Employees Get 10 Days 'Unhappy Leave'

"I want every staff member to have freedom. Everyone has times when they're not happy, so if you're not happy, do not come to work", declares Yu Donglai, the founder and chairperson of supermarket chain Pangdonglai in China's Henan province. 

 

According to SCMP, at the 2024 China Supermarket Week forum in late March, Yu (left) announced that his employees would be eligible to request up to 10 days of extra leave at their discretion. The leave days are in addition to the employees' existing 30 days of annual leave at the company. 

 

"This leave cannot be denied by management. Denial is a violation", he emphasized, expressing hope that his employees could experience freedom in determining the amount of rest time they need. He calls it "unhappy leave", an initiative to help his company's employees achieve work-life balance. 

 

The retail tycoon is known for introducing company benefits that prioritises employees' interests and well-being. Among the benefits Pangdonglai employees are entitled to include seven-hour work days, no work calls after office hours and on weekends, and an added five days off during Chinese New Year. 

 

Last year, Yu also publicly condemned other bosses in China that pushed for long working hours. "Making staff work overtime is unethical and an expropriation of other people's opportunities for growth", he had said. 

 

Founded in 1995, Pangdonglai now have over 30 stores in Henan, with Yu explaining that he has no plans to expand out of the province to maintain employee happiness.

 

He asserted, "We do not want to be big. We want our employees to have a healthy and relaxed life, so that the company will too". 

 

His staff typically work seven hours a day, five times a week, a stark contrast to the notorious 996 culture practised by some Chinese companies, whose workers clock in from 9AM-9PM, six days a week.

 

According to SCMP, the average monthly salary of Pangdonglai employees is 7,000 yuan (approximately RM4,600). In comparison, the average salary of other retail workers in China is half that. 

 

Yu's employment policies have since received much praise and support on Chinese social media. 

 

"Employees are real, living people with normal emotions too", said a Weibo user. 

 

"No wonder more than 30,000 people applied for more than 200 positions", commented a netizen. 

 

Meanwhile, another sadly pointed out, "With Pangdonglai's business model where customers are satisfied, employees are happy, and the boss continues to make money... It seems impossible that they would expand to other places".

 

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