Company offers free toilet use as one of the perks in job posting; netizens react, ‘Do they think they are God?’

A Chinese company has caused controversy online by listing strange “benefits” in a job ad. It offers privileges like free toilet use and lift access.

The company also claims that workers won’t be charged for electricity if they stay back for overtime. The job involves processing orders, needs MS Excel skills and offers nearly ₹47,000 (4,000 yuan) monthly salary during probation, per the South China Morning Post.

They will enjoy 4 days off in a month, double pay on holidays and team snacks. A small pay hike ( ₹1,200) has been promised after a year.

People are criticising the ad for offering basic rights like toilet access as “perks”. The ad has been shared widely online and sparked both jokes and serious concerns about working conditions, the publication added.

According to one social media user, these should be standard, not perks.

“Do they think they are God or some kind of saviour?” joked another.

This is not the first time a Chinese company is involved in bizarre activities. Earlier in 2024, a company in Guangzhou went viral.

A video showed employees lying flat on the floor and shouting extreme slogans to greet their boss. Instead of a normal “Good Morning”, they were forced to chant lines like “We will not fail our work mission”. They praised Boss Huang and the company.

This strange act was reportedly meant to show loyalty. The video shocked many viewers, with people calling the behaviour humiliating and inhuman.

The company’s legal representative, Liu, later said the video might be fake or edited. The company stopped working in 2020 and was in the process of shutting down, he added.

China’s job market

China’s job market is often on the news for low pay, long hours, poor work conditions and no job security.

This year, over 12 million fresh graduates in China will start looking for jobs, but there are not enough openings. Working conditions are already tough.

China’s labour law says employees should not work more than eight hours a day or 44 hours a week. However, that may be just on paper.

In many places, employees follow a tough 996 routine. They work 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week, SCMP reported.

Employers must also give basic benefits like pension, medical care and unemployment insurance. In many cases, it is just theory.

People over 35 often face age bias, and some companies don’t pay proper social security. Things are especially hard for the youth, according to the publication.