HR World 2/14

Chinese sheepish about New Year’s bonuses

Want to let employees know they’re appreciated? Forget the cash bonus. Reward them with a lovely coffin or sheep, instead.

It may sound crazy, but in China, where companies traditionally give workers a bonus to mark the start of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse appears to have sparked a trend for employers to give more creative (read: wacky) bonuses in lieu of the usual monetary gifts.

According to several reports, one company really did reward an employee with a coffin. It’s thought the gift may have been intended as a compliment, as the Chinese word for ‘coffin’ is the same as the word for ‘wealthy official’.

Meanwhile, a real estate company in the city of Shiyan took the idea of creative bonuses to a whole new level by delivering a live sheep to the home of every employee, according to media company GBTIMES. Although bizarre, the gift was appreciated by at least one employee, who told the Chinese-language website Xinluw.net: “It tasted pretty good.”

Other unusual but possibly slightly more welcome new-year bonuses included train tickets, lottery tickets and ‘turn up for work late’ tickets. Prizes for the most demeaning bonuses go to those companies that rewarded their employees with laundry detergent, toilet rolls and celery. As one employee allegedly commented: “For the sake of two bunches of celery, you’ll need to spend money on a wok.”

More employees look on economic bright side

Around half of all employees around the globe (49 per cent) expect the economic situation in their country to improve this year, according to a new report from Ranstad Workmonitor.

The research, which covers 32 countries, found that Indian employees are the most optimistic, with 84 per cent feeling positive about the future. On the flip side, most workers in Southern Europe do not expect economic recovery, with just 35 per cent feeling upbeat.

In Eastern Europe, however, the mood is on the up: 41 per cent expect the economy to pick up this year versus just 24 per cent the previous year. In Latin America, the Chileans are the most inclined to look on the bright side, with 64 per cent feeling positive compared to 43 per cent in Mexico and 41 per cent in Argentina.

“It is interesting to see that employee sentiment does not always correspond with actual numbers,” says Ben Noteboom, CEO of Randstad. “For example, we have seen a return to growth in most markets, although the change has been less dramatic than in previous recoveries. We know that people tend to linger too long in a certain mindset, whether it’s a downturn or an upswing. Getting used to a new situation takes time. I just like to reiterate the positive signals.”

Regardless of how positive employees feel about the economy, 58 per cent overall expect a pay rise, with workers in Asia (75 per cent) and Latin America (84 per cent) feeling the most optimistic in this respect. Meanwhile, nearly half (48 per cent) of all workers expect to get a bonus this year, with those in Mexico (84 per cent) and Hong Kong (85 per cent) feeling the most confident. In contrast, bonuses are clearly not the norm in Sweden, where only 11 per cent of employees are hopeful of receiving one.

Calling in sick: the best excuses ever

Ever had one of those days where you just can’t face going to the office? While some of us drag ourselves in anyway and others call in sick, a surprising number of employees come up with excuses which are much more memorable – from a swarm of bees surrounding their car to their false teeth flying out of the window while driving on the highway.

Last year, almost a third (32 per cent) of Americans called in sick when they weren’t really ill, according to a recent online survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder – and many come up with highly creative excuses. But the survey, which polled 3,484 workers and 2,099 hiring managers/HR professionals across the US, also found that 30 per cent of employees went to work despite actually being ill, in order to save their sick days for when they were well.

Significantly, 30 per cent of employers said they had followed up with workers who had called in sick to check they weren’t faking it. Of this group, 64 per cent required a doctor’s note, 48 per cent called the employee, 19 per cent checked their social media accounts, 17 per cent got someone else to call them and – moving into stalker territory, here – 15 per cent drove past their house

Further to the examples above, here are some of the most outrageous excuses for workplace absences cited by employers:

• Employee’s favourite football team lost on Sunday so they needed Monday to recover

• Employee said someone glued her doors and windows shut so she couldn’t leave the house

• Employee bit her tongue and couldn’t talk

• Employee felt so angry he was going to hurt someone if he came in

• Employee needed to finish Christmas shopping

• Employee’s false eye was falling out of its socket

• Employee couldn’t decide what to wear

Man fired for napping in ceiling wins compensation

A man who carved out a secret napping space in his office ceiling has won a wrongful termination case against his former employer.

Francis Hudson took his case to New Zealand’s Employment Relations Authority after being dismissed from his role as a delivery person and storeman with car parts supplier Japanese Spares Ltd (JSL) in January last year, reports HRM Asia.

According to his former manager, Shameem Khan, Hudson had built a hidey-hole in the ceiling of the building’s third floor – causing $37,000 (roughly £19,000) of damage – and had been caught sleeping there several times during his 19 months with the company.

Khan said that the employee had also been found hiding in the building during work hours and sleeping in car parks when he should have been making deliveries. In addition, he had driven the forklift without a licence and refused to follow instructions.

Despite this catalogue of crimes, JSL was ordered to pay Hudson $1,795.34 (around £900) in lost wages and compensation. According to Authority member Kenneth Anderson, the dismissal had been “procedurally and possibly substantively unjustified” because the company had not raised its concerns with Hudson or made it clear his employment was at risk.

However, the Authority did acknowledge that Hudson’s actions had contributed to his dismissal, and reduced the amount of compensation awarded in recognition of this. Or to put it another way, they put a ceiling on it.

About the author

Rhianon Howells

The former editor of a leading trade magazine, Rhianon Howells has extensive experience of writing for both business and consumer titles, including The Guardian. In addition to writing about HR, she specialises in health, fitness, leisure and hospitality.