The next day, an announcement was finally made at Jungle.
The announcement was about a new social networking service called ‘Make Friends’ that would be released after Chuseok.
Jungle was now beyond just being a hot topic; it was a sensation.
No matter what they did, the media would briefly cover it.
As a result, not only the new social networking service but also other projects gained attention.
- South Korea has grown thanks to you!
This phrase was unexpectedly written next to the search bar on Jungle’s main page, making people curious.
When clicked, the page redirected to a project titled ‘Information and Communication Retraining Project,’ which surprised many.
The content within stated that it would provide free education for those lacking knowledge in information and communication.
This project was led by the ‘21st Century Venture Business Association,’ and once it was connected to Jungle’s main page, their office phones started ringing off the hook.
“Hello? Yes, as mentioned, the training will start in October. Those who complete the training will go into practice. After that, they will be able to get jobs at various information and communication companies.”
“Is employment guaranteed? Sorry, but we cannot promise that.”
“However, there is a severe shortage of people in this industry right now. There are many places that need people immediately, so you should be able to find a job, but again, we can’t guarantee it.”
The conversations of the consultants were mostly factual.
Information and communication companies were sprouting up daily, and even the established ones needed more people.
Jungle was no exception, so Woo Sang-won came to report directly to Lee Hyun-woo.
“We are short of manpower everywhere. We are hiring, but with all the new projects doing well, we are worried about space shortage soon.”
“I’ll look into it. By the way, I had a brief discussion with Director Oh in Hong Kong?”
“What about…”
“Remote work.”
“Ah, yes…”
It was a time when working at the office was the norm.
Woo Sang-won looked at Lee Hyun-woo with a puzzled expression.
Fortunately, Lee Hyun-woo’s explanation was clear and logical.
Each team would continue their projects as usual, but the members would rotate through remote work.
“We will start with Director Oh and a few others. We will monitor the results for about a week and then gradually expand it to other teams if it works.”
It seemed plausible, so Woo Sang-won nodded.
In Jungle, working often felt like a series of experiments.
The surprising thing was that those experiments had never failed.
“Remote work, what a groundbreaking method.”
The first subject was an interesting one.
Oh Min-woo seemed perfectly suited for remote work.
“If this works, we can maximize space utilization and work efficiency.”
Other advantages of remote work naturally came to his mind.
Reduction of commuting time, no need for preparations to go to work, reduced transportation costs, alleviation of stress from interpersonal relationships, proper integration of work and personal time, and flexible work hours, etc.
‘But there are also problems.’
The possibility of information leaks came to mind first, and the loss of camaraderie among team members was also a concern.
Thus, remote work became a new task for Woo Sang-won.
Lee Hyun-woo, a workaholic, began to record the pros and cons of remote work and consider the necessary factors.
It took him only a day to complete everything.
He handed in the report he had written himself to Lee Hyun-woo, who looked surprised.
“You finished this in a day?”
“I can’t sleep if I don’t finish the given task on the same day…”
“Yes…”
Lee Hyun-woo thought to himself.
Starting remote work for someone like him might lead to even deeper workaholism.
“Besides Director Oh Min-woo, I think Director Lee Jung-woo, who is currently a student, and Director Jang Yoo-chul can also start working remotely.”
He didn’t give Lee Hyun-woo any time to breathe.
With a wry smile, Lee Hyun-woo started to skim through the document he brought.
It didn’t take long to understand the main points.
However, there were some points that Lee Hyun-woo needed to add.
“Think about it; the office becomes their home, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Then considering the subsidiary costs of using the company’s workspace, I think it’s right to provide additional support for remote workers.”
“That makes sense. There will be costs for electricity, paper, printing, and other miscellaneous expenses.”
“We should definitely provide printers, and in the long run, we need to consider email reporting and approval. But if we do this, the chances of losing human relationships within the company will increase.”
“I was worried about that too. When people work remotely, the sense of camaraderie diminishes…”
“Okay. We also need to secure channels for casual conversations.”
Woo Sang-won’s eyes widened slightly.
Taking care of casual chat channels for employees?
At first glance, it might seem like nonsense.
However, as someone who had worked, Woo Sang-won knew how important casual conversations among employees were.
A light chat serves as a lubricant in the continuous heavy workload.
This creates camaraderie, which eventually leads to a sense of belonging.
“You mean chat?”
“Yes, and we need to create various chat channels. For example, a channel that includes everyone from me, the CEO, to the lowest intern, and a channel where only interns can chat. When they talk about the company and their bosses, they will bond even if they don’t know each other’s faces.”
“Haha…”
Company and boss bashing.
The past bosses who tried to prevent this effortlessly flashed through Woo Sang-won’s mind.
It was futile.
People gather anywhere to vent their complaints and bash their bosses.
In fact, the more you try to prevent it, the worse it gets.
People curse the king when he’s not around.
Eliminating that outlet doesn’t remove dissatisfaction.
Absolutely not.
‘A CEO who understands this? Despite not having actual work experience?’
Lee Hyun-woo often left him in awe.
Despite his brief career, he seemed more experienced than Woo Sang-won, who was practically the only one in the top management.
No, it wasn’t just more experienced.
It felt like he had decades of seasoned experience.
“Additionally, regular offline meetings are a must. Company dinners are a given, and overseas workshops should be carried out on a rotation basis.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
“By the way, let’s make our company dinners intense. The top management, including myself, will host the first round and then step back.”
“Haha…”
He even started to doubt.
Could it be that Lee Hyun-woo had been working somewhere since his college years?
That day, Lee Hyun-woo also decided on a small-scale organizational restructuring.
It was to elevate Han Se-jin and Kang Dong-ho to the newly established secretarial office.
Naturally, he had to see both of them, and he called Han Se-jin first.
“Are you talking about the secretarial office?”
“Yes, it’s time for you to start working by my side. It’s getting overwhelming to handle everything alone.”
“Ah, yes… But I’m not sure what exactly I should do…”
Han Se-jin trailed off.
Every day at Jungle was a new experience for him.
It was literally his first time in the professional world from the start until now.
Every day proved that his first choice was a stroke of luck.
His peers were still preparing to enter the workforce or stuck in the lowest of low positions.
Compared to them, Han Se-jin had risen to an executive level as Jungle grew.
Now, being asked to take on the secretarial office, he had no idea what to assist Lee Hyun-woo with.
“I’m asking this because I lack understanding.”
“If you were lacking, I wouldn’t have placed you in the secretarial office. Just continue doing what you’ve been doing.”
“What I’ve been doing? Sales and marketing?”
“Yes, but by my side. With me.”
The explanation was given, but it was still vague.
However, Lee Hyun-woo smiled and pointed to his hand.
“Look, you’re already prepared to take notes. Just write things down meticulously, record the next schedule, prepare beforehand, and it’ll be fine.”
“But is that sales activity?”
“A company’s CEO handles everything. Of course, there’s sales and marketing. Do those by my side, and other tasks will be learned as we go.”
In summary, just learn by his side; that was Lee Hyun-woo’s directive.
Feeling fortunate once again, gratitude spread through his heart.
‘Life has no rehearsals, but with this person, I can practice and execute simultaneously.’
He bowed his head, determined to work harder.
“I’ll do my best.”
“You’ll have to. Secretaries of a company don’t have work-life balance.”
Unlike before, his voice carried a heavier tone.
Han Se-jin understood immediately.
Managing the CEO’s every move meant there would be no distinction between day and night.
“Ah, so besides you, another person should be by my side. That way, you can occasionally take turns resting.”
“Is someone else coming as a secretary besides me?”
“Precisely, two plus alpha. For now, the other person is Team Leader Kang Dong-ho.”
“Ah…”
It meant pulling up the two who had managed sales and marketing.
Both had their distinct characteristics.
Han Se-jin was meticulous, and Kang Dong-ho was bold.
Perhaps due to their personalities, he offered some advice.
“If both of us are pulled up, there might be gaps in sales and marketing.”
“Indeed.”
“…”
“But have you heard the saying? The position makes the person.”
“Yes… I’ve heard of it.”
“Someone will fill your positions, and they’ll become suited for those roles. Even if they don’t do well, it’s not their fault. It’s because I pulled you both up at the same time.”
He reaffirmed the notion that a leader takes responsibility in Han Se-jin’s ears.
Han Se-jin learned another lesson from Lee Hyun-woo’s emphasis on infinite responsibility.
This time, he wrote it in his heart, not his notebook.
‘The higher you go, the greater the responsibility.’
Han Se-jin, too, was climbing higher.
The secretary to the CEO was not just any position.
Usually, executives lead the secretarial team, so he and Kang Dong-ho were now taking on greater responsibilities.
‘So what’s the first thing I need to do?’
He wasn’t sure about anything else, but he knew one thing he had to start immediately.
And that was reading the CEO’s mind.
‘I need to start thinking about why the CEO is expanding the secretarial office.’
