Industrialist Harsh Goenka has sparked a conversation around employee well-being after highlighting an unusual workplace policy at a Chinese retail company. The idea is straightforward: if an employee is unhappy and simply doesn't feel like coming to work, they can take paid leave.
Sharing the policy on X, Goenka wondered whether something similar could have a place in Indian workplaces. But he also raised a bigger question. Rather than introducing leave for unhappy employees, should companies be looking at ways to prevent burnout and build workplaces where people genuinely want to show up?
Harsh Goenka talks about 'unhappy leave'
Goenka drew attention to Chinese retailer Pang Dong Lai and its policy of offering employees 10 days of paid "unhappy leave".
"Chinese retailer Pang Dong Lai gives employees 10 days of paid 'unhappy leave.' Founder Yu Donglai's philosophy is simple 'If you're not happy, don't come to work.' Managers are reportedly not allowed to refuse the request. Extreme? Perhaps," he wrote.
Goenka then turned the conversation towards India and whether such an approach would make sense here.
"We do need a broader conversation if 'unhappy leave' is needed in the Indian context. Or is there a better way to prevent burnout and create workplaces where people genuinely want to come to work," he added.
Pang Dong Lai is a supermarket and department store chain based in Xuchang in China's Henan province. Founded by Yu Donglai in 1995, the company has become known for an employee-first approach alongside high standards of customer service.
Despite having only a small number of stores, the retailer has attracted attention for both its business success and workplace policies. Employee well-being and maintaining a healthy work-life balance are among the areas the company is known to emphasise.
Internet debates whether 'unhappy leave' could work
Goenka's post prompted plenty of discussion, and people had very different ideas about what such a policy could achieve in Indian workplaces.
One user felt the concept could ultimately improve how managers operate and, in turn, help the company itself. "Giving people space to step away when they aren't in the right frame of mind could actually push managers to build healthier teams and eventually improve productivity."
Another said their own organisation already follows a similarly flexible approach. "At our workplace, if someone wakes up feeling mentally off, unwell or simply not in the right state to work, they can inform their manager and HR and take the day off. It doesn't need to be complicated."
Others were sceptical about how readily Indian companies would embrace the idea. One person wrote, "Many workplaces here still don't treat employee happiness as a serious priority. Even basic communication between senior management and employees can be missing, and that needs to change first."
Some offered lighter alternatives. "Maybe corporate offices need 'unhappy hours' before they need unhappy leave," one user joked.
Another suggested focusing on creating happier workplaces instead, writing, "Why wait until employees need unhappy leave? Give people regular opportunities to unwind and make the workplace happier before burnout sets in."
One commenter argued that additional leave would do little if the underlying work culture remained unchanged. "Ten extra days won't solve much if employees spend the rest of the year exhausted. Reasonable working hours and managers who respect people's time would probably make a bigger difference."
The discussion ultimately went beyond whether employees should get 10 days of "unhappy leave". As Goenka's post suggested, the larger question is whether workplaces can address the reasons people become unhappy or burnt out before they need time away in the first place.
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