, when HR managers at approximately 500 companies were asked about the competencies they consider during hiring (multiple responses allowed), AI proficiency (69.2%) and communication and collaboration skills (55.4%) were cited most frequently. Job-specific expertise ranked third at 54.9%. These were followed by a spirit of challenge and problem-solving skills (25.8%) and creativity and innovation (25.0%).

Some companies also cited adaptability to the organization and diligence as key evaluation factors for new hires. Among the 302 companies that responded to a survey conducted last year by the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry targeting the top 500 manufacturing companies in the Busan region by revenue, 37.4% stated that they place the greatest emphasis on the likelihood of long-term retention when hiring new employees. These were followed by basic personal qualities such as adaptability to the organization and diligence (32.1%), as well as job-specific knowledge and work experience (28.0%).

In contrast, when job seekers were asked why they chose a company they “would like to start working for immediately,” annual salary, performance bonuses, and employee benefits ranked highest. According to the “2026 Corporate Preference Report” released by JobKorea last June, a survey of 3,287 job seekers found that annual salary and performance bonuses accounted for the highest proportion at 32%. Employee benefits (15%) and career growth potential (13%) followed.

Research has also shown a correlation between organizational culture and the turnover rate of new hires after they join a company. According to a study presented last month by Professor Noh Yong-jin of Seoul National University of Science and Technology at an academic conference hosted by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, companies that prioritize camaraderie and unity among colleagues tended to have lower first-year turnover rates for new hires with no prior work experience. The study analyzed the relationship between organizational culture, work styles, and new employee turnover rates based on 1,479 observations by company and year.