[2023 Reading Management Excellent Workplace Certification] Books:
The Shortcut to Nurturing Talent in SMEs
Under the sun, there is nothing new, and the paths all companies must take are written somewhere in the books of the world. The history of books accumulated by humanity is so vast that it is simply difficult to find the sentences I need right now. If companies or organizations encourage their employees to read, they may achieve results beyond expectations through the quantity of books read together and the discussions exchanged. From the company's perspective, reading can be an act that leads to various values, such as fostering talent by enhancing each employee's abilities, serving as employee welfare by nourishing the soul, improving corporate competitiveness, and contributing to society by sharing the reading infrastructure with the local community.
The reason Alpha Brothers has focused on a reading-centered management approach is clear. As the company grew and expanded to include various roles such as designers, marketers, and developers, it faced difficulties in recruitment. Since top talent often did not choose to work for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the company decided to implement a strategy of mutual growth through reading, allowing both employees and the company to develop together. Currently, a process is in place for nurturing employees with managerial positions, such as team leaders, through reading. Although the company has long emphasized reading in its operations, it was only after a recommendation from the Ministry of Employment and Labor that it decided to participate in the certification program.
Alpha Brothers is an accelerator company that assists in the creation of other startups by providing support in areas such as business planning, design, marketing, and legal management. While they have not previously recommended reading management to other companies, they have expressed a strong intention to actively promote it following their certification. If Alpha Brothers shares the practical power of reading that they have experienced with more companies, they could become a leading contributor to the widespread adoption of reading management.
Q. What led you to learn about the certification system and apply for it?
We initially participated in the Ministry of Employment and Labor's 'Work-Life Balance' campaign. The ministry then noticed our company and recommended that we apply for the reading management certification, which led us to participate.
Q. You mentioned that you've been running Reading Programs. Can you tell us about the programs?
We run various reading culture activities, starting with the operation of an in-house library, reading clubs, workshops, and community cultural activities. These activities help us solidify our commitment to reading management, set clear goals, and pursue our vision.
Q. Please introduce your company library.
We currently have around 1,500 books in our collection. We've established a process to manage the library using a program called Notion, which is widely used by many small and medium-sized enterprises for note-taking, document management, and databases. Employees can not only borrow books but also request purchases.
Q. What kind of external activities are you also involved in?
In 2022, we conducted online, non-face-to-face lectures for residents of Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The program was well-received, with around 70 participants. In 2023, we plan to collaborate with the Gayang 3-dong Community Center in Gangseo-gu to open our in-house library to the public. Through these efforts, we aim to promote our company while also fostering a reading culture within the local community.
Q. Have there been any positive impacts of the Reading Programs on the company's performance?
In terms of evaluation, we've been able to cultivate a significant amount of talent. By implementing reading management, we've established a process for developing team leaders within each department and team. If employees aspire to higher positions, such as team leader, we have a training process in place, and it all starts with reading. We have detailed plans to further use reading as a foundation for developing future leaders.
Q. As an Accelerator, do you recommend reading management to your target companies?
We didn't originally recommend it, but now that we've obtained this certification, we plan to recommend it more in the future.
Q. How do you feel about receiving the certification?
It's a great honor to have been able to compete with so many other companies. We are grateful to have this opportunity despite being a SME. We hope to use this reading certification as a foundation to promote our efforts within the local community and to other SMEs. We will continue to work hard moving forward.
Q. Do you have any advice for companies that plan to apply in the future?
First and foremost, you need to have books. The key to reading management is having books, so I would even go as far as to say that without a collection of books, it would be challenging to receive certification. Furthermore, if you establish a library and organize reading clubs based on that, you'll be in a strong position to apply.
Q. Are you suggesting that it's important to actually have physical books?
Not necessarily physical paper books—these days, many companies are also using e-books. Platforms like ‘Millie's Library’ for audiobooks or digital library platforms could also be applicable. In the digital age, alongside paper books, many people use e-books in app form. If you manage such resources within your company, I believe you could still qualify for certification.
※ Source : CHIEF EXECUTIVE (https://www.chiefexe.com/)
[2023 Reading Management Excellent Workplace Certification] Books:
The Shortcut to Nurturing Talent in SMEs
Under the sun, there is nothing new, and the paths all companies must take are written somewhere in the books of the world. The history of books accumulated by humanity is so vast that it is simply difficult to find the sentences I need right now. If companies or organizations encourage their employees to read, they may achieve results beyond expectations through the quantity of books read together and the discussions exchanged. From the company's perspective, reading can be an act that leads to various values, such as fostering talent by enhancing each employee's abilities, serving as employee welfare by nourishing the soul, improving corporate competitiveness, and contributing to society by sharing the reading infrastructure with the local community.
The reason Alpha Brothers has focused on a reading-centered management approach is clear. As the company grew and expanded to include various roles such as designers, marketers, and developers, it faced difficulties in recruitment. Since top talent often did not choose to work for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the company decided to implement a strategy of mutual growth through reading, allowing both employees and the company to develop together. Currently, a process is in place for nurturing employees with managerial positions, such as team leaders, through reading. Although the company has long emphasized reading in its operations, it was only after a recommendation from the Ministry of Employment and Labor that it decided to participate in the certification program.
Alpha Brothers is an accelerator company that assists in the creation of other startups by providing support in areas such as business planning, design, marketing, and legal management. While they have not previously recommended reading management to other companies, they have expressed a strong intention to actively promote it following their certification. If Alpha Brothers shares the practical power of reading that they have experienced with more companies, they could become a leading contributor to the widespread adoption of reading management.
Q. What led you to learn about the certification system and apply for it?
We initially participated in the Ministry of Employment and Labor's 'Work-Life Balance' campaign. The ministry then noticed our company and recommended that we apply for the reading management certification, which led us to participate.
Q. You mentioned that you've been running Reading Programs. Can you tell us about the programs?
We run various reading culture activities, starting with the operation of an in-house library, reading clubs, workshops, and community cultural activities. These activities help us solidify our commitment to reading management, set clear goals, and pursue our vision.
Q. Please introduce your company library.
We currently have around 1,500 books in our collection. We've established a process to manage the library using a program called Notion, which is widely used by many small and medium-sized enterprises for note-taking, document management, and databases. Employees can not only borrow books but also request purchases.
Q. What kind of external activities are you also involved in?
In 2022, we conducted online, non-face-to-face lectures for residents of Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The program was well-received, with around 70 participants. In 2023, we plan to collaborate with the Gayang 3-dong Community Center in Gangseo-gu to open our in-house library to the public. Through these efforts, we aim to promote our company while also fostering a reading culture within the local community.
Q. Have there been any positive impacts of the Reading Programs on the company's performance?
In terms of evaluation, we've been able to cultivate a significant amount of talent. By implementing reading management, we've established a process for developing team leaders within each department and team. If employees aspire to higher positions, such as team leader, we have a training process in place, and it all starts with reading. We have detailed plans to further use reading as a foundation for developing future leaders.
Q. As an Accelerator, do you recommend reading management to your target companies?
We didn't originally recommend it, but now that we've obtained this certification, we plan to recommend it more in the future.
Q. How do you feel about receiving the certification?
It's a great honor to have been able to compete with so many other companies. We are grateful to have this opportunity despite being a SME. We hope to use this reading certification as a foundation to promote our efforts within the local community and to other SMEs. We will continue to work hard moving forward.
Q. Do you have any advice for companies that plan to apply in the future?
First and foremost, you need to have books. The key to reading management is having books, so I would even go as far as to say that without a collection of books, it would be challenging to receive certification. Furthermore, if you establish a library and organize reading clubs based on that, you'll be in a strong position to apply.
Q. Are you suggesting that it's important to actually have physical books?
Not necessarily physical paper books—these days, many companies are also using e-books. Platforms like ‘Millie's Library’ for audiobooks or digital library platforms could also be applicable. In the digital age, alongside paper books, many people use e-books in app form. If you manage such resources within your company, I believe you could still qualify for certification.
※ Source : CHIEF EXECUTIVE (https://www.chiefexe.com/)