469 Instant Shock!

March 28th, Monday…

It was said that Boss Li and his companions had already decided on projects surrounding the Thriller Hostel last weekend. In the coming weeks, they would begin inspection and construction.

Of course, they would not start building hotels and restaurants from scratch. Instead, they would use the existing factory buildings in the industrial zone and then renovate them. If they rushed and worked overtime, they would probably be able to complete the projects at the same time as the Thriller Hostel. Even if finished later, it would not be that much later.

As long as they paid enough, the workers would work fast enough.

Pei Qian felt slightly troubled about the speed of those surrounding projects, but he still maintained his cool.

Ai, if I can't stop them, I should just let them be.

Today was Monday. Pei Qian had initially planned to go straight to Fei Huang Workspace and tell them about the plan for 'shock therapy'. However, Hao Yun from the HR department had informed him that she had something to report. Thus, after having lunch, Pei Qian went to the headquarters first.

Pei Qian was a little puzzled because the HR department was not supposed to be busy now. Had Hao Yun created trouble for Pei Qian because she had had nothing better to do?

If that was the case, this was an extremely bad sign. Pei Qian would have to consider changing the head of the HR department.

Hao Yun knocked on Pei Qian's door and entered. "Boss Pei, I mainly want to report the salary adjustments for the various departments."

Pei Qian was even more confused now. "Salary adjustments?"

What did that mean? Wasn't Tengda treating them well enough? Was there… room for improvement?

Pei Qian immediately became more interested.

Hao Yun said, "It's like that, Boss Pei. The various departments are trying to solidify their foundation, and so they've conducted a check on their internal affairs. In the process, they discovered that several employees have been subject to pay inequity.

"The HR department conducted some checks and realized that this was a problem that existed across the board in the various departments. Thus, we spent Friday afternoon and this morning coming up with a plan which we want to run by you."

Pei Qian understood a little more, but he was still bewildered. He knew what 'pay inequity' meant.

It meant that newer employees in the company were being paid more than older employees, the first-tier employees were being paid more than the management, and subordinates were being paid more than their supervisors.

Those symptoms existed in many companies. For example, an older employee could have joined the company at a market price of three thousand yuan per month. After two years, the employee's salary could have increased, but not by much.

However, in those two years, the market price would have jumped to 4,500 yuan per month. Inexperienced newbies would thus be hired with a higher salary than the experienced workers, resulting in inequity.

Pay inequity was common because most companies would not adjust all their employees' salaries based on the market price each year. They simply could not bear to part with the capital.

It was for that reason that most companies prohibited their employees from talking about their salaries. If they did so, pay inequity would be exposed; many employees would become unsatisfied and quit.

If a supervisor found out that he had been doing more work than his subordinate but being paid a lower salary, he would naturally become upset.

As a company that had been established for more than a year, Tengda had also conducted several recruitment drives. Although it often increased employees' salaries, each person's role, experience, and capabilities were different after all. Thus, pay inequity was still present.

Of course, there was much less pay inequity in Tengda than in other companies because of frequent pay increments and significant company benefits.

Still, Hao Yun found it important to build a firm foundation based on the 'cornerstone spirit'. Pay inequity was a hidden threat. Although most companies did not care about it and nothing was likely to happen even if Tengda turned a blind eye, Hao Yun still chose to report it to Boss Pei and allow him to make the decision.

Pei Qian took the documents from Hao Yun, but the lines of numbers only made him dizzy. He pretended to read it, and then said, "Do you mean that a few newer employees are being paid more than the older employees?"

Hao Yun pondered for a moment and said, "That's right, but the situation is a bit more complicated in reality.

"Simply put, the 'older employees' joined the company six months earlier than the 'newer employees'. The former are more capable and experienced than the latter, but they are only earning two hundred yuan more. That's a form of pay inequity as well."

Pei Qian's eyes lit up at once.

Beautifully done! I had been worried about not being able to increase my employees' pay!

"That's easy to deal with. Pay them more!

"Check all the employees' salaries against the highest-paid and newest employee at regular intervals. Make sure that all the older employees are being paid adequately!"

Hao Yun was stunned. "Er, Boss Pei, of course, that would be the best. Doing so would be easy while we have few employees. However, I have to remind you that as the number of employees increases, the amount that we would have to top up would also increase. It might even surpass our imaginations.

"Other companies basically… try to scrimp and save in this area. Companies in various industries do that."

The amount that we would have to top up would keep increasing? That's great!

Pei Qian felt as happy as if he had just found money on the ground. He decisively said, "That's what we'll do! Top up all of their salaries at once! I don't care how many older employees we have or how much it'll cost. Top them all up!"

Hao Yun confirmed once again. "All of them?"

She knew that Boss Pei was not telling her to make everyone's pay the same but to get rid of pay inequity altogether.

Without hesitation, Pei Qian said, "That's right! All of them! There should still be time. Start from this month and ask the finance department to redo the payroll."

Hao Yun nodded, looking extremely emotional. "Alright, I understand. I'll inform the finance department at once."

Although Hao Yun had expected this outcome before she reported the information to Boss Pei, Boss Pei's urgency made her feel his genuine concern for his employees.

Just as Hao Yun turned to leave, Boss Pei stopped her.

"Wait a minute.

"At the start, you said that the various departments are trying to solidify their foundation, and so they've conducted a check on their internal affairs. It was in this process that they discovered the pay inequity… why are they trying to solidify their foundation?"

Pei Qian suddenly realized that there was a problem with Hao Yun's introduction.

Smiling, Hao Yun said, "Boss Pei, didn't you deliver a 'Cornerstone Award' on Friday to hint to everyone to solidify their foundations? That's why the various departments started conducting self-checks. However, apart from the pay inequity, they did not discover any serious problems.

Pei Qian blinked, feeling puzzled.

Does it concern me again? Did I hint to everyone to solidify their foundations by delivering the 'Cornerstone Award'?

I didn't mean to.

Er… but it looks like the same outcome was reached anyway. They didn't discover other serious problems apart from the pay inequity. What's more, I can spend more money now.

That's pretty good!

Pei Qian did not ask any more questions. Instead, he nodded and said, "Alright, inform the finance department."

…

After Hao Yun left, Pei Qian packed up and rushed to Fei Huang Workspace. Tomorrow is Beautiful was no longer screening, and the company had already signed a contract with Aili Island. Pei Qian had had enough.

He had to 'shock' them before they could cause any more trouble for him!

The System had shown mercy and allowed him to give one department 'shock therapy' during each cycle. That was very kind already. Pei Qian had to make good use of this opportunity.

When he arrived at Fei Huang Workspace, Pei Qian realized that only a few employees were surfing the web and watching shows.

However, most employees were still working! This pained Boss Pei deeply.

Look! Look! Is this what humans would do?!

They had already finished their project, and they had not started a new one yet. Still, people were forcing themselves to work?!

It looked like Fei Huang Workspace was extremely problematic. The wrong hardworking mentality was deep-seated. Pei Qian had to use 'shock therapy' to treat them!

Huang Sibo and Zhu Xiaoce had been facing their monitors and discussing something. However, when they saw Boss Pei, they immediately stood up.

"Boss Pei, what are you doing here?"

Pei Qian decided to cut to the chase. "There's nothing much. I want to announce a new system. The shock therapy plan!

"Huge profits means a lot of hard work. The more you earn, the more you exhaust yourselves.

"On the surface, earning money is a good thing. However, there exist hidden dangers. Not only has there been a toll on your energy and health, but you could also deplete your inspiration and talent!

"Thus, I've decided to use 'shock therapy' on departments that exhausted their manpower. In the next four months, Fei Huang Workspace's employees will continue to draw salaries and earn benefits. However, none of you will be allowed to work.

"During the therapy, focus on recovering your energy, health, inspiration, and talent.

"Fei Huang Workspace's shock therapy will start next month, and it will last for four months. In other words, it'll last from April 1st to July 31st."

Everyone was shocked. What did this mean? Everyone in the department would be put on four months of paid leave?

Other companies would only give individuals paid leave. Once that person left, his colleagues in the department would be made to finish his work.

However, Boss Pei was putting the entire department on paid leave.

What's more, it was clearly paid leave. Why did Boss Pei sound so stern? Why was he speaking through gritted teeth? It did not feel like he was rewarding them with paid leave. Instead, his tone sounded more like he was firing them.

Huang Sibo was stunned. "Boss Pei, you can't do that. Even if the workspace doesn't work on a new project, someone has to take care of daily operations. We can't just stop working altogether.

"The shock therapy cannot end up killing us…"

Pei Qian pondered for five seconds. "How about this? Take turns to work. Make sure that the workspace is operating at the minimum capacity required to keep it alive.

"Split the employees into teams and put each team in charge of one month. Each person would get four months of 'shock therapy', but the entire therapy period would last five months instead since everyone will be taking turns to work. In other words, it will last until August 31st."

Huang Sibo hesitated. "But there's still—"

Pei Qian's expression darkened. "No 'but's. Overcome your own problems. Make sure you go into 'shock therapy' from April 1st onwards!"

Huang Sibo turned to Zhu Xiaoce. Both of them looked extremely reluctant. Still, they nodded in the end. "Alright, Boss Pei. We'll see to it."

Boss Pei smiled, satisfied. "Excellent. You may continue normal operations during the 'shock therapy', but you cannot start any new projects. You also don't have to worry about generating revenue for Tengda Corporation. You've already sacrificed enough!"

Huang Sibo felt moved. "Alright, Boss Pei! However, please rest assured that, even while we're resting, Fei Huang Workspace will continue to generate value for Tengda Corporation!"

Pei Qian's smile disappeared at once. "?"

Zhu Xiaoce turned to the side, revealing the computer screen that both of them had been looking at. "Boss Pei, a foreign distribution company has stumbled upon Tomorrow is Beautiful, and they're going to screen the movie overseas!"