“Unhappiness leave” in China and Americans’ lack of job satisfaction

The Chinese supermarket chain Pangdonglai offers employees up to 10 days of “unhappiness leave” in addition to sick and holiday leave. The employee may request such leave anytime; the company’s management cannot refuse it. “I want every employee to have freedom. Everyone has times when they are unhappy, so if you are unhappy, don’t come to work,” said company president Yu Donglai. Is the Chinese idea a solution to the situation in which a mentally suffering employee prefers to report a physical illness to get a day off from work? A 2018 health service survey of BHSF workers found that 2 ⁄ 5 of U.K. workers reported being off work due to physical illness when, in fact, they were complaining of poor mental health.

Men in the U.S. are quitting their jobs and leaving the labor market at an unprecedented rate – according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 89% of working-age men have jobs or are actively looking for jobs. In 1950, the number was 97%. Potential causes include a recession that lowers the labour force participation rate, a decline in men’s participation in higher education, and a decline in self-esteem related to their work. Meanwhile, according to the Conference Board’s report on job satisfaction in the U.S., women reported lower overall satisfaction than men for the sixth year in a row – the most significant differences concerned remuneration, especially bonuses, career development prospects, and health benefits.