Kim Kyung-ho, Gwangjin-gu Mayor, Shows Practical Leadership by Celebrating Staff Birthdays and Quickly Promoting Subordinates... Lee Pil-hyung, Dongdaemun-gu Mayor, Reads Books with Staff and Shares Life Goals and Meaning... Park Kang-su, Mapo-gu Mayor, Demonstrates Proactive Attitude to Solve Any Concerns Through Conversations with Employees
"Employees are colleagues and like family. Their happiness inevitably leads to higher quality service for residents..."
This is what a district mayor in Seoul told a reporter. It is a true statement.
News that entry-level public officials at grade 9 earn less than the minimum wage (around 2 million won) has become commonplace. For this reason, many district mayors such as Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu, Lee Pil-hyung of Dongdaemun-gu, and Park Kang-soo of Mapo-gu are concerned about how to improve welfare for their employees.
Efforts such as celebrating employees' birthdays and promoting hardworking staff as quickly as possible to provide practical support for their livelihoods deserve praise.
Kim Kyung-ho, the mayor of Gwangjin District, is clapping his hands to encourage an employee who is celebrating a birthday.
◇ Kim Kyung-ho, Gwangjin-gu Mayor, Celebrates Employees' Birthdays and Accelerates Promotions for Lower Ranks
Since becoming the elected mayor in the 8th term, Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu has increased communication with employees, drawing attention. Mayor Kim emphasized internal communication, saying, "To lead district administration well, communication with residents is necessary, and continuous and sufficient communication with employees is essential."
In particular, the basic salary for a general grade 9 public official at step 1 is about 1.8 million won, which is below the minimum wage. As the economic situation worsens, some public officials are taking on second jobs or even leaving public service, shaking the public sector. The mayor is closely monitoring this issue.
Accordingly, the district has actively reflected employees' opinions and prepared various improvement measures to help young employees grow and demonstrate their capabilities in the public sector, including improving treatment.
First, to address difficulties expressed by MZ generation employees who complain about low wages at minimum wage levels and conservative organizational culture, the district flexibly adjusted staffing. By reducing the number of grade 9 positions and increasing grade 8 positions, they created incentives for hardworking grade 9 employees who have met the minimum years required for promotion to be promoted quickly, allowing them to find fulfillment in public service.
By preparing and implementing these concrete measures, the district has earned trust from employees.
An employee at Gwangjin-gu Office said, "Since Mayor Kim Kyung-ho took office, regular birthday parties and communication with employees have been established, and he has taken the lead in improving employee treatment. I am very grateful."
Lee Pil-hyung, the mayor of Dongdaemun District Office, is explaining the impressive content of a book while reading with employees.
◇ Lee Pil-hyung, Dongdaemun-gu Mayor, Reads Books with Employees
"What kind of story fills your life? How about writing and organizing your own story in words?"
On the 21st, the Book Yard Library on the first floor of the district office was filled with employees' laughter. Mayor Lee Pil-hyung of Dongdaemun-gu and employees gathered to share opinions and communicate about books.
Since taking office last year, Mayor Lee has shown himself as a leader who constantly communicates with employees through departmental meetings and a district administration talk show commemorating his first anniversary. His smooth and gentle speech comes from his habit of keeping books close. He starts his day with newspapers and books spread out in his office upon arriving, and even reads books during car rides whenever possible, showing his genuine passion for reading.
That day, they discussed the novel "The Weight of Language" by Pascal Mercier. The novel tells the story of a protagonist who, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor and organizing his life, learns it was a misdiagnosis and contemplates how to spend the new time given to him.
Mayor Lee read impressive passages from the book filled with underlines and highlights. "Success or failure in life is determined by special events that distinguish it from others. Everyone experiences their own life..." He and the employees empathized with the protagonist's situation and exchanged various opinions on attitudes and approaches to life.
Mayor Lee plans to continue monthly discussions starting with this reading session. On December 15, he will hold a meeting with the employee reading club and later arrange sessions with local libraries' reading groups and reading clubs from elementary, middle, and high schools.
◇ Park Kang-soo, Mapo-gu Mayor, Operates ‘Direct Communication Bell’
Park Kang-soo, mayor of Mapo-gu, will officially launch the ‘Direct Communication Bell’ on December 1 to understand the difficulties of frontline employees working for residents and strengthen mutual communication by enabling informal conversations between employees and the mayor.
A lunch with the world-renowned investor Warren Buffett recently sold for about 24.6 billion won, showing how valuable conversations with mentors like Buffett are. People need life mentors who can provide advice and counseling for a better life.
In this spirit, Mayor Park Kang-soo, as a senior in life, planned the ‘Direct Communication Bell’ to listen to employees' difficulties and questions and offer advice and solutions directly.
Mayor Park, once a self-made businessman and journalist with over 60 patents, is known for his exceptional passion for work, which makes it tough for employees.
Because of this, Mayor Park is also famous for always encouraging employees who work closely with him, such as those in the public relations department.
The ‘Direct Communication Bell’ means ‘direct communication between employees and the mayor.’ It serves as a bridge for employees to openly discuss topics related to personnel, welfare, work, as well as culture, society, and economy with the mayor as a life mentor.
Mapo-gu plans to make it easy and convenient for employees to use the Direct Communication Bell by displaying a banner on the main screen of the Saeol administrative system and installing communication boxes in employee lounges on the 6th and 10th floors of the district office. Employees wishing to communicate with the mayor can submit requests online or offline, and they can participate with colleagues without any limit on the number of participants.
Contents gathered through the Direct Communication Bell over a week will be addressed during the weekly ‘Direct Communication Day.’ This day is when employees who requested the bell and the mayor meet directly to communicate. To encourage comfortable conversations, the mayor will adjust his schedule to meet employees at their preferred times, from snack time to lunch and dinner, fostering active communication.
An employee who heard the news said, "I wanted to hear the story of Park Kang-soo as a person, not just as the mayor. Especially, as a self-made icon, I want to receive advice on economic philosophy from Mayor Park to prepare for a better future."
Through the informal and comfortable Direct Communication Bell, Mapo-gu aims to break down barriers between generations and ranks, create a healthy organizational culture, and utilize fresh and diverse ideas discovered through conversations for employee welfare and policies benefiting residents.
Mayor Park Kang-soo said, "As the saying goes, 'An hour of conversation is worth more than fifty letters,' I started the Direct Communication Bell to communicate directly with employees. Even if it is not work-related, please feel free to apply whenever you have questions or need help."
Such love for employees by first-term district mayors of Seoul's 8th elected term is expected to spread further.
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