China boss gifts top employees new BMWs to protect them from harsh weather commutes

A restaurant owner in China has gained praise online after bestowing brand-new BMWs on her top-performing employees. Ma Yanli, the head of a beef hotpot chain in Jiaozuo, central Henan province, made the generous gesture to shield her staff from harsh weather conditions on their commutes. On September 24, Ma presented several employees with their new BMWs, each valued at 300,000 yuan (approximately US$45,000), which she had purchased two weeks prior.

According to Henan TV, Ma's staff were initially required to commute to work using electric scooters. However, one employee, Li Jie, recounted experiencing severe cold during her daily journey to the restaurant. Her ears had turned purple, and her hands were stiff from the freezing wind. Witnessing Li's discomfort inspired Ma to come up with the idea of gifting BMWs to her employees last winter.

Ma emphasized that her company's prosperity relies on the collective efforts of her employees. She stated, "I have achieved success in my career. But my company's prosperity is attributed to the collective efforts of all my employees. So I must let my workers also benefit from the success of my company." Liu Yingying, another recipient of a grey BMW, expressed her gratitude, saying, "My boss told me you work hard and your performance is excellent. You deserve this car."

This act of generosity is not the first of its kind for Ma Yanli. She typically provides daily essentials and cash bonuses to her employees during traditional Chinese festivals. In the past, Henan Kuangshan Crane Company's chairman, Cui Peijun, was dubbed "the boss who loves distributing money most" due to his lavish bonus payouts to his staff.

In fact, he once gave his 2,000 female employees a total of 180 million yuan (US$27 million) in bonuses during the Spring Festival, equal to two-thirds of the company's previous year's profits.