In recent days, a video of over twenty employees of an educational training institution in Guangzhou lying on the ground to welcome a visit from the company’s management has gone viral online.
The video blogger replied to netizens that the incident involved a training institution under the umbrella of Guangzhou Jianhao Education.
In the video, the group of people on the ground can be heard shouting, “Welcome, Manager Huang to Qiming Branch! We will fulfill our mission at Qiming Branch without fear of life or death, achieve better results, and welcome Manager Huang.”
On December 2nd, Mr. Liu, the legal representative of Guangzhou Jianhao Education, responded to the Xiaoxiang Morning Post, saying that several months ago, this video had already circulated online, prompting many inquiries. While there is indeed a shareholder surnamed Huang in the company, when Mr. Huang was asked about it, he claimed he had not participated in such a welcoming ceremony.
Mr. Liu further mentioned that Jianhao Education was established in 2020 but ceased operation by the end of that year. Currently, they are in the process of preparing for the company’s dissolution. He suggested that the content of the video may have been fabricated and edited for deception.
He also noted that after the founding team of the company disbanded, some members may have started their own training institutions, but he was not certain about the specifics.
According to public records on Qichacha, Jianhao Education Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in June 2020, with business scopes including software development, education consultancy services, technology information consultancy services, software services, and human resources training. The company’s status is still active on Qichacha.
The video has been widely disseminated by major media outlets in mainland China, sparking discussions online. On the evening of December 2nd, the topic “Over 20 staff at an educational training institution lying on the ground to welcome leaders” trended on Weibo.
Many netizens expressed astonishment, questioning if it was a cult-like scenario or a pyramid scheme gone wrong, while others suspected it might be staged for entertainment purposes.
However, some netizens pointed out that the individuals on the ground did not appear to be actors, raising doubts about the authenticity of the situation. They also speculated about the reasons behind such demeaning behavior, suggesting past practices of employee humiliation in some companies a decade ago.
There were remarks pondering the societal pressures that might drive individuals to such extremes, questioning the values and dignity compromised in such a situation, and lamenting the state of society.
It’s a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges faced in the modern working environment, with implications reaching beyond just this one incident.