GXP: A 5-Week “Work From Anywhere” Program for SK hynix Employees

 

“Employees at SK hynix can work anywhere in the world!”

Recently, 12 SK hynix employees enjoyed the special experience of working overseas for five weeks. They were the first group to take part in the Global eXperience Program (GXP) which was introduced at the end of 2022. During the program, the participants had the chance to work at one of SK hynix’s U.S. units or with overseas business partners while continuing their duties from their home office.

The program embodied Vice Chairman and co-CEO Park Jung-ho’s vision of removing space-time restraints and enhancing employees’ global competence while establishing a worldwide network of connected offices. If this process goes through a virtuous cycle, Park believes it will strengthen SK hynix’s work culture and ultimately boost the company’s competitiveness.

▲ SK hynix Vice Chairman and co-CEO Park Jung-ho promising to expand flexibility in the working environment at the “10th Anniversary of Relaunching with SK Group”

 

The first trial of GXP was held in October 2022. SK hynix received applicants that month and officially got the five-week program off the ground in November.

It was designed to allow participants to plan their own work abroad experiences to develop global talents and establish cosmopolitan work environments. The origin of the program can be traced back to Park’s “flexible work environment” policy he announced during the “10^th Anniversary of Relaunching with SK Group” ceremony that took place in March 2022.

During his speech, Park mentioned planning a “global work from anywhere” program that would be without space-time restraints. Consequently, the GXP had the purpose of measuring the effectiveness of working from abroad.

The 12 members of the first round of the GXP finished their work at SK hynix memory solutions America (SKHMS America), U.S.-based partners Lam Research and William Park & Associates Ltd. (WPA), and Zeiss in Germany. The participants enhanced their competitive edge and got the chance to work and cooperate with foreign partners.

Boosting Cooperation and Language Skills While Enjoying a Change of Scene

As applications for the GXP opened at the end of 2022, it gained much attention for allowing participants to continue to complete tasks from their South Korean offices while working overseas. This alleviated many workers’ concerns that they would be leaving their work behind when taking part in the program. Overall, participants of the first GXP gave positive feedback of the program, claiming that it allowed them to gain valuable experience while also broadening their knowledge.

Technical Leader Yun Jang Hun of the Solution Development department worked at SKHMS America for the GXP. He wanted to work on projects that were unfamiliar to him in a completely new environment. It was during his time at his domestic workplace that he learned of SKHMS America’s SSD project, an area he had always been interested in. He thought the GXP would allow him to enhance his skills while also giving him a chance to refresh with a change of surroundings.

Q. What were your tasks at SKHMS America?

“The NAND that goes in an SSD is fast and allows data to be saved easily, but it does not offer high data reliability. To make up for this deficiency, various technologies are applied to increase the reliability. One of these methods is the defense algorithm verification test, while such verification methods are called DART¹. I was able to set up the test environment for this technology at the overseas office.”

¹DART (Defense Algorithm Rapid Test): A process that verifies the defense algorithm.

Q. We heard that you had a pivotal role in this project.

“I solved the issue of the DART source code not being reflected. The source code needs to be applied in advance to progress DART, but this operation was being delayed due to a lack of personnel. Although I was originally tasked with DART performance, I transitioned into DART setting and ended up analyzing the source code to insert the logarithm and apply the DART point correction. As a result, the potential delay in operations that can occur in the future was eliminated. In other words, we decreased the risks for the project.”

Q. How much did GXP help in enhancing your competence?

“I received the opportunity to analyze the SSD source code which let me experience the architecture of the SSD. As I was only focused on mobile projects at my home office, the GXP widened my work spectrum.”

As for Technical Leader Yeo Seung Mi of R&D, she was able to work at wafer fabrication equipment manufacturer Lam Research through the GXP. Having already conducted research with Lam Research in South Korea, she thought it would be more effective if she continued the project while she was in the U.S.

Q. What were you tasked with at Lam Research, and what were your results?

“As oxide materials are filled to the sides of 3D DRAM, a void occurs during this process. I am currently searching for a solution to this problem with Lam Research. In addition to this, the team in the U.S. conducted various research projects. When conducting research in South Korea, it was a hassle to send wafers to the U.S. and wait for the test results. However, there were no delays in research when working in the U.S. We were also able to check the feasibility of the improvement research for the void problem.”

Q. How much did the GXP help in enhancing your competence?

“I enhanced my skills and gained new knowledge by working alongside engineers of Lam Research. I was also able to get a firm grasp of how to operate the various equipment used during research development. From learning the basic theories about my work to finding the causes and solutions of a phenomenon, I was able to learn a lot from collaborating with the engineers.

“I also learned that there was more than one correct way of working. The impression I got from working with U.S. companies in the past was that these companies operated in a slow manner. But when I actually worked in the U.S., I realized that these companies stress detail and perfection rather than simply being slow. The workers here never rush work that could theoretically be finished one or two hours faster. South Korean workers tend to emphasize quickness and accuracy, but I recognized that this may not always be the answer.”

Technical Leader Song Yoo Jin of R&D has been developing measuring technology and software as part of a collaborative effort with researchers from South Korea, the U.S. and Germany since 2020. Having been a part of this global collaborative project for several years, Song has always wanted to work side-by-side with global experts to expand her expertise. Her work included collaborating with optical system developer Zeiss on developing storage node² profile measurement software, which measures the two- and three-dimensional structural characteristics of a storage node such as tilt, torsion, and proximity. In a bid to increase the effectiveness of her work while reaching her self-development goals, Song took up the opportunity to work at the German company through the GXP.

²Storage Node: A capacitor that stores electric charge in a DRAM cell.

Q. What were you tasked with at Zeiss, and what were your results?

“I continued developing measurement software that I started working on with Zeiss. We focused on minimizing the operating errors that occur during prior analysis and sample testing. We also looked at Zeiss’s new focused ion beam that SK hynix is set to utilize in 2023 and conveyed the requirements as well. I played the role of a guide for engineers who will develop the equipment in the future.

“I saved time by working directly at the site. As feedback is crucial for software development, I was able to reflect feedback quickly while discussing the next stage of development with depth. Accordingly, a major outcome of the program was to improve cooperation and communication efficiency. I also received sources and ideas to develop technology this year. The exchange of technology from both sides offered a developmental time overall.”

GXP Strengthens SK hynix’s Global Talent Development Program Line-Up

SK hynix has various developmental programs other than the GXP. Looking to get a competitive edge on the global scene, the company has been expanding programs that enhance qualities like global leadership, language skills, working abilities, and technology competence.

The Global Business English Program (GBEP) and the Global Leadership Program (GLP) develops language skills and global leadership skills, respectively. The GBEP offers English education for employees who need to enhance their language abilities, while the GLP is a shortened MBA program that introduces the qualities of a leader. The Global Insight Program (GIP) is a program that cultivates global competence through technological exchanges with research centers at reputable universities. Participants of the GIP spend up to a year working in an overseas research institute while increasing their technical skills.

SK hynix strengthened the lineup of its global development programs by adding the GXP in October 2022. As the program refines company culture by offering a flexible working environment and improves efficiency by collaborating with overseas offices, it is expected to become a highly sought-after program in the future.

SK hynix plans to continue developing and expanding beneficial programs for its employees to develop the world’s best talent. The four existing global growth programs will continue to run in 2023, highlighting how, even during industry downturns, the company is determined to spare no investment to develop its workers’ global competence.