“If the company does well, I do well too? That’s just something for our fathers’ generation. If the company isn’t doing well, you can just leave—why stick around waiting for a tough company to turn itself around? Hoping employees will have that kind of sense of mission is like telling them to go find a unicorn. I don’t believe in that. Employees’ sense of mission is money. Money is the truth, and money is the answer. The numbers that appear in their bank accounts become their goals, and are the source of the power that keeps them moving forward. We must not forget that.”
“So, how much are you thinking of giving?”
“I’m thinking about 500% of the base salary.”
“500%? Not even a year-end bonus, but that much…?”
Park Jin-hyuk took a step closer to Hyun Yi-soo, who looked surprised, and smiled.
“It’s exactly because it’s not a year-end bonus that it’s 500%. If they do even better, I’ll announce that they can receive more than 500%. If you give a lot from the start, there’s no anticipation for next time, but with around 500%, they’ll hope, ‘Next time it might be 600%. Or maybe even 1,000%.’ And you have to make sure to give bonuses properly for them to have an effect. I don’t want to be the kind of person who hands out a few hundred thousand won just to show off.”
“Director, still, isn’t that too much? If we keep doing this, we might not be able to handle labor costs.”
“Labor costs… That’s such an overused excuse, but why is Deputy Chief Hyun, not the owner’s kid, bringing it up? If someone else overhears, they’ll get the wrong idea.”
Hyun Yi-soo’s gaze wavered at Park Jin-hyuk’s words.
Just as he said, people might find it strange that someone who’s not even the owner’s child is more concerned about labor costs.
But Park Jin-hyuk’s argument wasn’t exactly normal.
His thinking was so bold that Hyun wondered if he shouldn’t try to stop him.
“Now, Deputy Chief Hyun. Let’s do some simple math. There are 50 employees in the Restructuring Division. I don’t know their exact base salaries, but even if you’re generous, giving 500% of their base should mean each person gets about 20 million won, right? So, all together, that’s about 1 billion won. Are you really afraid of spending 1 billion won when you’re running a company with 2 trillion won in annual sales?”
Park Jin-hyuk moistened his lips with a sip of tea from the table, then let his smile fade.
“A company that worries about labor costs has already reached its limit. The easiest thing to cut is labor, so they go on and on about it every time, but if you’ve gotten to that point, you should be doubting your own management skills, not making your employees into ‘salary thieves.’”
Park Jin-hyuk remembered hearing, in the past, from a former president that the company was struggling because employee salaries were too high, and it made the veins in his head stand out.
Without softening his stern expression, he tapped the business contract in Hyun Yi-soo’s hands with his finger.
“If we just recover the money we’ve thrown into thin air chasing after contracts, we’d have more than enough left over to give bonuses to every employee. I don’t want to be stingy when it comes to paying the people who actually work here, while throwing money away elsewhere.”
“But still, a company in restructuring giving out bonuses…”
“I’m not talking about raising salaries, am I? I’m saying if you achieve results, I’ll reward you for it. If you work hard, you’ll be paid accordingly. I’m just offering the carrot at a perfectly reasonable level.”
Park Jin-hyuk finally relaxed and smiled.
He took a step closer and brushed the dust off Hyun Yi-soo’s shoulder.
“Just wait and see. Right now, it might seem wasteful to spend money, but I’ll show you results that are worth much more than what I spend. Money is a kind of magic, isn’t it?”
Hyun Yi-soo could only shake his head, thinking there was just no way to understand Park Jin-hyuk’s thoughts.
*****
When the rumors first spread about incentives for the Restructuring Division, the existing DS Construction staff reacted with understanding.
After all, the Restructuring Division employees had spent weeks hardly going home, thoroughly reviewing and reallocating projects.
Seeing them gradually turn from people into zombies over the two months since joining DS Construction, some even began to feel sorry for them.
That’s why some people started saying that Park Jin-hyuk, sitting in the director’s seat, was working the division staff like dogs.
Rumors even began to circulate that Park Jin-hyuk, who was thought to be just a figurehead, had become obsessed with results and was driving the staff relentlessly.
But during the two months since his arrival, executives infamous for draining company funds were let go, and the long-stalled Basmaiya receivables were recovered—changing the overall assessment of Park Jin-hyuk to a more favorable one.
However, when it came out that the Restructuring Division staff had received bonuses amounting to tens of millions of won— and that this was only the first round, with promises of even more generous incentives at year-end based on performance—the entire DS Construction company began to buzz.
“Isn’t this a little too biased? Didn’t he just give incentives to his own people? And it’s not even the time of year for incentives.”
“A company in the middle of restructuring is paying out incentives… What are we supposed to make of that?”
“What else is there to say? It’s crazy. Would anyone in their right mind make this kind of decision?”
“No, no. I don’t see it that way.”
In the smoking area, groups of DS Construction employees gathered, interested in their colleague’s different opinion.
“So how do you see it?”
“Think about it. It’s true the company is struggling, but the high-salaried employees have been cut through restructuring, and the Basmaiya receivables have been recovered, so we can breathe again. Now, they’re reviewing all the projects and saying they’ll only keep the profitable ones. That’s why the division staff can’t even go home these days…”
“Everyone knows that story. Why bring it up again?”
“I’m telling you to think it through. The company’s returning to normal, and the incentives for the division staff are the symbol of that turnaround.”
The men gathered around the ashtray nodded at his words, but some objected strongly.
“Even so, when the company’s normalized, they should take care of the existing employees first, not the newcomers. Isn’t it like we’re using our money to feed other people’s families?”
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? Why should the company give you an incentive?”
“Well… because I’ve worked here a long time…”
“Sigh. Really, when I look at our director, I start to feel respect.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Look. The only thing you can boast about in this company is that you’ve been here a long time. Your team’s project was dropped because it wasn’t profitable… If this were another company, what do you think would have happened?”
The employee who’d been grumbling couldn’t say a word in response.
He too had felt anxious when the layoffs started, thinking he might be first in line to go.
“But the director gave you another chance. A chance to make up for it. And you’re grumbling about not getting an incentive? Come on, you can’t do that.”
It was something he already knew, but hearing it from someone else made him feel embarrassed, so he lowered his head.
The colleague who’d given him a bit of a scolding looked around at the others and, in a low voice, with a cigarette between his fingers, continued.
“Think about it. The Restructuring Division staff got incentives—even though it wasn’t the bonus season. The reason? They worked hard and got results. So, doesn’t that mean that if we produce results too, even if it’s not planned, we could get bonuses? Only the division gets it, not the existing staff? I don’t think so. I’m sure it was done deliberately to show us.”
“So you’re saying the division got incentives to prove that if you show results, you’ll be rewarded accordingly?”
“Exactly. That’s it. Otherwise, none of this would make sense. If they really were only taking care of their own people, there’d be serious trouble later—and they have to know that.”
With the mood turning in his favor, he even snapped his fingers as he spoke.
“Right. That’s it. What kind of person is this director? As soon as he arrived, he kicked out the useless executives and solved a receivables issue that had been blocked for years. And you think he wouldn’t have thought this through? Even my 100-day-old daughter, who just eats and sleeps at home, would understand that much.”
“But with all these projects getting canceled, what are we supposed to do to show results?”
“Geez, how did you even pass the public recruitment exam?”
“Stop roasting me and explain it.”
“Come on, it’s simple. A project gets canceled. Unless the company’s shutting down, won’t they fill the gap with a new project? They won’t just leave it empty.”
“Oh! Right. That makes sense.”
“The projects we’ve had until now were just for appearances. From now on, they’ll try to win projects that actually make money and benefit the company. If we pull that off… there should be something in it for us too, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, that’s true. Makes sense.”
Those who’d initially complained about the incentives going only to the Restructuring Division started to look hopeful, as the conversation turned to the idea that opportunities might come to them too.
*****
Park Jin-hyuk called out as Secretary Kim entered.
“Did you do as I asked?”
“Yes. I had some staff pass the word in the break room and the smoking area. But… do you think it’ll work?”
“Work? Of course. Do you know what’s frustrated me the most since I came to this company?”
Park Jin-hyuk looked at his cigarette and gestured with his fingers.
“The most frustrating thing is that I can only smoke in here. It might look nice not having to go outside, but it’s really not. You don’t get to hear what’s going on in the company. There’s a saying that all the important talk happens in the smoking area or the break room. That’s how much gossip gets passed around there.”
He recalled the days of Yu Jung-geol, when talk over cigarettes kept everyone updated on company affairs.
And he remembered how that gossip often became the prevailing opinion within the company.
That’s why Park Jin-hyuk had Secretary Kim spread the rumors intentionally.
‘This is how you manipulate public opinion.’
The story would have spread naturally over time anyway, but he didn’t see any need to wait.
And if it was going to spread, it might as well do so in a way that suited Park Jin-hyuk’s intentions.
Though he wasn’t in the smoking area himself, as he drew the last puff, he felt as if he were there with the other employees.
“Director. It’s time to leave for headquarters.”
“Is that so? It’s that time already?”
Park Jin-hyuk stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and got up from his seat.
“Time really flies. It’s already been a month… Alright, let’s go.”
He walked over to Secretary Kim, who was preparing his coat, put it on, and left the office.
With Secretary Kim in tow, he took the elevator down to the lobby, where Deputy Chief Hyun was waiting for him.
Together, they got in the car and headed for DS Headquarters, where the monthly executive meeting was being held.
Entering DS Headquarters, Park Jin-hyuk sensed a change in the atmosphere.
Just a month ago, the headquarters staff looked at him like a cow looks at a chicken, but now he could feel their gazes linger on him a bit longer.
When he arrived at the meeting room, he sensed a brief silence at his entrance.
“What’s with everyone?”
As he stepped into the conference room from the elevator, he felt the visiting affiliate presidents all fix their eyes on him.
“It seems the DS Construction story has spread to the affiliates.”
Hyun Yi-soo quietly explained the situation to Park Jin-hyuk.
Park Jin-hyuk smiled at his words and replied.
“Is this really something to get so worked up about?”
“It is special. You’re the only one who doesn’t think so, Director.”
“If I turn DS Construction around, everyone’s going to be shocked.”
“Your position in DS will certainly be very different from before.”
“That’s true. I’m looking forward to it.”
When Park Jin-hyuk entered the meeting room, just like last month, Park Soo-man and the other affiliate presidents were gathered, chatting.
“Nephew, you’re here?”
Park Soo-man greeted Park Jin-hyuk warmly.
‘He almost snatched up DS Construction but acts like nothing happened.’
Park Jin-hyuk was curious how Park Soo-man, who nearly acquired DS Construction before failing, would react.
But Park Soo-man approached even more warmly than last month.
Park Jin-hyuk smiled and shook his hand.
“Have you been well?”
“I’ve been well. Been pretty busy lately. You’ve been busy too, right?”
“Wouldn’t it be strange if the head of the Restructuring Division wasn’t busy?”
“Hahaha, right. Being busy is normal.”
Park Jin-hyuk smiled back at the laughing Park Soo-man and looked around.
Then, he noticed a face he hadn’t seen last month.
‘So that’s Park Kyung-man.’
Park Kyung-man, the third son of the DS Group and head of DS Electronics, was frowning at Park Jin-hyuk.
Park Jun-man considers his younger sister an outsider, so he thinks of Kyung-man as the third, but in reality, he’s Park Jin-hyuk’s fourth uncle.
“That’s right. Kyung-man is here today. He wasn’t able to make it last time because of an overseas trip, but it’s been a while since all the affiliate presidents have gathered.”
Park Kyung-man, head of DS Electronics, stared at Park Jin-hyuk with the number 2,000,000 floating above his head.
‘He’s just as worthless to me as ever.’
Park Jin-hyuk simply nodded at Kyung-man and headed for the seat that had been prepared for him, pulling Kim Jun-woo and Hyun Yi-soo along.