I recently had an uncomfortable experience with my boss. We had an office team bonding event planned, and everyone was asked to contribute a certain amount of money to cover the costs.
My boss made it very clear that those who didn’t pay would not be able to attend the event, and that they would be fired if they refused to pay.
At first, I was taken aback by the ultimatum.
After all, it feels wrong to have to pay to participate in a team bonding event. It seemed like it should have been optional, or at least something that the company should have covered.
I talked to a few of my co-workers about it and learned that many of them were also feeling uneasy about the situation. We all had the same thought – why should we have to pay for something that is supposed to be fun and that our employer should be providing?
The pressure from my boss was mounting, and it was clear that he was serious about his threat. He even went so far as to say that those who didn’t pay would be fired. I was beginning to worry that I would be one of those people, as I didn’t have the money to cover the cost.
I decided to speak to my boss directly and asked if there was any way I could attend without having to pay. He said that if I could find a way to cover the cost, then I could attend. But if I couldn’t, then I would be fired.
I was in a difficult position, but after talking to my co-workers, I felt like I had no choice. I had to find a way to pay the cost or else I would be out of a job.
What a Lan jiao boss, no wonder the turn over rate is so hight.