In order to help employees get a better work-life balance, a Chinese Retail businessman has introduced what he calls an “unhappy leave.”
Yu Donglai, founder and chairman of Pang Dong Lai, a retail chain in China’s Henan province, announced that employees would now be eligible to apply for an additional 10 days of this leave at their convenience, the South China Morning Post reported.
Yu said, “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.”
He further said that he wanted his employees to decide their own rest time independently and also wanted them to have ample relaxation outside work.
Yu added that unhappy leave cannot be denied by the administration. Under the new scheme the employees can stay away from work if they are not feeling happy.
The new leave scheme has garnered some buzz on social media, where several users are coming out to support the ‘unhappy leaves.’
Many have credited Yu with being a “good boss,” suggesting that this leave culture should be promoted nationwide. Some are even thinking of switching to Yu’s company to maintain their work-life balance.
According to a survey on workplace anxiety in China, over 65 percent of the working class are either tired or unhappy at work. The reasons behind this are low wages, complicated interpersonal relationships, and the glorification of the overtime culture.
In a speech last year, Yu condemned this overtime culture where bosses advocate for long working hours; he called this practice “unethical”.
As a part of Yu’s employment policies, employees will work only seven hours a day, for five days and will have their weekends off. Moreover, they are also entitled to 30 to 40 days of annual leave and five days off during the Lunar New Year.