Company tells employees to run miles each month if they want their bonuses

Employers controlling their workers “time off” is old fashioned dystopia.

It's entirely voluntarily (hence bonus), and has huge benefits for your self. I fail to see what the problem is.
My company does the same thing, and so do many others.
- Your company is abusing it's employees. Imagine if it was something other than exercise how abusive it would be.
  With how a lot of jobs have a lot of their pay based on nearly mandatory bonuses, this is basing pay on controlling you outside of work.
- As reported by Guangzhou Daily, Lin Zhiyong, the chairman of a company that makes paper for various devices, told his workers that their year-end bonuses had been canceled. Instead, the money will be distributed across each coming month, and how much employees receive will depend on how far they run.
  He literally canceled their bonuses and said “lol go run for it dipshit”
  Imagine getting your bonus cancelled and told to go do more work to get it back.
  Fuck this guy and fuck Chinese labour standards.
- Not all of us can run. Simple as that.
- Because it is a transparent attempt to pay less bonuses and I am betting exploits some condition in the insurance and/or tax code to get a better deal for the corporation.
  How about companies just pay the end of the year bonus and not make a big deal about it?
- Bonuses should not be expected, or they're not bonuses. I get that. But making them available only to those able to do some physical test is discrimination.
- Meanwhile, assholes at the top get bonuses if the company is profitable. Seeing a bit of a discrepancy here
- But you're a fuckwit..

If it's on company time, it's fine.

Jeff Bezos: It's inside the Amazon warehouse, while working.
- You are not allowed to stop moving or eliminate your waste. It's because we care about you
My work is somehow promoting sport over lunch break (well there is always an Ass hole setting a meeting at 13) but it's lunch break, not work time. However, during that time we build connections with other employees, talk about work, so basically free cross department team building for the company
- I don't think hungry employees will tolerate that for long. Or maybe it's a way for higher ups to get rid of "possible nuisances"

First, disabled people exist.
Second, the article makes it clear walking only counts for 30% credit.
Third, if you are not doing it, starting can be very difficult.
Fourth, the top bonus requires 62 miles per month.
Last, why should there be a bonus based on something unrelated to your work?
The issue isn't whether it's a healthy idea. The issue is that the employer is overstepping personal and professional boundaries.
- Is it overstepping? If the bonus criteria aren't laid out in the compensation package at the time of hiring, it's petty much whatever they want, provided they can find a suitable way to accommodate employees that would be at a disadvantage due to protected class.
  I wonder how they are ensuring the collected data is accurate.
  Edit: If it's just a fitness app, then I'm crushing it on the daily just existing, and I am not a fit man. Hell, I'd be getting a 130% bonus.
Reading further, walking is only counted at a 0.3 : 1 ratio of distance, for no conceivable reason. So you can run for ~12 minutes or walk for ~1 hr, it seems.
But why should my bonus be tied to something that is not at all related to my work? Should I get a pay cut if I eat a Dorito? Am I worthy enough of a pittance, CEO? Or should I be jumping through literal hoops?
And research has proven walking those 20 minutes is a very beneficial for your health

My health is nearly none of my employer's business. I will not be telling them when or how I exercise.

This is a gross invasion of privacy.

There isn't much difference between a "bonus" and a penalty, given enough notice.

I kind of like the Japanese culture of the workplace being in charge of the health of their workers. This is why they all exercise for the first 30 min of their shift. If they are overweight, they find a solution.
Is it invasive? Kind of, yeah. Pretty much. Idk. Maybe the bonus shouldn't ride on the fitness, but I think the workplaces should be more involved in the health of their employees.
- Japan has a fraction of the obesity as the USA.(BMI >/=30, J%:3.8M/3.2F to USA%:43.0M/41.9F)
  Also they have 1/3rd the % of population with disabilities at 4.3% vs the USA with 13%.
  I'm not saying the brief forced workout routine by their employers has results, by no means, what I am getting at is that shit wouldn't fly in America and any attempt would end in failure due to our cultural relationship with food.

Unless the company is going to allow me to run in company time or pay me my base pay plus overtime on top of the bonus that's a hard fuck no from me.

Company wants my time, they better damn well pay for it.

ETA. Thinking about it more, nah this whole running for your bonus is bullshit and I wouldn't do it even if they paid me overtime since running/exercising unless your job is directly related to it, running has nothing to do with work performance which the bonus is based on.

But they are paying you for it. Not for your time specifically but for your distance. Idk if you read the article but highest tier is 130% of your base salary.
- No they are not. A bonus is for your performance at work and when I run it's on my own damn time.
  IDGAF how much of a bonus it is, 30% is all fine and dandy but again, if they aren't letting employees run on company time or paying employees for the time while they run during their off hours, then it's still a fuck no from me and it's complete bullshit to base a performance based bonus on you doing shit on your off time.
  But hey, if you like having your company keeping tabs on how much you run vs how well you actually do at work for your bonus, I guess good for you, just not my cup of tea.
I run anyway, may as well get paid for it
- I mean me too, but not for money
- In theory.
  In practice, it has to be approved by your supervisor and is only for times when it won't interfere with progress on actual work.
  So all they've gotta do is give you a lot of work to do...or just say no...and you don't get that anymore.
- I mean, that kind of makes sense. "Maintain battle readyness" and all that. I would expect everyone in the military, law enforcement, or emergency response should be paid also.
  Firefighter isn't going to carry someone down a flight of stairs if they have that "Body By Dunkin'"
Yeah I wouldn't even want to play video games if my bonus was contingent on it. Way to suck the joy out of something positive, corpos
I would add: And bonuses are a BS excuse to overwork employees and making them work overtime for free. Having to go above and beyond simply to earn the end of year bonus caused me huge amounts of stress, anxiety, depression, and even affected my physical health.
You know how I solved that problem? By quitting and moving to a better company.
So just don’t take the bonus, then? Easy enough. Bonuses aren’t part of your normal wages. They’re given, not owed, not unless you do whatever they say you have to in order to earn them. So if you don’t feel like doing whatever it is that your company demands in order to receive the bonus, then just don’t do it and don’t get the money.
You should probably run miles each month anyway so maybe you won’t die in your sixties from heart disease.
- Yeah, what's wrong with you and your stupid wheelchair? If you want a bonus, you should get up out of that wheelchair and start running on your stumps!
- "Oh hey, thanks to you and your team for working all that overtime these past few months to make sure the project was done on-time and turning this potential loss of a client around.
  However, we noticed that you and your team didn't run enough during these months so we're going to have to dock your bonus for the year but thanks for all of your hard work for the company."
  But yeah, just don't take the bonus.

Other than the disability, privacy and disability concerns already raised- Running is SO boring. What if you prefer other cardio activity or a mix of strength training and cardio? Why does it have to be running?

I also can’t see how this doesn’t open them up to lawsuits for any injuries incurred from a sprained ankle to a blown out knee or a heart attack. I’m a manager in a large company, and I got a bit nervous at some of the offsite activities, and those were mild things like dunk tanks. Plus I bet the entertainment company or venue carries that insurance. This is literally making the run part of the job, and it’s a relatively dangerous activity.
- It's in China... You might end up in a work camp for getting injured and speaking up about it.
- You and most people in this thread are right but I'm sure that can't be a concern in their legal framework, otherwise they wouldn't have come up with the idea.
The article says climbing and walking are both accepted.
- It's still a bit of a mockery to ask employees on wheelchairs to get up and walk if they want their bonuses.
- What about fu-- uhh jumping?
Running has always been where I was able to just let my mind wonder. It's like meditating while exercising.

The amount of bonus a worker gets is based on the number of miles they complete each month.

I understand what they're trying to do, but this is just not equitable. You'd have to figure out how to handle this for people who cannot run (such as wheelchair users). This greatly favours those with more free time and less obligations (such as people with no kids). It favours those already in shape and those who have fewer health issues.

This will favour those who already have it better off, which is the opposite of equity.

Good idea in theory, but I don't like the model where it's applied based on output.

What is the good part in theory? I can't see how what/how much exercise, if a person chooses/is able to do it at all, is relevant to their job? Especially in a company that makes paper??
If employers want their employees to be happier and healthier they need to pay them better (for their work, not for whatever unrelated and out of hours activity they decide to "reward") and give them more time off, anything else is profit seeking bullshit.
- Yeah good point. I should have said "interesting idea in theory." I fully agree with you

You don't even need to be disabled to be unable to run or do heavy exercises. There are several conditions that can make running painful or impossible, like arthritis, athrosis, hernias, respiratory problems, etc.

Tying the bonuses to how fit you are is straight up evil. I highly doubt the boss will pay for medical expenses of people that push themselves too far to get the most money, who, ironically, might effectively end up losing that extra money.

Workers record their exercises and distances using fitness apps.

Clearly nobody will find a way to cheat that, no siree!

This area has been pretty well explored by Pokemon Go players already. On Android there's an app called defit that has multiple options for adding fake exercise data to your Google fit account which is where Pokemon Go, and typically these insurance apps, pull their info from.
Walking is one of the fitness activities people that are not disabled can walk.

Run 2 miles/day to receive a bonus of 130% my salary? That seems insanely good value and this is coming from someone who has run about a total of 2 miles since I left school.

Get the train to work and park just over a mile away, run to catch the train and go to work. After work run back to your car. Instant 130% salary increase

Unless you're disabled, elderly or otherwise unable to do this... Not to mention how is this tracked? I don't want MY employer knowing what I do or where I go in my free time.
- Yes, of course there needs to be exceptions for those less able.
  It’s tracked by a fitness app according to the article. Just turn off permissions once you’ve finished your run.
- In my company they gave you a fitbit type device. The deal wasn't as good. I think it was free HSA money or something.
- If someone wants to give me a nice Christmas present I'll wear 2 watches. ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪
It's because these employees needed these bonuses. They were essentially a normal part of their compensation. Now it's being held hostage.
It's the amount that get crazy, my work has some goodies/benefit for people who exercises, but it's like a free T shirt once in a while, a charity event where they give 1€ per kilometer to charity, and negotiated discount for some activities. But a 30% or even more bonus?
I know what to ask to HR

ITT: I’m fat. I don’t wanna.

Also itt: when the employer says "run" you ask how much, you peasant, you should never question decisions of your master
ITT: I'm disabled. I'd like a bonus too, please.

chairman of a company that makes paper

Michael Scott energy

100km/mo = 3.33km/day or A little over 2 miles a day.

Which sounds do-able if you're fit and healthy. But what if you're disabled or partially disabled?

Reality is you dont want to run every day. You can. But you should not for the sake of your joints.
Realistically this should be 6-8kms, 3-4 times a week.
- Fast walking is about 90% of the benefits of running with 10% the injury potential (casual assessment)
- Or disabled. I found out yesterday I get to go back into a total contact cast for a foot deformity. :( I currently can't walk to the mailbox, forget about two miles.

They probably don't even get the job. Probably along anyone with bad knees, flat feet, obesity, or other conditions
- lol obesity is a condition now.

Some guy pushes himself too much, dies from a heart attack and they cancel the initiative

touches nose not it!

That's actually not a bad idea. Their employees staying fit and healthy also helps then being more productive for the company long term. The employees themselves, also probably wouldn't mind staying fit and healthy. Win/win.

is the insurance good enough to cover the cost of a knee and a hip for me? because that's what i'm gonna need if they want me to take up running. at minimum.
this is not a bonus available to employees who can't take up running, for whatever reason.
Helps keep insurance costs down too for sure. Less claims for them to deal with
I’ve had several companies offer to partly cover the cost of a gym or exercise/weightliss/smoking cessation program. Similar idea but much better for covering health improvements for anyone. It’s also not presented as a bonus tied to job performance, but a benefit related to healthcare
Unfortunately there’s that pesky qualification “partly”. In general I haven’t been incented because I still have to pay too much and the inconvenience of the paperwork just makes it … inconvenient
In principle I see it, and I did used to have this opinion when I was younger. But as I've got older I've associated getting paid with working (for some odd reason) and the last thing I want to do is work on my relaxing evening jog, and think about how much money I can make.
I would love it if an employer would let you take time off during the day to workout, though. There's only so much you can work until a lunch break

One of my previous jobs did something similar to this only without reward and public shaming as the punishment. We were all cube workers forced to do army standard tests and training after work.

that is genuine hell, my god

I can't run because of a physical disability.

If I worked for this company I'd already be calling a lawyer, and I bet firms would be begging to take the case.

Lawyer: did you contact HR or attempt to request reasonable accommodation and were denied?
You: no, I just want money
Lawyer: how about you do your job instead of thinking you know how mine works and earn money that way. Get out.
- Oh, please smartass, do tell us what reasonable accommodation could be made in this case, that isn't in itself discriminatory? (keeping in mind of course, that using a wheelchair, despite it probably being the only indication of disability you can think of, is only one in millions of variations of access needs) (edit: and of course lets not forget that forcing employees to disclose medical information is also illegal)
  I won't hold my breath... 🙄

Man I would love this

So... An ADA suit for discrimination waiting to happen then.. 🙄🤦‍♀️

Chinese company. No idea what disability discrimination laws they have in place, if any.
- Fair (and I'd actually just come back to edit that I realise this isn't in the US), but the point still stands - this is blatant discrimination, no matter where it's happening..

"Sorry boss, I can't come to work today, I haven't met my monthly miles, gotta run 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️"

Honestly, giving bonuses for employees having healthy habits seems fine. It's not like anyone is entitled to bonuses, they're not "withholding" bonuses or anything, they're just giving extra incentives to live well.

Fuck that noise. I workout 5 days per week, either doing martial arts or lifting. I can't run because of a knee that got routered out from an infection. So, despite the fact that I'm far healthier than the slobs I work with, I get no bonus? Yeah, fuck that.
- It's also noted that other activities count toward the targets: running is calculated as 1:1; mountain climbing is calculated as 1:0.6; and walking is calculated as 1:0.3. Workers record their exercises and distances using fitness apps.
  From the article. Although if being healthy is their goal then they better also provide free healthcare and yearly check up.
- It doesn't have to be specifically running, you could theoretically have a list of healthy activities/diet/etc and people can earn up to x% bonus by doing them, let people mix and match activities as their health/body allows. If someone can't do any of the activities due to health reasons exceptions could be made.
I'm disabled, if I worked at that company they would absolutely be withholding something from me, as well as plain old discriminating against me for my disability.
Fuck this hyper-capitalist ableist bullshit, and fuck cheering it on.
- China is "hyper-capitalist"? 🤔
Fuck employees with cancer or other medical conditions!

Leave it up to Lemmy users to paint paying employees to be healthy as a bad thing...

That's not paying to be healthy, it's withholding money until you dance their little dance, no matter the circumstances.
Not everyone should run, not everyone can run, but regardless, it's degrading and evil.
The best way to ensure people are happy is to remove stress from their lives. If you're employer, it means good working conditions and good pay, not hunger squid games
- it's withholding money until you dance their little dance
  Okay so if they don't exercise, it's deducted from the compensation they've earned? I must have misunderstood.

Lin's plan has faced plenty of mockery on Chinese social media sites, but Guangzhou Daily says his company's staff are happy with the bonus scheme. Or maybe they're just too frightened/exhausted to complain about having to run for their money.

Maybe his employees are all marathoner.

Swimming is better for your joints

If I could swim it, count me in (even miles, I try to swim about 1.5 miles every time I hit the gym, I could bump that to 2)

It's almost like you just recently learned three out of the eight words you used for this sentence, and they were taught to you incorrectly, lmao.
- I would love for them to give a description of communism and how that applies to this in there context.
My favourite part about communism is checks notes the bonus on my wage

Requiring things outside work is unpaid overtime.
- Not required, its a bonus.
Look, I go to the gym 5 days a week and do 30-40 min on an exercise bike and 20-30 min on a stair climber each time I go.
But I cannot fucking run, period. I’ve got god awful joints that cannot take that kind of impact and I’ve dislocated a knee cap twice. Not everyone can run, not all workouts work for all people. This policy is nonsense.
- Running is mind numbing. I find myself just spending the entire time getting angry I can't find the one song or podcast I want to listen to.
Stephen Hawking is not pleased with your post.