Far out Friday: Employees spanked in shocking training session

A Chinese bank has come under fire after one leadership trainer repeatedly smacked employees with a wooden paddle.

A Chinese bank has come under fire after a video surfaced online showing a leadership trainer roughly, and repeatedly, smacking employees with a wooden paddle.

The video – posted on Facebook and YouTube by China’s People’s Daily – shows workers being punished for failing to “exceed themselves.”

“Manager spanks employees at a Rural Commercial Bank for not "exceeding themselves" in Changzhi, North China's Shanxi province,” reads a caption accompanying the shocking video.

The eight employees, who are lined up on stage before an audience, are asked why they have ranked the lowest that day.
"Because I have not exceeded myself," one of the employees responds. 

The trainer then spanks the employees four times each with workers beginning to wince in pain towards the end of the ordeal. One employee finally steps out of line, making loud noises of discomfort.

The People's Daily Online also reported spanking wasn't the only training method used at the controversial conference – an employee's hair was apparently cut after they ranked the lowest in performance. 

The bank said the spanked employees of the Shanxi branch, in northern China, were to expect an apology from the trainer following the shocking incident.

This article is from HRM Online by Nicola Middlemiss.