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- The Button that Changed Everything
Businesses constantly search for the PERFECT hire, but sometimes the solution lies not in finding the unicorn employee, but in reimagining the design of the job itself.
No shit there I was.
Sitting elbow to elbow with half a dozen butt naked Korean guys in a small room … day dreaming about business process design.
But first, some context.
I’m a man who loves to sit in hot water.
Japanese Onsens, Moroccan Hamams, Russian Banyas - you name it, I dig it.
(Author’s Note: If anyone wants to fund my mini-series called “Soaks With My Father” where I travel around the world with my dad, enjoying Sauna culture with locals, email me. Roman Baths in Algeria, Esalen Hot Springs in Big Sur, Fjords/Saunas in Finland… you get the picture )
I frequent a local Korean spa, known as a Jimjilbang.
These places are great - not a lick of English past the front desk, usually some weird cultural things you gotta adapt to, and super cool place to hang out in.
Sitting in the sauna, I observed something going on at the Jimjilbang - and it made me start thinking about business systems design (isn’t that what you think about in saunas?)
It centers around a great Korean tradition called the shesin (세신).
The process is a “vigorous exfoliation process” that removes dead skin cells, leaving the skin rejuvenated.
Typically, the scrub is performed by an old Korean dude using a coarse mitt, and it can be quite intense.
It’s refreshing/painful.
Here's the challenge though: these guys don't speak English at all.
98% of the time that's no big deal, but what if something goes wrong or the session needs to be ended early?
As a business owner, how would you solve this challenge?
What a lot of people would do is say, "Okay, we just need to get guys who are experts in this Korean craft who also speak great English."
Easier said than done though. You're going to end up paying more, your hiring process is going to be longer, and you're not going to be able to grow as quickly because the people are harder to find who combine these two somewhat rare abilities.
But here's what the local Jimjilbang Did instead.
They stuck a little button next to the platforms where the sessions take place. When they're walking you back, they say, "Hey, if you need anything just hit this button."
There's one front desk guy who speaks Korean and English, and probably 20-30 rooms throughout the whole facility, each with a button.
I'd be surprised if that button is ever hit more than once a day, but when it is hit, thank goodness that there's someone there who can help solve whatever problem has arisen without having to navigate a language barrier.
Can you see the simple brilliance in that system?
Rather than beginning a long and drawn-out search for rare hires (with no end), they simply redesigned the way the work is done to accommodate these edge scenarios.
Now stick with me - this isn't just about spa logistics!
It's a metaphor for a critical oversight I see time and time again in businesses, especially those hiring globally.
Too often, we craft job descriptions that read like a laundry list of perfection.
We want the coder who's also a master communicator, the designer who can crunch numbers, the salesperson who's also a tech whiz.
We're searching for our own versions of the English-speaking Korean technician.
But what if we're asking the wrong questions?
What if, instead of seeking out these rare combinations of skills, we reimagined the roles themselves?
The spa didn't need to find masseuses who spoke perfect English.
They needed a way for their skilled masseuses to communicate effectively with English-speaking clients.
By adding a simple button and leveraging existing staff, they solved the problem without compromising on the quality of their core service.
This approach - let's call it "role redesign" - is the missing piece in many global hiring strategies.
Before you post that job ad seeking a unicorn, ask yourself:
Can this role be split into discrete output that don't all require the same high-level skills?
Is there a technological solution (like the spa's button) that could bridge skill gaps?
Are we conflating nice-to-have skills with must-haves?
Could we create a support system around this role to fill in the gaps?
By rethinking roles, you open up a world of possibilities.
Suddenly, you're not limited to a tiny pool of perfect candidates.
Instead, you can tap into a global talent pool, leveraging specific skills where they're needed most.
This isn't about lowering standards.
It's about adapting your business To set it up for success and give you the least brain damage over the long term.
Sometimes, the perfect solution isn't finding the perfect person, but creating the perfect system.
Consider a software development team.
Instead of searching for full-stack developers who are also excellent project managers and client communicators, why not build a team of specialized developers supported by dedicated project managers and client liaisons?
Each role becomes more focused, more achievable, and often, more satisfying for the employee.
Or think about customer service.
Rather than requiring every representative to handle every type of inquiry, why not create tiers of support, with specialists for complex issues and generalists for common questions?
Add in a LLM knowledge base and smart routing technology, and suddenly, you've created a system that's greater than the sum of its parts.
The spa's button is a reminder that innovation doesn't always mean reinventing the wheel.
Sometimes, it's about recognizing the wheels you already have and finding new ways to make them turn together smoothly.
As you look to expand your team, especially globally, challenge yourself to think beyond the job description.
Ask not just who you need, but how you can reshape roles to leverage the amazing, global talent that's out there.
The winners aren’t those who find the mythical perfect candidates.
The winners will be those who create systems and roles that allow good people to do great work, regardless of where they come from or what unique combination of skills they bring to the table.
So before you hit post on that job ad, take a moment.
Look at the role you're trying to fill.
Is there a button you could add? A system you could tweak? A role you could redesign?
The answer might just be the difference between success and failure.
Yallah Habibi,
Jon
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