SEOUL, South Korea – Hyundai Motor Company is setting a remarkable standard for employee retention within South Korea, reporting a domestic voluntary turnover rate of just 0.39% for the past year. This figure, revealed in the company's 2025 Sustainability Report, indicates that once employees join the automotive giant in their home market, they rarely choose to leave, underscoring a high degree of workforce stability. This impressive retention contrasts sharply with broader trends in the South Korean automotive industry, which has seen significant workforce reductions in recent years.
The overall turnover rate for Hyundai Motor has also shown a consistent decline for three consecutive years, dropping from 11.4% in 2022 to 9.5% in the past year. Similarly, the voluntary turnover rate decreased from 6.8% to 4.3% company-wide, reflecting enhanced workforce stability. Analysis of employee departures reveals that approximately 90% of those leaving the company last year were aged 50 or older, totaling 3,080 out of 3,417 departing employees. This pattern suggests that the vast majority of turnover is due to natural attrition, primarily through retirement.
Industry observers attribute Hyundai Motor’s exceptional domestic retention to a corporate culture that emphasizes long-term employment and robust labor-management cooperation. The company has implemented comprehensive human resources and organizational management systems that support employees throughout their entire lifecycle, from talent acquisition and development to fair compensation, tailored welfare programs, and autonomous work environments. Regular organizational culture assessments are conducted to address grievances and mitigate potential turnover risks, complemented by initiatives like job rotation and internal recruitment opportunities.
However, the report also highlights a significant challenge in its global operations: overseas turnover rates remain high at 15.7%, with a voluntary rate of 10.3%. Particularly concerning is the sharp rise in departures among overseas female employees, which surged by 93.8% from 1,078 in 2023 to 2,089 last year. In contrast, male departures decreased during the same period. This trend signals a clear need for Hyundai Motor to refine its global workforce strategies and enhance support mechanisms for its international female staff.
Recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion (D&I), Hyundai Motor has been actively working to foster a more equitable workplace. The company has adopted the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and introduced its "Hyundai Way" guidelines to promote D&I across its global operations. A notable step was the historic hiring of female production workers in South Korea in 2023, marking a shift in what has traditionally been a male-dominated manufacturing sector. Furthermore, Hyundai Motor conducts global D&I education for its more than 60,000 employees and maintains a strict Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy. The disparity in average total salaries, with men earning approximately 125 million KRW and women 112 million KRW last year, suggests that while progress is being made, a gender pay gap persists in certain roles, even as manager-level basic salaries showed women earning slightly more.
Employee satisfaction has also seen steady improvement, with diagnostic results indicating a rise to 79.4 points last year, up from 72.9 points in 2022, alongside an increase in employee participation. These factors, combined with ongoing efforts to refine global human resource policies, will be crucial as Hyundai Motor continues its expansion and transformation into a leading mobility provider.
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