Guangdong Dongpo Paper, a paper company based in Guangdong, China, is reshaping the conventional corporate bonus structure by tying annual bonuses to employees’ physical fitness levels.

Chairman Lin Zhiyong recently revealed an unconventional program where the size of the annual bonus is directly proportional to the number of miles an employee runs each month.

Under this fitness-centric initiative, employees must achieve a monthly running target of 62 miles to qualify for an annual bonus equivalent to 130% of their monthly salary. Those covering a more modest 31 miles per month still earn a bonus equivalent to one month’s salary. As an added incentive, employees who sustain a pace of 31 miles per month for six consecutive months are rewarded with a complimentary pair of running shoes.

Lin Zhiyong, who has scaled Mount Everest twice in 2022 and 2023, justified the program and said to Business Insider, “My business can only endure if my employees are healthy.” 

While some employees have embraced the initiative as a novel way to stay fit and earn extra income simultaneously, social media platform Weibo has witnessed skepticism.

Critics question the feasibility of expecting employees to run two miles daily to meet the ambitious monthly target, speculating whether the company aims to transform its workforce into track athletes. Concerns about potential health risks have also surfaced, with some individuals fearing that the rigorous physical requirements may lead to injuries or health complications. 

Despite the mixed reactions, Guangdong Dongpo Paper’s innovative approach to employee incentives has sparked discussions about the delicate balance between workplace motivation and individual health, leaving observers curious about the long-term impact of this incentive program on both the company and its employees.

In a dazzling celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) luminaries in the entertainment industry, Character Media presented the 21st Unforgettable Gala (UNFO). This black-tie event, held at the prestigious Beverly Hilton, attracted over 700 esteemed guests, including influential entertainers, leaders, and prominent API-led brands.

This year, UNFO expanded its reach globally by partnering with AsiaLab, an entertainment platform fostering collaboration among API stars internationally, with an aim to broaden awards categories, recognizing exceptional API contributions on a global scale.

The event, which took place on December 16th, featured an exquisite three-course gourmet dinner, special on-stage moments by honorees, live entertainment, and exclusive performances. The festivities continued at an extravagant after-party, ensuring an unforgettable night for attendees.

Special guests, including host Simu Liu, Selection Committee Co-Chairs Destin Daniel Cretton and Lisa Ling, added glamour to the evening. Notable honorees included Charles Melton, Steven Yeun, Greta Lee, Young Mazino, Adele Lim, Sung Jin Lee, Steven Lim, and the cast of “Never Have I Ever.” Global influencers, such as Mackenyu and Byeong Kyu Cho, were recognized for their groundbreaking contributions.

Keynote addresses by Destin Daniel Cretton and Lisa Ling, along with contributions from esteemed committee members, including Apl.de.Ap, Bing Chen, Sujata Day, Ken Jeong, Jeremy Lin, and Janet Yang, added to the event’s significance.

Founder James Ryu expressed pride in overcoming challenges, emphasizing the collective dedication and resilience of the entertainment community. The Gala not only celebrated API excellence but also highlighted the industry’s enduring commitment to inclusivity and representation.

In a recent revelation, the artificial intelligence (AI) community has been thrust into a contentious discussion surrounding gender representation after the omission of Fei-Fei Li from the New York Times’ “Who’s Who Behind the Dawn of the Modern Artificial Intelligence Movement” list.

The list, published on December 3, 2023, spotlighted twelve influential figures instrumental in the growth of AI over the past decade, including industry giants such as Sam Altman, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg. However, a striking absence of women, notably Fei-Fei Li, has ignited a broader conversation about gender diversity in the AI landscape.

Fei-Fei Li is a distinguished computer science researcher recognized for her creation of ImageNet, a pioneering dataset, that drove progress in computer vision, and paved the way for AlexNet. Her contributions, spanning nearly 15 years as a professor at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford University Human-Centered AI Institute, have significantly shaped the AI field.

According to VentureBeat, the New York Times described the featured individuals as “a group of researchers, tech executives and venture capitalists” who “had worked for more than a decade to fuel AI” before chatbots “exploded in popularity.”

The list’s lack of gender diversity, particularly the absence of women like Fei-Fei Li, has sparked widespread criticism and calls for a more inclusive representation of the diverse talent within the AI community.

Featured Image Source: Caltech EE