Company is offering its workers 130% of their salary as a bonus if they run two miles every day

A company has introduced a rather unique initiative for its employees to achieve a hefty bonus.

A lot of workers would love to get paid more. It certainly makes sense considering the global cost of living crisis.

But would you be willing to do a bit more exercise in order to get that money?

A company in China is seeing if its staff are willing to put their bodies to the test by replacing its year-end bonus with a new rewards system.

The Dongpo Paper company in Guangdong province has introduced a scheme that will see employee’s bonus determined by the number of miles they run each month.

The company’s chairman, Lin Zhiyong, explained that this initiative will help keep his workforce motivated, saying: "My business can only endure if my employees are healthy."

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Employees need to rack up 62 miles every month if they want to get an annual bonus equivalent to 130 percent of their monthly salary. Reaching this total every month would mean an employee would have to run roughly 2 miles each day.

But for those who find this goal a little too lofty, they won’t be going home empty handed if they participate.

An employee will enjoy an annual bonus worth a month's salary if they manage to run 31 miles every month; 60 percent for 24 miles, and 30 percent for 18 miles.

The initiative has received a mixed response on Chinese social media, however. Some praised the company for the idea and said they wished their company paid them to keep fit.

Others were more critical of the decision.

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“The intention of the company’s policy is good but it should take into consideration any existing conditions or health issues among its employees,” said one Weibo user.

“The company should add an extra bonus to the employees who do exercise, instead of using the existing bonus as a bargaining chip,” added another.

“You'd have to run two miles a day to meet the monthly target of 62 miles. So, the company wants their staff to be track athletes?” someone else said.

“These requirements would be considered excessive even for sporting school students. It will hurt their knees. Depending on one's age and physical condition, it could also trigger acute heart failure,” added a fourth.

What do you think? Would the promise of a hefty bonus implore you to put on your running shoes?

Topics: World News, Health, Money

Gerrard Kaonga

Gerrard is a Journalist at UNILAD and has dived headfirst into covering everything from breaking global stories to trending entertainment news. He has a bachelors in English Literature from Brunel University and has written across a number of different national and international publications. Most notably the Financial Times, Daily Express, Evening Standard and Newsweek.