Chapter 944: Chapter 942: Skill and Character
Yuan Shang cheerfully said, "Well, we only posted notices on our own storefront, so it’s inevitable that people working far away wouldn’t know. There are also many who can’t read, so they mostly don’t understand the notice. The other day, I ran into a familiar mediator and casually mentioned it. He said he’d help spread the word to people."
The mediator’s network is indeed broader than the average person’s, but could the mediator’s help in spreading the word really have such an exaggerated effect?
Seeing Ye Xinyan’s shocked expression, Yuan Shang laughed and said, "Our Construction Industry has already given out bonus money for two quarters this year, and our daily wages are also much higher than others. Although many in the Construction Industry defame us, claiming we won’t last, there are craftsmen who don’t believe it and come to us for the wages and quarterly bonuses."
"That’s fine, as long as the craftsmanship is good, and Guan He can assure that the craftsmen’s background is not an issue, the rest you can decide, Steward Yuan."
Improving craftsmen’s treatment was already part of Ye Xinyan’s plan.
Using more tools and skilled craftsmen not only reduces workers’ labor intensity but also speeds up project efficiency. The money saved can be used to improve workers’ wages and benefits.
With better treatment for craftsmen, naturally, more people will be willing to enter the Craftsmanship Sector, and this industry can truly prosper.
Ye Xinyan said, "Furthermore, if there are clever local young boys willing to work at Guangsha Construction, we can take them in. Let them start with simple tasks to see their comprehension and character, so we can focus on training them in the future."
Having people come to apply was, of course, something Yuan Shang was happy about, but too many could be a hassle. Moreover, the Construction Industry isn’t like other trades; young boys aren’t very useful when they start. Also, the mistress didn’t specify a recruitment number.
"Young boys as well? How many? What age?" Yuan Shang asked.
Ye Xinyan pondered and said, "Around twelve to fourteen years old. As for the number, whatever we can manage, twenty or thirty will do. Apprentices for two years, with one meal a day, without wages. Those who learn quickly and perform well will receive appropriate rewards monthly or quarterly."
Children aged twelve or thirteen are still considered kids in modern times, but here, boys aged fourteen or fifteen are expected to work seriously and earn money for their families. The maximum age for recruiting apprentices in the Construction Industry is just this age. Any older, and poor families wouldn’t let their older children spend time as apprentices.
As for the type of work, let the children choose for themselves. Choosing something they’re interested in will give them more motivation. Hopefully, in three to five years, these children will become useful.
At this moment, Ye Xinyan particularly missed Wong Qiao and Zhou Biyao. If these two were here, the training work would be much easier. They, being from grassroots backgrounds, could teach apprentices thoroughly without holding back.
With the two of them absent, she had to worry about it herself, at least bringing out people to teach and arranging everything properly.
"As for the mentors for the children, Steward Yuan can arrange that. Each day after work, apprentices should stay for an additional hour to learn to read Construction Regulations, draw and recognize blueprints, and also take homework home. Paper and pens will be supplied by the Construction Industry."
Yuan Shang was somewhat shocked to hear this, "Twenty or thirty people?" And the Construction Industry will supply paper and pens, the mistress is indeed generous, "What about the paperwork, how to sign?"
Ye Xinyan nodded in approval, "There should indeed be employment documents, let the accounting staff draft it. After completing the apprenticeship, they are required to work at Guangsha Construction for five years before they’re allowed to leave."
"Only five years?" Yuan Shang felt a bit regretful. Guangsha Construction puts in considerable effort to train such skilled craftsmen, and after five years, they can leave and make a living with the skills learned at Guangsha Construction, which seems quite unfair.
Ye Xinyan understood Yuan Shang’s meaning. This era doesn’t emphasize personal or social value. The employer who provides food is a good employer, and teaching apprentices is even more so. A master has a father figure, and it’s reasonable for the trained apprentice to be devoted to the master for life.
Ye Xinyan said, "We’re training apprentices for the future use of Guangsha Construction. People have different natures. If, after completing the apprenticeship and working for five years, they don’t want to stay, yet we force them, not only will they be uncommitted to their work, but we wouldn’t dare place them in critical roles. It’s better to let them go their own way and separate amicably."
To put it more bluntly, talent, skills, and character are not directly proportional. Ye Xinyan, who came from a thousand years later, has an open mind about these matters.
If they encounter a craftsman with exceptional skills but poor character who doesn’t want to stay, it’s best to let them go quickly. Forcing them to stay would only bring trouble.
It’s better to let them go; who knows, they might achieve something significant elsewhere.
Many facts from the world a thousand years later prove that many who made significant contributions to human development and are recorded in human history had poor character worth mentioning.
The reason they weren’t crushed is that they had abilities others didn’t, enabling them to create wealth for capitalists in a capitalist society. This, in turn, advanced societal development on the basis of realizing their personal value and the basic accumulation of the capitalists.
Although Ye Xinyan sometimes holds grudges, she tries to prepare herself mentally before things happen, hoping to avoid explosive situations that could lead her to rashly squash someone relying on her strong backing, which could result in irreversible consequences.
"Also, subtly convey to those craftsmen who are mentoring apprentices that if an apprentice doesn’t learn any craft within a year, the Construction Industry will reassign the apprentice to a different mentor. Moreover, Guangsha Construction is planning to expand in the future. If their apprentices have a bright future, the face and benefits from that are better than suppressing the apprentice, leaving both master and apprentice in a sorry state."
The habit of overvaluing one’s own possessions can’t be changed overnight, but a little prompting can have some effect. Hopefully, a few of these children will become talents, becoming the future pillars of Guangsha Construction.
"What about the craftsmen? Still recruiting five?" Yuan Shang asked.
"Recruit more. As long as their skills meet the standards and their family backgrounds are clean, recruit them in first. Didn’t we previously turn down some small jobs we couldn’t handle? Once we have enough manpower, we can take them on. We won’t stop working even in winter; the woodwork and stone carving for Chengye Temple and the nearby county’s estate can be done indoors beforehand."
Previously, considering that July is a peak period for various projects and craftsmen have their hands full, with wages and other details involved, we feared not being able to recruit workers. So we didn’t dare to recruit more for fear of having too many recruits but too few applications, which would give peers a chance to criticize and tarnish Guangsha Construction.
Now that there are volunteers eager to join, we should naturally recruit more. With more craftsmen at hand and no lack of work, who would complain about earning more Silver?
Once Ye Xinyan relaxed the conditions, Yuan Shang really went on to recruit eighteen craftsmen and filled the apprentice quota with thirty people.
With enough craftsmen to support the projects, there was no worry about lacking manual labor. Regardless of the size of the orders, as long as they arrived at the door, deals could generally be made, and Guangsha Construction’s business thrived again.
Meanwhile, at Dongze Construction Firm, they originally thought of using Tang Qian’s garden to break open the market and support the business. Unexpectedly, they were instead burdened by the Four Seasons Scenery.
Not to mention the Four Seasons Scenery, even those who came to inquire, once they learned that Four Seasons Scenery was done by Dongze Construction Firm, and found out that it is now desolate beyond measure, with even the owner finding it bothersome to even take a glance, any household with a bit of decency would withdraw.