Essential staff paid extra to live at work during lockdown in China...
How much would they have to pay you to live at your desk for a week?
As you may have heard, China has gone into hard lockdown again after the recent wave of COVID-19. The country is not unfamiliar with suddenly going into lockdown and having to stay put wherever they are.
Last week it was revealed that essential staff at banks and investment firms were actually being paid to stay, or should we say live, at work. Considering the nature of the business, and the fast-paced environment when it comes to the trade and stock industry, we can understand the need...
But still...
A source revealed to CNN that workers were being paid between 500 and 2,000 yuan, which is around R1,146 to R4,580, per night to camp out at work.
"Some companies placing folding beds under workers' desks. Other firms have also provided staff with sleeping bags, food and toiletries to get by. Several of its investment directors and fund managers had begun staying overnight earlier this month to ensure operations continued as the pandemic "began to escalate" in Shanghai." (CNN)
Staff have begun calling the office their home, with their well stocked pantries, sleeping bags, and camping beds set up beside their work desks.
Since Shanghai has emerged as the epicentre of the pandemic, the staff are restricted in terms of movement out of the office and spend weekends there too. Of course, we are left wondering about their personal hygiene, considering most offices aren't equipped with showers...
"Showers were "a problem," one worker said in the video, adding that the team initially had to boil hot water to wash up before a shower facility was eventually installed." (CNN)
In a video posted to Chinese social media platform, Weixin, we see their living conditions.
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Many of the employees faced issues when it came to bed time. Besides having to sleep beside your colleagues at work (which doesn't sound weird at all), there were some snorers amongst the team.
But they acted fast and designated the snorers to the board room so they were all together.
We are not sure any amount of money would be enough to live at work... how about you?
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Image Courtesy of Instagram