Chapter 74: All staff of New Sprout Fertile Soil are in place.
The spring morning light was exceptionally generous, illuminating the brand-new Phase II factory buildings with brightness and a sense of hope.
Today is the first day that the first batch of new employees in the second district of Meow Meow Farm officially reported for duty.
The training room, which can accommodate two hundred people, was almost full.
One hundred and forty-three brand-new faces, with expressions of nervousness, excitement, or anticipation, sat neatly in the conference room lobby.
Among them are young people like Sun Xiaojun who switched careers from construction sites and yearn for stability; women like Sister Zhang who hope to balance family and career; and skilled workers who jumped ship from other food factories seeking a better platform for development.
Without exception, their spirit was as vibrant and uplifting as the flowers and grass in the spring fields.
They are the "seeds" carefully selected by Shi Wan and Su Qing from among many interviewees, and they are about to take root and grow in this new fertile land.
In front of the training room, Shi Wan and Su Qing stood side by side.
Shi Wan wore a warm white knit sweater today, paired with khaki trousers, exuding a gentle yet dignified temperament.
Su Qing maintained her usual sharp and efficient style, wearing dark suit pants with a light gray shirt, her hair neatly tied back, and her eyes calm and professional.
The meeting began with Shi Wan, the boss, speaking first.
She didn't prepare a lengthy speech; she simply stood on the stage, her gaze sincerely sweeping over every face in the audience, her voice clear and gentle.
"Hello everyone, I'm Shi Wan, the head manager of Meow Meow Farm. First of all, on behalf of the farm, I warmly welcome everyone to join us!"
A burst of enthusiastic applause immediately erupted from the audience. Everyone stared intently at Shi Wan, their excitement and anticipation evident on their faces.
"I believe everyone has already gained some understanding of the farm's philosophy during the interview. We are not just producing pet food, but also practicing an attitude of being responsible for life and pursuing quality."
Zone One is our root, carrying our initial dreams and perseverance; while Zone Two represents our expansion and leap forward based on those perseverance, requiring more standardized management, more standardized processes, and, most importantly, the efforts of everyone present!
She paused, then gave an encouraging smile.
"This will be a new starting point for you to learn skills, realize your value, and make a living. I look forward to seeing you grow here, and I also look forward to you working with the farm to create better products and reach a wider market."
Her speech was brief, but every word was sincere, instantly bridging the gap between her and the new employees.
The applause rang out again, even more enthusiastic than before.
Next, Su Qing stepped forward.
She opened the PowerPoint presentation she had prepared in advance; the interface was clean and professional.
"Good morning, everyone. I am Su Qing, the operations manager of Zone 2, and your direct supervisor from now on. You can contact me directly if you have any important matters."
Her voice was steady and powerful, with a convincing calmness: "Next, I will give you a brief introduction to the organizational structure of District Two, the arrangements for this training, and the future promotion path."
Her PowerPoint presentation clearly showed the layout of Zone 2 and explained the functions of the different production lines.
"This onboarding training will last for one week. We have hired senior experts in the industry to provide systematic theoretical instruction and practical training. After the training, there will be a unified theoretical and practical assessment."
She paused deliberately at this point, her gaze sweeping over the employees below the stage who had instantly become even more focused.
"The performance evaluation results will serve as an important basis for our initial selection of team leaders for each production line. Team leaders will not only receive a corresponding increase in salary and benefits, but will also take on the responsibility of leading the team and coordinating production. This is the first step in the hierarchical management system of the second zone."
Her voice was clear and firm.
"But this is by no means the only path to promotion. As Zone 2 develops, we will continue to improve the job level system and open more technical and management positions. The 143 colleagues present today are just the first batch of members of the Zone 2 production team. We will continue to recruit in the future, and the best among you will have priority for promotion when new employees join the company, and will take on the responsibility of 'passing on knowledge, helping, and guiding' new partners to become familiar with their positions."
These words immediately left a deep impression on everyone.
The light in the employees' eyes shone even brighter; it was a yearning for a clear career path and an affirmation of a fair competition mechanism.
Sun Xiaojun clenched his fists tightly, secretly determined to seize the opportunity.
Sister Zhang carefully took notes of the key points, her eyes calm and firm.
The onboarding ceremony concluded in a hopeful atmosphere.
After a short break, several industry experts invited by Su Qing through her connections began the first day of training.
In the theoretical classes, experts explained food safety regulations, production standard processes, and basic equipment principles in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
The hands-on classes take place on the production line where some demonstration equipment has already been installed, providing one-on-one instruction on identifying raw materials, operating the interface, and performing basic maintenance.
Shi Wan and Su Qing were present throughout the first day of training.
Shi Wan mostly observed and felt the vitality brought by this infusion of fresh blood.
Su Qing acted like the most meticulous supervisor, constantly monitoring the training effectiveness and employee reactions, and communicating with experts in a timely manner to make adjustments.
Huanhuan seemed curious about the lively scene as well. She sneaked into the back door of the training room, squatted in the corner and watched for a while. After being discovered by Shi Wan, she was successfully lured out with dried duck meat.
Tangyuan kept her distance, choosing a large tree outside the training room window. She found a comfortable spot among the branches and assessed the two-legged creatures' concentration from above.
Starting from the second day, Su Qing took full charge of the training.
She demonstrated her consistently efficient organizational skills and attention to detail, arranging the training schedule flawlessly and setting clear and specific assessment criteria.
Seeing how at ease she was, Shi Wan was completely relieved and shifted her focus back to Zone 1.
After the New Year holiday, online store orders surged back like thawing lake water.
In the packing warehouse of Zone 1, Aunt Li and Xiao Zhang had long since resumed their usual busy routine, sorting, packing, and shipping with nimble hands and feet.
Shi Wan quickly got involved, handling customer service inquiries, reviewing large orders, and checking inventory data.
The familiar "ding-dong" sound and the sound of ripping tape intertwine to create a unique symphony of activity in the area.
In the midst of her busy work, Shi Wan's gaze would occasionally sweep over the layout of Zone 1.
With the rise of Zone 2 and the expansion of overall business volume, the existing functional division of Zone 1 seems to be lagging behind.
Is the distance between the packaging warehouse and the raw material warehouse optimal?
Does the office building need to be expanded to meet future management needs?
Should Zone 1 be more clearly positioned as a "core R&D and boutique handcrafted zone" to create a clearer complement to Zone 2's "standardized mass production zone"?
As she packed the catnip cookies, she sketched out a new plan in her mind.
Perhaps the unused area near Zone 2 could be converted into a larger joint warehouse?
These ideas, like sprouting grass in spring, grew in her heart.
Outside the window, from the direction of the training room in Zone 2, one could faintly hear the voices of experts lecturing and the quiet atmosphere of new employees listening attentively.
Inside, Zone 1 maintains its warm yet efficient rhythm.
Huanhuan chased butterflies by the cat grass field, Mianmian licked her fur on the windowsill, and Bingbing slept soundly in his special cardboard box.
New buds are breaking through the soil, and fertile soil is nourishing them.
Shi Wan was carrying a box of packaged rabbit meat feed to the designated area, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
The afternoon sun shone through the windows, making the dust flying around in the packaging workshop clearly visible.
Xiao Zhang had just finished sealing a package when he looked up and saw Shi Wan moving things herself. He quickly put down the tape gun and walked over.
"Sister Shi, let me do it!" He took the box from Shi Wan's hand and easily moved it to the neatly stacked pile of goods, his movements swift and efficient.
"Thank you, Xiao Zhang." Shi Wan straightened up, wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, and thanked him with a smile.
She looked at Xiao Zhang, a young man who had always worked diligently, even if it was part-time, he was observant and quick.
Xiao Zhang didn't immediately return to his workstation as usual. He stood there, rubbing his hands on his work pants somewhat helplessly, his eyes showing obvious hesitation and a hint of barely perceptible tension.
"What's wrong, Xiao Zhang? Is something the matter?" Shi Wan keenly noticed his unusual behavior and asked gently.
Xiao Zhang took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, raised his head, and looked at Shi Wan with sincere eyes, "Sister Shi, I...I want to discuss something with you."
He paused, his voice not loud but clear, "Well, can I switch from a part-time packaging job to a full-time job?"
Upon hearing this, Shi Wan was slightly taken aback, and a clear look of surprise appeared on her face.
She knew about Xiao Zhang's situation. He was a local university graduate who had been working part-time packing at a farm while preparing for the civil service exam. His family had always hoped that he could have a more "stable" job.
"Switch to full-time?" Shi Wan asked to confirm. "So you're not going to take the civil service exam? What about your family back home..."
A complex emotion flashed across Xiao Zhang's face, but it was quickly replaced by a more determined look.
He shook his head, his tone much calmer than before, "I'm not taking the exam anymore. I think if I can stay on our farm and work hard, it's no different from passing the civil service exam."
He looked out the window, his gaze sweeping over Big Yellow rolling around in the catnip field, then over the brand-new factory buildings in the distance, before settling back on Shi Wan's face, his eyes bright with a sense of belonging.
“I like it here, Sister Shi. I like the atmosphere and environment of our farm. I studied business administration in college. Although it wasn’t a top school, the courses covered factory management and human resources. I think I can do more than just pack in the warehouse.”
He scratched his head a little sheepishly, "I see that the Second District has hired so many people now, and they'll definitely need more staff for management in the future. If Manager Su can't handle it all, I was thinking... could I try to develop in management or human resources? Even starting as a basic assistant would be fine! I'll work hard to learn!"
His words carried a sincere enthusiasm and a clear plan for the future.
As Shi Wan looked at him, her surprise was gradually replaced by a sense of relief and joy.
She had always thought Xiao Zhang was reliable and dependable, but she never expected that he had such thoughts and potential hidden in his heart.
The farm's development has not only attracted outstanding talents from outside, such as Su Qing, but has also begun to stimulate the growth of internal employees, which is undoubtedly the most virtuous cycle.
"You want to develop in the direction of management and human resources?" Shi Wan repeated, with an encouraging smile on her face. "That's a good thing! Xiao Zhang, I'm glad you have this idea."
She patted him on the shoulder, "I've always seen your diligence and conscientiousness. As for your professional skills, you'll learn as you go. With Su Qing guiding you, there won't be any problems."
After a moment's thought, she made her decision.
"Okay, you should hand over your part-time work first, and officially switch to full-time starting next week. For now, you'll work as Manager Su's administrative assistant, getting familiar with personnel management and daily operations in Zone Two. How does that sound? Are you confident?"
Xiao Zhang's eyes lit up instantly. He straightened his back and nodded emphatically.
"Yes! Thank you, Mr. Shi! I will definitely work hard and never let you and Manager Su down!"
Just then, Da Huang, probably tired from playing, ran into the workshop with its tongue lolling out. Seeing Shi Wan and Xiao Zhang talking, it happily barked and rushed over, circling around their legs with its tail wagging like a propeller, instantly dispelling the slightly formal and serious atmosphere from before.
Shi Wan smiled and rubbed Da Huang's head, then said to Xiao Zhang, who looked very energetic, "Look, Da Huang is happy for you. Go and finish today's work first, and also make a good plan."
"Okay!" Xiao Zhang replied loudly, turned around and returned to the packing station. His movements seemed even more efficient and powerful than before, and he couldn't help but smile.
"Xinglin, Xiao Zhang just told me he wants to switch to a full-time job and hopes to move into management."
Shi Wan looked at his energetic back and couldn't help but smile.
Xinglin's voice also carried a hint of laughter.
“Fertile soil will naturally encourage new shoots to sprout.”
"Employee records have been updated"
Zhang Yuze, Business Administration Major
Position: Operations Assistant for Zone 2
Reporting to: Su Qing
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