back to article Lenovo CEO Yang doles out US$3m bonus to staff

In an almost unheard of act of selflessness and generosity from a CEO, Lenovo boss Yang Yuanqing has decided to distribute $3 million (£1.9m) from his annual bonus to junior members of staff working at the Chinese PC giant. The firm had a bumper 2011, setting new records in market share, revenue and shipments and posting a …

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  1. jake Silver badge

    I went solo ...

    ... after being offered a $300 bonus. In 1988.

    This is a slap in the face of the folks actually doing the work.

    Think "Maundy Money" ... It's totally fucking useless.

    1. toadwarrior
      FAIL

      Re: I went solo ...

      It's free money they wouldn't have received otherwise. I'm sure they're not up their own ass enough to get pissy over free money.

    2. Rameses Niblick the Third (KKWWMT)

      Re: I went solo ...

      I'm sure that there isn't a business in the world that needs people like you Jake.

      CEO: "Here guys, to show you how much I appreciate what you do, I'm giving you all some of my own money!"

      Jake: "Fuck you, you bastard, I'm leaving"

      Everyone Else: *Cheering*

      1. jake Silver badge

        @Rameses Niblick the Third (KKWWMT) (was: Re: I went solo ... )

        Offering me another buck a day, over the space of a year, isn't exactly what I'd call a worthwhile rise. Especially not when the supposed "appreciative" Boss pulled down several hundred (or thousand) dollars per day during the same time-span.

        I'm not a dog. I don't work for kibble, water, biscuits & rawhide.

        1. Rameses Niblick the Third (KKWWMT)

          Re: @Jake (was: I went solo ... )

          I'm not a dog. I don't work for kibble, water, biscuits & rawhide.

          And neither am / do I. However, if my boss were to say "We're giving everyone $300 over and above what you yourselves agreed to work for us for because I'm feeling nice / we had a good year / whatever" I don't think my first reaction would be "You evil fucker".

          1. jake Silver badge

            Re: @Jake (was: I went solo ... )

            If $300 makes you sit up and beg for a year, Rameses, who am I to argue?

            Me, I have better ways of paying for the roof over my head.

            1. Rameses Niblick the Third (KKWWMT)

              Re: @Jake (was: I went solo ... )

              No, it's my rather nice yearly salary and perks of my job which make me do that. A bonus on top of all that is, well, a bonus. Not, as you believe, a reason to leave.

  2. Magani
    Unhappy

    Any chance...

    ... this sort of activity will catch on in Wall or Threadneedle Streets?

    No, didn't think so.

  3. This post has been deleted by its author

  4. Brian Miller 1

    Honestly some people

    This is equivalent to a months salary in China. It was never reported to be performance related other than for the CEO hitting targets, for the average worker I think this is a very generous and kind gesture.

    I honestly can't believe the negative responses of a lot of the commenters. Keep it up Yang! I think what you did was really nice. More wealthy people should behave like this. I am sure you will reap the benefits of an encouraged and happy workforce.

    BOO HISS to the negatrons.....

    1. jake Silver badge

      @Brian Miller 1 (was: Re: Honestly some people)

      Do you *really* think that Yang's "generous" offering in any way affected Yang? And do you really think it genuinely helped anybody on the receiving end?

      Grow up.

      1. Rovindi
        Windows

        Re: @Brian Miller 1 (was: Honestly some people)

        Jake, you really are being a tad foolish today. As people point out, 300 bucks is quite a lot of money for Chinese employees, many making less than 200 bucks per month, so quite why you are being so down on this is quite perplexing. Sure, Lenova is a huge company making huge amounts of bucks, but why piss on everything when a nice feelgood story hits El Reg? Not often we see something like this, so why be such a bellend?

        Your opening comment clearly demonstrates you as someone with an inflated sense of ego and a quite irrational view on what most of us would consider a nice little chuckee. Some beer tokens for nought. Bish bosh. As others point out, you agree to work for a company at a stated rate for a stated number of hours, so anything over and above that is fine and dandy. I`m guessing you see yourself as one of these "indispensable" types where the business/client simply couldn`t exist without you around.

        Nice one El Reg - we need to have some kind of regular Feelgood-Friday type story that lifts our spirits, given how shitty life can be at the moment.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Jake

        The answer is in the article

        "Yang Yuanqing has decided to distribute $3 million (£1.9m) from his annual bonus"

        Pay close attention to the word "HIS"

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Big Brother

          Re: @Jake

          But why does the guy have a spare couple of mil at the end of a year labelled as "HIS" to curry favour with?

          I can't help feeling there is a cultural bias here (that's not a necessarily criticism) but few are looking beyond the new cookie in the hand "which HAS to be a good thing right!!!?" "free cookie!= Good thing!" (nodding) well maybe not you see the cookie is also yours, in fact nearly every other year he will take that cookie from your larder and put it in his. Why do the bosses get millions of cookies and then also deserve one from each of you too.

          It's like you have signed up to be willing minions and gleefully gather round crumbs dropped from the table.

          If a company does well record that, make it public, make the benefit known then share it out in a way that makes everyone, every last employee without a second/third home carry on trying, this should NOT be unusual.

          I can't say I'm in line with Jake's views but I do think its not black and white, seeing a "free cookie" as an entirely benign and "gift of the top floor gods" is not exactly empowering the workforce or company.

          If he made it a rule from now-on he would still command the ridiculous bonuses but it would go direct to to the workforce EVERY TIME then I'll bring raise the respect flag.

          There is no such thing as "Free Money" it has to come from somewhere, probably the sweat of your combined brows so getting a small part of it as a one-off sweetener that's OK but not respecting your longer term effort or frankly intellect.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            @Powernumpty

            What you're alluding to is a worker owned co-operative, John Lewis being a famous example

            Generally though if you are working for someone else then you are working to make them rich.

            If you don't like it then stop. Work for yourself, go freelance, set up your own company.

            Alternatively, if you don't like the pay structure which your current employer offers, then work elsewhere at a company which offers the rewards you seek.

            Of course all of those actions mean taking some risk. Risk of not getting a job with a different employer. Not getting the freelance work, starting a new company only to see it go under.

            Most people don't find that risk attractive and so will simply sell their time by the hour for someone else's profit. As long as they get their monthly/weekly pay cheque on time, every time for the correct amount they are happy.

      3. sueme2
        FAIL

        Re: @Brian Miller 1 (was: Honestly some people)

        Jake you have the most insight of anybody I have ever had the fortune to not meet. Keep up the good work. What is your world like? I mean with all that respect for your fellows where you work, it must be hell in there. Then again, you might be the most miserable POS. How can we tell? Just keep on posting.

      4. Mahou Saru

        Re: @Brian Miller 1 (was: Honestly some people)

        Nurse nurse Jake forgot to take his meds again!!!

        I can't believe you actually told someone else to grow up :)

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Yes, it's a nice gesture - $300 is a lot of money in China.

    Now... what price the vote?

    1. AdamWill

      Yeah, the Chinese are missing out on the glory of a modern democratic society where you can cast your vote for David Cameron, Nick Clegg or Gordon Brown and wind up with option d). I bet they're lining up in the damn street for that one.

  6. This post has been deleted by its author

  7. kain preacher

    CEO gives away entire bounus

    And Jake called the guy an ass. Show me another CEO that gave away his entire bonus.

  8. daveeff

    Thanks Jake...

    ... for screwing it up for the rest of us. I'm sure CEO's all over the world are citing your comment as a good reason to hang on to their money!!!

    Yes it's a crap world where my old boss got $50M in bonuses a couple of years back & then $9M just to leave quietly but it would have been a nice gesture for him to have GIVEN IT AWAY to the (other?) people that earned it. Would have been nice if I could imagine it occurring to him!

    I'm not in favour of Lady Bountiful stealing all our money & expecting us to be grateful if she gives a bit back but given these CEO's are getting huge wedges, sharing some is a step in the right direction & a personal gesture from an individual not "the board" & rubber stamped by the share holders (probably represented by pension companies & fund managers who want an excuse to pay themselves massive bonuses).

  9. Maryland, USA
    Childcatcher

    Whitman's samplers? Fast chance

    Puh-LEASE, someone, ask Meg Whitman whether she'll be sharing her bonus with HP's Little People, and if not, why not. Oh, and make sure the videocameras are rolling.

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