Workplace reviews and discussion: 紅螞蟻圖書有限公司

1. In the interview, they only tell you a salary amount, but in reality it consists of a base salary + other bonuses.

The actual amount you receive will then have labor and health insurance premiums + welfare fund contributions deducted, so be sure to ask exactly how much you will take home.

The welfare fund contribution is turned into an annual year-end bonus and given back to you at the end of the year, lol.

2. Cleaning is done by employees on a rotating schedule, and they require you to sweep and mop only after work. Taking out the trash means emptying the bins in the men’s and women’s restrooms, the food waste in the break room, and the small trash bins next to coworkers’ feet. I almost thought I had applied for a cleaning job.

3. Access cards are given only to the “royal relatives” and longtime employees; everyone else can only ring the doorbell.

4. The company is in a remote location with absolutely no shops nearby. The nearest convenience store requires a “brisk fifteen-minute walk” to reach.

5. Employee benefits consist only of a year-end bonus made up of your welfare fund contributions + about three company dinners a year (and they are all at the same restaurant) + one box of two pomelos for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

6. The company culture is extremely traditional. There are no extensions on the phones, so you also have to transfer calls for other people, and everything is communicated by phone. Therefore, there is no way to verify who said something wrong or who misheard something—you can only be careful yourself.

7. There is a lot of noise; you will often think you are working in a traditional market.

8. The air conditioning was not turned on until May, but even after it was turned on in June, the office was still stuffy and hot as if it were not running. There are also no windows directly facing the outside, so there is no ventilation at all. Most employees bring their own small fans.

9. You have to wear a bright yellow polo uniform twice a week. Even office staff who never meet clients are required to wear it.

10. Even if you quietly do your work, the “royal relatives” may summon you for a meeting and demand that you “blend in with everyone.” Merely occasionally talking and chatting does not count. What exactly the definition of “blending in” is remains unclear to this day.

11. If the “royal relatives” take a dislike to you, they will accuse you of not doing your assigned cleaning duty. In reality, they could simply check the security footage to see whether you did it, but the “royal relatives” enjoy nitpicking, while they themselves can be late and skip their cleaning duties without consequence.

12. The monthly meeting requires everyone to sing two inspirational songs together and participate in a group motivational chant.

13. Neither the interview nor the start of employment mentions that you will have to write reading reflections and read them aloud. You only suddenly find out at the monthly meeting that new employees do not have to write a reflection the first time. Then, after you submit one the second time, you may be unexpectedly called upon to read it aloud. Submitting the reflection is mandatory, and you will be fined if you do not submit one.

14. There is only one restroom, which is extremely inconvenient. You also have to be quick when using it—the “royal relatives” will directly turn the restroom doorknob to remind you that someone is waiting in line. (I was subjected to this treatment after spending only two minutes in the restroom. I suppose everyone’s digestive systems must be extremely healthy to stay here for long.)

15. The lights are not required to be turned off during the lunch break, so even if you turn them off, someone else may turn them back on and wake you up, or you may be woken by other people talking.

16. Employees who do not work in the warehouse may still be required to help out there. You also have to work overtime to help during inventory counts.

17. Coworkers will directly open other people’s drawers to take things. Touching other people’s belongings is normal at this company, and employees are required not to lock their computers with passwords, so others can directly open your computer. I was genuinely shocked to encounter a company with so little privacy and absolutely no awareness of information security.

18. At the end of the year, everyone is forcibly required to participate in the “Little Angel, Little Master” team-building game. You have to spend money buying gifts for coworkers, and if you give too little, people will criticize you. It is utterly ridiculous.