Pangdonglai, a Chinese supermarket chain with multiple outlets across Xuchang and Xinxiang in Henan Province, is often celebrated for its exceptional service. This reputation stems from the company's widely reported commitment to prioritizing employee wellbeing. Related initiatives include a "grievance award," which compensates employees for mistreatment by customers.

On November 20, Yu Donglai, Pangdonglai founder and Chairman, announced on social media that new company policies will take effect in the coming year. They include discouraging employees from accepting bride prices or marriage gifts—a traditional practice where a groom or his family provides a monetary gift to the bride's family before marriage, hosting lavish weddings, or relying on their parents for purchasing homes or cars.

The aim, Yu explained, is to inspire a more fulfilling life by promoting genuine love and preventing unnecessary extravagance. The announcement quickly sparked heated online debate. Critics argue that such policies intrude on employees' personal lives, while supporters see them as aligning with broader national values. 

Guo Zheng (Legal Daily): According to the law, an employer's directives to employees should strictly pertain to work-related matters. Issues such as betrothal gifts, the scale of wedding banquets or parental assistance in purchasing homes or cars are private affairs and fall outside the scope of corporate management.

While the company may have good intentions, such interference is likely to provoke employee backlash, potentially reducing workplace enthusiasm and harming company cohesion and long-term stability.

Currently, these requirements are being introduced as guidelines. Before they become formal regulations, employees' opinions should be heeded. Companies should encourage desired behaviors through appropriate guidance and incentives, rather than intruding into their personal lives or financial decisions. It is essential to respect employees' personal freedom and dignity.

Zhao Zhijiang (People.com.cn): Pangdonglai's success is far from accidental. It stems primarily from its deeply rooted values, which have established Yu as the "ideal boss" in the eyes of many. Earlier this year, Yu introduced a widely acclaimed policy granting employees 10 days of "unhappy leave" a year to tackle workplace anxiety. Now, the company has proposed new rules aimed at curbing excessive marriage gifts. 

While opinions on Pangdonglai's corporate culture may vary, its practices send a clear message: Corporate culture can transcend the boundaries of a single company and integrate into the mainstream societal fabric.

Exorbitant marriage gifts have long been criticized across Chinese society given they can impose huge financial burdens on young shoulders and fuel a host of societal issues. Pangdonglai's strict stance intends to promote a new ethos of frugality and rationality in weddings.

While the company's approach may seem controversial, it has set a positive example. Employers have the right to create their corporate culture, but employees also have the freedom to choose an employer whose values align with their own. By nurturing a constructive corporate culture, companies can attract like-minded talent.

Pangdonglai and its founder, Yu, enjoy a very good reputation on social media. The company chose to address the controversy surrounding its new rules with transparency, instead of dismissing public and media scrutiny. The debate over marriage gifts seems to have subsided for now, but the final outcomes of this episode remain to be seen.  

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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