Getting drunk on heady combinations of beer and whiskey I almost expected of Korean employees whenever work get-togethers are organized, but now, many corporations are beginning to focus on healthier pursuits.

   Recently, more advertising agencies, PR companies and foreign businesses in Seoul have realized that the long-held office  tradition of drinking whiskey and beer at karaoke bars is not boosting morale.

     One company that handles publicity for food and beverage makers in the capital found that its booze-drinking sessions were leaving its employees
drained and unproductive. The company decided to organize a high-octane evening trip that let its employees vent their stress in other ways such as by screaming their way through hair-raising roller-coaster rides.

      At one advertising agency, employees ditched company dinners and now head to beauty parlors or skin clinics together after work. One copywriterat the company said she received acupuncture at a medical clinic to raise the profile of her nose.

     One foreign company assesses performance records and sends five of its top employees on overseas trips, letting them spend one restful week in exotic locations such as Bali or Hawaii, instead of spending money on expensive dinners.

     “Married employees with children tend to get the most excited about our new welfare program, ” said an employee in the company’s marketing department.

     “Company dinners that run on late into the night consume family time, but these overseas trips allow me to get some good rest with my family, so I can return to work more energized and focused,” another employee said.

     Meanwhile, increasing numbers of companies are ditching end-of-the-year parties and using the money to invite professional make-up artists or stylists to help their employees improve their appearance.

     One executive at a PR company said, “I heard many of the staff tell me this made them think twice about quitting.”

The phrase “hair-raising roller-coaster rides” is an example of _____.