2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 192 A Day in the Life of Boss Tan
"Your leg hasn't fully recovered yet, why did you come here in the rain today?" Tan Jincheng said to Zhang Qingliang with some helplessness.

"It's so boring staying at home, let's get out and move around. Why didn't Qingqing go to class today?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingqing blushed and stammered, unable to speak.

"I need her help with something, so I'm taking the day off today. By the way, Uncle, how did you get here? Did your aunt bring you here because it was raining?" Tan Jincheng quickly changed the subject.

"No, I came by taxi today."

"Alright then, come back with us later. It's easy to take a taxi here, but it won't be so easy to go back."

Sure, she even knows to take a taxi, so her thinking isn't too old-fashioned. It seems like her learning ability is pretty good.

It's not that taxis are expensive, nor that people like Zhang Qingliang can't afford them. Rather, it's that migrant workers like them rarely consider taking taxis and don't think about efficiency at all; saving money is their ingrained mindset.

In his previous life, when Tan Jincheng returned to his hometown, he heard that there was a migrant worker in the village who worked on a construction site in the city. Every month, he would bring pickled vegetables from home to the construction site, and he would only buy rice every day. He would then eat the pickled vegetables with his rice, saving a lot of money.

If I'm going somewhere too far, I'll just take the bus. If I can walk, I'll definitely walk, even if it takes an extra day.

He never considers that eating too much pickled vegetables will lead to insufficient nutrition and physical exhaustion, and that getting sick will cost more money. Nor does he consider that missing a day means working one less day, which would actually reduce his income.

"Then call me when you leave." Zhang Qingliang nodded in agreement.

"Okay, I'll go look around somewhere else. You should find a place to rest when you have nothing to do. Your legs are getting tired from standing all the time. Also, don't rush. You can go back to work in another month. You've earned quite a bit this year, so consider it an early New Year."

Zhang Qingliang waved his hand without saying anything, letting Tan Jincheng go about his business.

Because the two were speaking in dialect, Gu Qingqing couldn't understand a word. She could only stand aside and stare wide-eyed at Tan Jincheng. However, Zhang Qingliang's waving gesture and Tan Jincheng taking her hand again made her realize that the two were preparing to go somewhere else.

Once they were out of Zhang Qingliang's reach, Gu Qingqing asked curiously, "What were you talking about just now? I didn't understand a word."

"I asked him why he came here on a rainy day when his legs are so weak, and then I told him that it's not easy to get a taxi here, and that we would take him back with us when we go back later."

"Your dialect is the same as Ningbo dialect, I can't understand it at all."

"Haha, I'll pay attention next time. If I mention you, I'll speak in Mandarin. But if I don't notice, I'll translate for you."

It's really hard to notice. I can speak Mandarin with certain groups of people, but I'm not used to speaking Mandarin with my family. I'll automatically switch to dialect mode without even realizing it.

Afterwards, Tan Jincheng went to the assembly workshop, where newly recruited employees were undergoing training. Recently, Chen Jinwen, the head of the human resources department, has also been stationed here. In addition to cooperating with the district human resources bureau, he also goes to some job fairs and brings a group of workers over from time to time.

The training institution's employees, along with veteran employees from the old factory, guided the new employees, explaining the precautions step by step. Chen Jinwen also regularly organized employees to explain some of the company's rules and regulations to them.

"How are these employees treated?" Gu Qingqing asked softly.

"As for the benefits, I think they're alright. They provide meals and accommodation, social security, overtime pay, etc. The basic salary is over 2000 yuan per month. The amount of overtime depends on the individual. Including social security, benefits, and subsidies, the cost per worker is around 4000 yuan."

Social security contributions constitute a significant portion of a company's workforce wages. This is one of the reasons why many companies do not pay social security contributions. Normally, social security contributions account for about 40% of total wages.

With a salary of 2000 yuan, if social security is paid normally, the company's contribution will be around 2800 yuan. It will be less if taxes are included. These details vary depending on the industry and local policies.

As far as I can remember, before 2019, many companies in various places did not pay social security for their employees. It wasn't until social security was integrated into the tax system that it could be considered universal social security.

FlashTech pays social security contributions for its employees based on the local minimum wage, not their actual wages. If it were based on their actual wages, the responsibility would be too heavy. But this is precisely why FlashTech's labor costs are much higher than those of ordinary companies.

When Chen Jinwen went to recruit, he advertised that the company would provide meals and accommodation, and the salary would range from 2000 to 4000 yuan, including social security. These conditions were quite attractive, so it was not difficult for Flash Technology to recruit entry-level employees.

The good compensation made Chen Jinwen's work much easier. Although the workload was heavy and there were few holidays, the turnover rate at Flashpoint Technology was still relatively low.

Saving costs by setting up a factory is understandable, but Tan Tiecheng didn't want to be too harsh on wages and benefits. He couldn't let the reborn people down. If you're going to fleece someone, fleece the capital. What kind of nonsense is it to fleece the lower-level employees?

Nowadays, most of the lower-level employees are around the same age as Tan Jincheng, around 20 years old. The minimum social security contribution period is 15 years. If they work honestly, FlashTech can guarantee that they will have paid social security for a sufficient number of years by the time they are 35 to 40 years old.

This will help you avoid many detours in life. Once you have enough years of social security contributions, your life will be relatively free. This can be considered as making some contributions to society after being reborn.

I may not be able to change anything, nor am I being a saint, but it is only right to do what I can, provided it is in my own best interest.

Tan Jincheng waited at the new factory all morning. Around lunchtime, he left with Gu Qingqing and Zhang Qingliang. "Uncle, I'll take you home first. We have things to do, so we won't eat together. You can eat at home by yourself." He said this in Mandarin.

Fearing that Gu Qingqing would feel uncomfortable, Tan Jincheng decided to send Zhang Qingliang home first. Since they would be in frequent contact in the future, there was no need to be so polite.

"Alright, you all go ahead and do what you need to do. Your aunt is going home for lunch, so don't worry about my meals," Zhang Qingliang replied with a smile.

He's been through this before, so how could he not see that the relationship between the two had become much closer than during the Mid-Autumn Festival? The young couple was in the prime of their relationship, so there was no need to disturb them. If his nephew hadn't said it was hard to get a taxi, he wouldn't have wanted to go back together.

In the afternoon, Tan Jincheng returned to the old factory.

Similarly, Gu Qingqing was first taken on a tour of the workshop. Compared to the new factory area, the old factory area was much more lively. The workers were busy tightening screws, and no one had the leisure to work. The amount of work they completed each day was directly related to their income.

Even when Tan Jincheng tried to pull aside an unfamiliar employee to ask them some questions, the employee always looked reluctant.

"Who are you? I've never seen you before. Get out of here, don't keep me from getting to work."

What a wonderful era! As long as the incentive policies are in place, they really dare to do things!

So paying workers a little more wages is still beneficial. Tan Jincheng remembered a scene from a TV series in his previous life. He couldn't remember the name of the series, but it seemed to be something like "The Great Dyeing and Textile Factory".

Is it Zhang Yifeng or Zhang Fengyi? He's the actor who plays the main character in the opening scene of "In the Name of the People," eating noodles. He feeds the workers well and pays them well, so they work hard for him. Their spirit is different from other textile workers.

Times are changing, and workers' perceptions and pursuits are different, but the reason they work throughout their lives is nothing more than three meals a day and a few coins.

Once you grasp this point, things will be much easier.

After touring the workshop, Tan Jincheng took Gu Qingqing to see the Fengchi sample car.

"So, is there one you like? Should I get you one to take to school?"

The Fengchi Feiyi series currently comes in three main color categories: pink, white, and blue, with subtle differences within each color category.

"Yes, yes, I want a pink one." Gu Qingqing nodded quickly and pointed to one of the models.

She had seen the renderings before, but there were some differences between the renderings and the actual product. Although the actual product did not have the same cool feel as the renderings, it was still very cute. Gu Qingqing immediately took a liking to the model named Shy Pink.

The car's small and cute design, along with its vibrant colors, captivated her.

"Okay, I'll have someone pack it for you in a bit, and then I'll have the driver take you to the school gate in a pickup truck."

"Okay, bring the old one back with you then. I'll ride this pink one from now on."

"No need, just leave it there. Consider it for your dorm. I'll also prepare another one here so you can ride it whenever you want. And also, you should learn to drive when you have time."

"Okay, I'll go. I'll register next week," Gu Qingqing nodded.

Gu Qingqing had been saying she would get a driver's license, but she was busy dating and taking computer courses, so she forgot about it.

"Let's go upstairs to the office. I don't know when the rain will stop. If it gets heavier, do you want to stay here again tonight?"

Gu Qingqing quickly looked at Tan Jincheng warily: "No, even if it hailed today, you still have to take me back."

I still vividly remember the soreness from last night.

"Hehe, why are you so scared? You won't do it next time, trust me." Tan Jincheng chuckled.

Although Gu Qingqing blushed, she still stubbornly said, "Don't even think about it. I'm definitely going back tonight. And how do you know so much? I don't believe you at all that it's your first time."

"Of course it's my first time, I swear it. As for why I know so much, you'll have to ask the teachers."

"You rascal, I'm not talking about this anymore; by the way, how much are you planning to sell that little pink bike for?"

(End of this chapter)