China sparks row with ‘snail award’ to public-shame ‘underperforming’ workers

Underperforming government workers are being handed out ‘snail awards’ for slacking off in China, a move that is becoming increasingly popular in the country as the government cracks down on shoddy work at a time of economic slump.

Working as a government employee in China is already stressful owing to salary cuts, work pressure and a lack of motivation. A commentary on a party-affiliated website defended the ‘snail award’ by saying, “Through this sarcastic ‘encouragement,’ the awardees can blush and sweat and refresh their minds.” It added that the workers are publically shamed as they “hurt” the Xi Jinping-led government’s plans and aspirations just by “getting by”.

China’s intolerance toward inefficiency among employees is perhaps stemming from the country’s current economic outlook. In an effort to revive the economy, the government is introducing new projects and attracting investors and at a time like this the administration is expecting maximum output from its workers.

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Slacking off disallowed

The Communist Party of China’s official mouthpiece People’s Daily says that at least three cities in the country have been giving ‘snail awards’ to its worst-performing employees.

That is considered a relatively mild punishment. An urban district in Guangdong Province announced the creation of a database to monitor officials accused of “lying flat,” a Chinese term for avoiding work. In other regions, authorities have reported reassigning or dismissing employees for similar behaviour.

“Taking tough measures to deal with ‘lying flat cadres’ is actually to protect the enthusiasm and initiative of those who are doing things and being enterprising,” China’s anti-corruption body the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said according to the New York Times.

Lakhs of employees punished

Last month, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection reported disciplining 138,000 officials in 2024 for offences such as “irresponsibility,” “inaction,” and “pretending to work.” This figure was more than twice the number recorded the previous year, making it the most common reason for punishment.