Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 102 A Wider World
Orange Technology's New Home

The renovation of Orange Technology's new office on the 12th floor of the North China Power Electronics Building has finally been completed.

The general layout of the office is as follows:
First, the passenger elevator faces the Orange logo wall reception desk (15㎡), with a visitor waiting area (15㎡) on the right, and then the 5-meter-wide main entrance.

II. The office area is designed with a "honeycomb" concept for fast-paced office work, with the main entrance facing the open workstation area (800㎡).

1. A modular table with a 1.2m×1.5m steel and wood structure, arranged in a honeycomb pattern for 6 people per group, with 160 workstations reserved (120 actually deployed, with redundant space for temporary project groups). The hexagonal shapes are arranged in a staggered manner, and each workstation is equipped with an embedded smart socket.

2、东侧沿窗，则是分布着5间20㎡雾化玻璃隔断办公室和3间40㎡智能会议室，其中东南角的60㎡总经理办公室最为醒目，配备电动调光落地窗和亚克力观赏鱼缸（风水鱼缸）。

3. A composite storage area (300㎡) is set up in the northwest corner, including a constant temperature and anti-static warehouse, a rock wool sound and heat insulation machine room, and a freight elevator connection area.

IV. The 175㎡ cultural area in the southwest consists of three parts:

1. The 25㎡ "Little Mi's Home" has a sunlit area (rest area) with soft cushions, and a pet area equipped with a cat tree and a timed feeder.

2. A 50㎡ stainless steel tea room with a bar and rest area.

3. A 20㎡ corridor product display wall with an interactive screen installed.

4、卫生间采用创新三分离设计，80㎡空间：包含保洁间、共用双台盆洗手区与18个厕位（男：6厕位6便池，女：12个厕位）。

V. Overall Space Renovation:
1. Retain the original mineral wool ceiling and network floor, and control costs by using PVC film and gradient glass film.

2. The RFID system installed in the freight elevator loading area forms an intelligent network architecture with the intelligent access control terminals in each functional area.

VI. Traffic Flow Description

Visitor flow: Elevator → Reception → Waiting area → Meeting room
Logistics path: Freight elevator → Warehouse area → Workstation area

Employee Hub: Workstation Area ←→ Humanistic Area (Coffee Room/Pet Corner/Display Wall/Restaurant)

Ultimately, Orange Technology's new office achieved a comfortable working environment of 10.6 square meters per person.

Hmm! Per capita
Although it's impossible for everyone to have a 10.6㎡ office space after all 160 pre-installed workstations are fully utilized, a standard 6㎡ office space for ordinary employees can still be achieved.

Chen Mo's initial renovation standard was: 1700㎡ for the 12th floor (1275㎡ usable area).
Budget control: ≤800 yuan/㎡ (including soft furnishings)
Construction period: 15 days (using existing infrastructure)

Total budget: ≤136 million

Gong Yun stood at the door, holding a stack of acceptance forms in her hand. Looking at the newly renovated 12th-floor space in front of her, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

She turned and walked to Chen Mo's side, lowering her eyes and smiling softly: "Mr. Chen! The renovation task you assigned me is complete, it can be inspected now!"

Chen Mo strolled in slowly through the main entrance, hands in his pockets, looking around with a mixture of curiosity and satisfaction in his eyes.

"How was it?" Gong Yun asked with a smile.

"Not bad, quite spacious and bright!" Chen Mo nodded, his tone calm, but his eyes couldn't help but linger on the view a few more times.

This will be Orange's new home.

Gong Yun chuckled softly and gestured for him to walk inside: "Mr. Chen! Let me introduce you."

The two walked through the main entrance and arrived at the core office area first.

"This is an open workstation layout, arranged in a 'honeycomb' pattern, with 120 workstations and 40 extra spaces reserved at the back for temporary project teams."

Gong Yun pointed to the modular tabletops: "Smart sockets are embedded under the tables, saving us from having power strips all over the floor!"

Chen Mo tapped the table and nodded: "Hmm! Pretty sturdy."

“Yes, Mr. Chen! Steel and wood structures are more durable!” Gong Yun smiled and raised her chin. “Moreover, the cost is well controlled; each set is only 145 yuan.”

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow: "So cheap?"

“Of course, Mr. Chen! I’ve carefully calculated everything.” Gong Yun added with a smile, “However, there are still some areas that exceeded the budget a little bit.”

A tiny bit, not a billion!

It seems that Sister Gong has awakened the extravagance of a landlady and is spending lavishly on herself, exceeding her budget!
Chen Mo pretended not to hear and turned to walk towards the conference room area along the window on the east side.

"These are five private offices and three meeting rooms, all separated by frosted glass partitions, with a one-button switch between transparent and frosted modes." Gong Yun pressed a switch on the wall, and the glass instantly became blurred: "Both privacy and natural light are guaranteed."

Chen Mo clicked his tongue, thinking it was a bit too flashy and would be a hassle if it broke later.

Gong Yun seemed to read his mind, shrugged, and said softly, "We at Orange are a tech company, so we need to have a tech vibe."

Reaching the southeast corner, she pushed open a door: "Look! Mr. Chen! This is your office."

The two walked in.

A 3m x 6m panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, electrically adjustable glass, intelligent lighting control system, minimalist yet high-end office furniture, and a full-wall acrylic viewing aquarium.

Chen Mo stood at the door, stunned for two seconds, then frowned: "Sister Gong! Isn't this a bit too much?"

Gong Yun smiled gently at him: "President Chen! Is there anything you're not satisfied with?"

"No...it's not that I'm dissatisfied, it's just that it's a bit too big!"

Chen Mo said this, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled up.

Gong Yun suppressed a laugh and then explained her feng shui arrangement: "President Chen! Your office is arranged this way for the good of the company. Feng shui changes every time, and like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, wealth will naturally gather, and your career will soar!"

Chen Mo coughed lightly, walked over with feigned seriousness, touched the sturdy office chair, looked at the endless city skyline outside the window, and finally choked out, "Fine! For the sake of the company, I'll make do with it."

Gong Yun finally couldn't help but laugh out loud: "President Chen! Your mouth is practically stretched to your ears."

This was the first time Chen Mo had ever seen Gong Yun laugh so "unrestrainedly" in front of others. She had always given him a gentle and refined feeling, like a chrysanthemum.

Chen Mo immediately straightened his face: "Sister Gong! Continue the introduction."

Chen Mo thought the general manager's office was really nice, but there would be plenty of opportunities to experience it later. For now, he should familiarize himself with the office first.

The two left the general manager's office and turned towards the northwest corner.

"This is a temperature-controlled storage area, anti-static, with double access control. It's very safe and convenient for storing electronic equipment." Gong Yun pointed to the server room in the corner: "The backup ventilation system is also installed to ensure the servers don't malfunction."

Chen Mo nodded: "Yes! It's actually more economical to not spend money that should be spent normally if high-ranking officials look at it from afar."

The two left the warehouse and walked south, arriving at the cultural and supporting facilities area.

Walking into the tea room, Gong Yun patted the stainless steel workbench: "Hot water machine, coffee machine, refrigerator, microwave, all equipped. The staff rest area should be more comfortable."

Chen Mo hummed in agreement, but his gaze was drawn to "Xiao Mi's Home" next door.

"This is... a cat's bed?" He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Xiaomi's living space is even bigger than the office Chen Mo reserved for Zhao Tiezhu. The key is that plants, cat trees, climbing ropes, platforms and tunnels, timed feeders, soft mats, toy shelves, and a sunny resting area next to the litter box have all become Xiaomi's territory.

The overall decor also uses warm colors, and pet-themed artworks are hung on the walls to create a homey atmosphere.

The key point is that the decoration of this "Xiaomi Home" is beyond standard; even the offices reserved for supervisors/managers are not of this standard.

Chen Mo estimated that the budget Gong Jie mentioned was slightly over budget, and Xiao Mi would have to take half the responsibility. As for the other half... cough cough, what do you mean by over budget for the boss's office? It's called "corporate image." A high-end and impressive office environment can both impress clients and suppliers who come to discuss cooperation and make employees feel that the company has prestige.

This investment is absolutely guaranteed to make a profit!
Chen Mo felt that his moral standards were still too high. He was actually embarrassed in front of his employees because the office was a little big. He still needed to adjust his mindset from his previous life as a working-class person!
Mingming Gongyun's comment, "A good feng shui arrangement can boost your career," gave him a way out. The 98000 yuan executive chair was indeed comfortable to sit in, and the 28000 yuan electric dimming glass instantly created a powerful atmosphere for business negotiations.

Ultimately, this isn't about exceeding standards; it's clearly "basic equipment for successful entrepreneurs." If you don't even dare to enjoy this high-tech office environment yourself, how can you convince your employees that Orange Technology can change the industry and bring them a bright future?

Ordinary employees judge your strength by your presence and the scale of your operations. You need to show your employees that you have the confidence to pay them well before they will be willing to fight hard battles with you.

The workplace is essentially a community of shared interests. No matter how good the promises are, they are not as good as the foundation of real money. After all, no one wants to suffer with their boss from the very beginning and then be kicked out in the end.

The reason Gongyun renovated the store like this was naturally to take into account the rapid expansion of Orange in the future. It was necessary to let these new employees feel the company's "strength" in the most direct way so that they would be willing to stay and fight hard battles with you.

"Is this the whole nest of Mimi?"

“President Chen! How could that be! Employees can bring their pets to work, and there are even green plants in the sunny area to purify the air.” Gong Yun said with a smile, “Our tech company’s corporate culture is all about being humane.”

Chen Mo couldn't help but smile; he had no idea when Orange had developed this kind of corporate culture.

However, since Sister Gong had helped him negotiate the rental of the floor, and he had reserved the cat's home himself, Chen Mo accepted it. It was just that the size and decoration of the cat's home were indeed a bit beyond his expectations.

Gong Yun lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, as if teasing, "If that doesn't work, let's just tear it down!"

Chen Mo: "."

Is this troublesome or not?

"Never mind. Let's keep it."

Gong Yun's eyebrows curved into gentle crescent moons, her eyes lowered to conceal the triumphant smile in them, her hands folded in front of her, her voice as soft as spring water.

"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Chen. When I was setting up Xiaomi's Home, I was thinking of giving the employees a relaxing corner when they were busy. I didn't expect it to exceed the budget by a little bit."

She nodded slightly, her tone carrying just the right amount of apology and gratitude: "If it weren't for President Chen's understanding, this little design would have been a regret. In the future, I will definitely be more careful in logistics management and will never make things difficult for you again."

Well! Chen Mo, who had a strong sense of shame, was put on hold by Gong Yun, this seasoned veteran, with just a few words. What could he say?

"Sister Gong! Let's keep going!"

Reaching the end of the corridor, Gong Yun stood in front of the washbasin: "The three-part design, with 6 stalls in the men's restroom and 12 in the women's restroom, is that enough?"

Chen Mo glanced at the double-sink wash area, which also had a large mirror: "Sister Gong! With a mirror, two sinks aren't enough!"

Gong Yun chuckled and shrugged: "Then let's add two more after that."

Chen Mo nodded: "Okay! Let's do it this way!"

The two returned to the front desk, where Gong Yun handed him a stack of documents.

"Mr. Chen! The acceptance form, the settlement contract, and all the documents that require your signature are all here."

Chen Mo casually flipped through the document, then suddenly stopped at the "Engineering Change Quotation," frowning: "The budget is way over?"

Gong Yun nodded calmly: "Yes! The intelligent system and temperature-controlled warehousing are a bit over budget, but it's not a big problem. The other party suggested reducing the budget for the general manager's office and Xiaomi's Home, but I rejected that."

Good heavens! What does it mean to reverse the heavens and the earth, to turn black into white? Does that mean the intelligent system and temperature-controlled storage are overpowered?

Chen Mo stared at the document for a few seconds, then suddenly coughed.
Thankfully, it only exceeded 60, it's nothing!
Chen Mo thought that Sister Gong's preparations for him so far in advance were several times more likely than expected!

In short, Orange Technology has expanded too much, and Chen Mo doesn't even have a full-time financial assistant. He relies entirely on an accounting firm to regularly review the financial situation, which inevitably leads to some oversights.

The company first injected 1000 million yuan into Yuancheng to "inject blood," which, in addition to the backlog of its own product Orange 1, also had to bear the pressure of inventory backlog of OEM "X machine".

Unfortunately, the final payment for the OEM business is settled monthly, which immediately put Orange's cash flow in a tight spot.

If the renovation budget overspent by Gong Yun is too much, the company may face its first contract breach record.

Although such situations are unavoidable for any company that grows big and strong, it is ultimately not a good reputation, and Chen Mo must do his best to prevent Orange from having a bad corporate credit record.

Besides, Chen Mo, who was a corporate slave in his previous life, would never have paid attention to the cost of office renovation.
Without a clear understanding of the situation, it's natural to be very anxious about the budget.

The result was only a 60 over budget!

Gong Yun pulled a bottle of water from her faded canvas pocket and handed it to him: "Mr. Chen! The weather is a bit dry, would you like some water?"

Chen Mo took the water, took a couple of gulps to cover up his embarrassment, then closed the file and said with emotion, "Sister Gong! You've worked so hard these past few days."

Gong Yun smiled and said, "It's my pleasure!"

Chen Mo picked up a pen and signed his name on the "Construction Payment Settlement Contract".

After 15 days and 197 million yuan in renovation costs, Orange's new office is finally ready for occupancy.

From today onwards, Orange Technology bids farewell to Huabei Qiang's small workshop of less than 20 square meters.

The brand-new 1200㎡ office area and 120 stylish workstations, along with the warehousing facilities and intelligent systems, demonstrate the company's strong capabilities.

Orange Technology, once a small workshop huddled in a corner of North China, has finally transformed into the hardware infrastructure needed for small and medium-sized enterprises. Now, all that's missing is manpower.

After signing, Chen Mo handed the document back to Gong Yun, then suddenly remembered something: "Oh right! Sister Gong, don't close down the small workshops in Huabei Qiang's area. Hire another person to guard them, and keep the warehouse there as a transit point."

Gong Yun nodded with a light laugh: "Understood! We can't lose our front line at Orange. I'll hire an clerk to be stationed there permanently."

Chen Mo hummed in agreement, turned around, and walked briskly toward his new office.

Gong Yun watched his retreating figure, shaking her head with a smile, and muttered under her breath, "Our CEO Chen says 'it's over, it's over,' but his actions certainly tell a different story."

The next morning at six o'clock, Gong Yun stepped out the door in the morning light, with a recruitment notice that she had rushed to finish overnight tucked into an aluminum folder.

On the A4 paper, she carefully wrote with red and black markers: the words "Sincere Recruitment of Huaqiangbei Resident Specialists" at the top were sharp and distinct, paired with a hand-drawn cute orange logo.

The post below, marked with a large red circle, reads "Urgently hiring for multiple positions including administration, reception, cashier, and finance," and next to it is a line of small print: "Newly completed 1200㎡ office space, excellent benefits," with three playful exclamation marks at the end.

As soon as the job market opened, Gong Yun secured a prime booth near the entrance.

On the wooden folding table, the homemade KT board standee is particularly eye-catching, with several photos of the new office underneath—a spacious and bright honeycomb-style workstation, a rest area with a cat climbing frame, and an impressive product display wall.

As job seekers poured in, her booth was quickly surrounded by a large crowd.

Just before the July graduation season, many college students holding resumes crowded together, their eyes shining as they stared at the "accepting internships" label on the job postings.

"Our company makes smartphones and batteries, and we're currently in a period of rapid expansion!" Gong Yun said, handing over a brochure as she raised her voice to introduce the company: "The administration staff are responsible for resource allocation and event planning, the receptionists need to have a good image and high emotional intelligence, and the finance staff need to be meticulous, after all, they are in charge of the company's 'purse strings'!"

She deliberately opened the folder, revealing neatly arranged templates for probationary employment contracts. "Excellent performance during the internship will lead to early probation, and our company also provides five social insurances and one housing fund!"

A murmur arose from the crowd, and several girls immediately took out their phones to add each other's contact information.

On the twelfth floor of the North China Strong Electronics Building, the glass curtain walls reflect the rising sun, and busy figures and the hum of equipment gradually fill the workstations.

This once tiny mobile phone workshop, crammed into a mere 20-square-meter space, is now striding towards a wider world with a brand-new look.

From the honeycomb-style office layout to the temperature-controlled warehouse, from the nascent supply chain management team to the soon-to-be-moved fresh blood of the logistics team, every detail shows that a promising small mobile phone factory is steadily taking root and quietly growing in the tide of the times.

(End of this chapter)