BYD encourages employees to stay in SZ

BYD Auto has recently launched a package of measures to encourage its employees to stay in town, in response to a city-level call for residents to spend Chinese New Year in Shenzhen, the company told Shenzhen Daily.

The 4.4-kilometer monorail in BYD’s head office area in Pingshan District. Sun Yuchen

As Spring Festival is around the corner, Shenzhen has tightened COVID-19 control work amid sporadic cluster infections that have broken out in many places in China. The city authorities jointly published an appeal encouraging residents to celebrate the holiday in Shenzhen. In the appeal, local enterprises are encouraged to adopt measures to reduce the mobility of their workforce for this year’s travel rush, such as to stagger employees’ vacation and offer flexible vacation policy.

BYD Auto is one of the companies actively answering the call. In each of its industrial parks, the company has put up posters calling on everyone to stay put.

A bonus of 1,000-2,000 yuan (US$155.6-US$311.2) will be awarded to each employee who chooses not to return to their hometown. For those who are expected to be on duty during the holiday, BYD will arrange free meals for them, including the New Year’s Eve dinner.

“I used to spend Spring Festival with my family back in my hometown of Wuhan [in Hubei Province]. But this year, I chose to stay put to support the country’s anti-virus fight. My family totally understands. We don’t want to cause any trouble to the country,” Yu Liang, an employee of BYD Auto Sales Co., who has worked in Shenzhen for seven years, told Shenzhen Daily.

Wu Hua, a BYD salesman from Shangrao in Jiangxi Province, also decided to stay for Spring Festival. “I am able to properly relax over the holiday instead of rushing between Shenzhen and Shangrao. Also, our company has taken many measures that make everyone feel warm,” Wu said.

By now, only a small portion of employees have chosen to leave Shenzhen for Chinese New Year, according to a source at BYD.

The total number of BYD Auto employees is around 220,000, and over 100,000 of them work in Shenzhen.