Chapter 33: No Office Space, So Work From Home?

Another company in a state of loss.

And this time, it's even more serious. If this company isn't acquired or doesn't receive investment, it will likely go bankrupt before long.

Does President Chen have some peculiar hobby? Why does he always acquire this type of company?

…

"President Chen, most of the company's positions have been filled, but the company is now facing a problem: the current office space is not enough!"

Shen Rou saw Chen Mo hang up the phone and walked straight over.

"I'll think of a way."

Chen Mo looked thoughtful.

Right now, the offices are all on the first floor, while the few rooms on the second floor are all employee dormitories.

If the employee dormitories were cleared out and completely converted into staff offices, it would be perfectly sufficient.

But what should be done about the employees who move out?

Chen Mo lowered his head in thought, but he quickly raised it again.

If the employees don't have a place to live, then just getting them a place to live will solve it.

I remember there is a vacant two-story workshop behind the side of the cafeteria, with an area of about 160 square meters per floor. Renting it and turning it into an employee dormitory would be more than enough.

Besides, whether it's renting the workshop or renovating the offices and dormitories, all of this requires spending money.

If handled well, it could completely burn through a large amount of System Funds.

Thinking of this, he immediately found the phone number for the Industrial Park manager, Li Maode, and called him.

The call connected.

Chen Mo briefly explained his intention to rent a workshop.

"Hahaha, President Chen, that's easy to arrange!"

Li Maode's enthusiastic and hearty laughter came through the phone.

With the foundation of successfully renting a workshop last time, the two quickly negotiated a price: 450,000 for two years, with the contract to be signed tomorrow.

"It's settled. The employee dorms upstairs will be converted into offices, and as for the dorms, I've rented another workshop that will be renovated into employee dormitories."

Chen Mo leaned back in his chair, relaxed, and said to Shen Rou, who had come over.

Now, acquiring the company requires 1.5 million, plus renting the new workshop and legal fees, he has already spent a full 2 million.

He has already completed half of the goal of spending 4 million.

Once the new company is in hand, spending the remaining 2 million should be very easy.

Shen Rou quickly realized a problem upon hearing the solution Chen Mo provided.

"But President Chen, if we convert the dorms into offices now, the people living in the dorms won't have a place to stay. But if we don't convert the offices, then the new employees we've hired won't have a place to work."

"How about this: let the finance staff, accountants, and so on work from home for the time being. Once the offices and dorms are ready, they can come to the company to work."

Chen Mo had a flash of inspiration and came up with this plan.

Anyway, his intention in hiring these people wasn't for them to work, but rather that for every additional person, he could spend more on salaries.

So, whether they worked from home or came to the company, he didn't care.

"President Chen, is that okay?"

Shen Rou hesitated upon hearing this. She knew some professions could work from home, but she had never heard of finance professionals or similar roles working from home.

It felt unreliable no matter how she thought about it.

"Why not? We must trust our employees."

Chen Mo said with a serious expression.

"Alright, I'll go notify them."

Seeing this, Shen Rou understood that President Chen had made his decision, so she didn't think about trying to change it.

"Wait a moment."

Chen Mo seemed to have thought of something and called out to Shen Rou, who was about to leave.

"Um, if they work from home, they might need to handle their own meals, so during this period of working from home, the company will provide a meal allowance of 1,500 per month."

Small expenses add up.

He wouldn't miss any opportunity to spend money.

Shen Rou was stunned. Working from home and also getting a meal allowance? She had never heard of any company doing that.

…

"Hey, do you think this company is reliable? Why would they think of hiring people without considering the issue of workstations?"

"I don't know, but we've already signed the contracts, and the boss actually paid the employees in advance. It should be pretty reliable, right?"

"That's true. It's my first time seeing a company pay employees in advance."

"Let's wait and see. Since the company hired us, it's unlikely they'll just let us sit idle."

Two new female employees were whispering in the corner of the lobby.

They had interviewed yesterday; one was in finance, the other was a cashier.

Today was their first day of work, but upon arriving at the company, they discovered that the company hadn't prepared workstations for them.

"Oh, you're here!"

Shen Rou left the office, looked around the lobby, and spotted the two in the corner.

"Hello, Assistant Shen. How are things regarding our situation?"

Zhao Lingling and Zhou Chen looked at the approaching Shen Rou and hurriedly stood up straight.

Shen Rou nodded with a smile, looked at the two somewhat nervous women, and spoke softly.

"President Chen has decided that due to the tight office space, you two will need to work from home temporarily."

"Work from home?"

Zhao Lingling and the other exclaimed in confusion, doubting they had heard correctly. They were notified to work from home on their very first day.

What kind of operation is this?

"That's right. Since office space is currently tight, you will have to work from home temporarily. When there is work, I will communicate it to you via mobile phone."

"But rest assured, working from home is only temporary. Once the offices upstairs are ready, you can come to the company to work."

Shen Rou explained earnestly.

Zhao Lingling and Zhou Chen exchanged glances, then both nodded.

"Alright, Assistant Shen."

"Oh, by the way, President Chen considered that you would have to pay for your own meals while working from home, so the company will provide a meal allowance of 1,500 per month."

After explaining all the details, Shen Rou left directly.

Zhao Lingling and her colleague stood there, dumbfounded.

After a while.

Zhou Chen said hesitantly.

"Sister Ling, why does it feel like this company is a bit abnormal?"

"Mm, it is indeed a bit strange."

Zhao Lingling nodded in agreement. Not to mention working from home, they were even given a meal allowance.

And the meal allowance wasn't the token few hundred yuan other companies give; it was as high as 1,500.

She couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious. Is there really such a good company?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen instantly wanted to back out.

"Then what should we do? Should we still come to work tomorrow?"

"I don't know."

Zhao Lingling shook her head. She just felt that this company was a bit different, but it didn't seem like a scam company either.

After all, the workshop is right there, and there are employees working in the workshop.

It's impossible that those employees are all actors just to scam the two of them.

Ding-dong!

Just as the two were hesitating, their phones both chimed one after another.

Zhao Lingling instinctively took out her phone to take a look, but the next moment, she was stunned.

It was actually a transfer notification.