In an odd turn of events, a president of a regional bank in China has been suspended after a video circulated showing him spanking eight of his employees.
The spanking, which was done for supposedly poor performance, affected both male and female employees. The executive hit each employee multiple times, excoriating them for “not exceeding themselves.”
Both the media and the audience of 200-plus watching seemed to be in shock, with the South China Morning Post commenting that Rural Commercial Bank “had violated the rights of employees.”
In addition to the offending executive, an additional executive has been reported to have been suspended.
The conference at which the offense occurred was supposed to be a training session for the bank’s employees. Those who performed below expectations were hit with a piece of wood. The video depicting this incident was recorded by an audience member, and is one minute and 15 seconds in duration.
Although the trainer who spanked the employees has apologized for his actions, he explained to the Beijing Times that he believes that “spanking is one of the most effective ways to raise consciousness,” acknowledging that many would argue otherwise.
The incident highlights how China’s working conditions differ from most of the Western world.
