Chinese company under fire for ‘prison-style’ workplace – no phones, eat lunch at desk
Dental products company spies on staff using surveillance cameras, makes employees order delivery food, take limited toilet breaks
A company in China has been condemned and may face legal sanction for imposing “prison-style” working conditions which include prohibiting employees from using mobile phones or leaving the office.
The controversy recently surfaced on Chinese social media after Super Deer, or Xiaolumama in Chinese, a dental care products company in Hefei, Anhui province in eastern China, was revealed to have strict workplace policies and a harsh management style.
According to company data, Super Deer, established in 2016, commanded a 75 per cent market share in dental floss products in the first half of 2023. Its annual sales reportedly reached 400 million yuan (US$55 million).
However, a copy of the company’s office regulations circulating online revealed that employees were strictly prohibited from using mobile phones or leaving the company’s premises during working hours.
Several employees also revealed that they are not allowed to leave the office even during lunch breaks and are strictly confined to their desks to have delivery meals.