Don’t feel like going to office? Take mental health break:Debate sparked by China’s ‘unhappy leave’; industrialist Goenka says also needed in India

Is it enough to just say ‘I don’t feel like it’ to not come to the office? No medical certificate, no family emergency, no long explanation to the boss – just saying that today’s mood is not right, and the leave is approved. This might sound strange, but a retail company in China has implemented such a system. Now this idea has become a topic of discussion in India as well, because industrialist Harsh Goenka shared it on social media and asked – Does India also need such ‘unhappy leave’? Goenka wrote in his post that Chinese retailer Pang Dong Lai gives its employees 10 days of paid ‘unhappy leave’. The company’s founder Yu Donglai’s philosophy is simple – ‘If you are not happy, don’t come to work.’ The most interesting thing is that managers cannot refuse this leave. He further wrote that while this may seem like an impractical step, a broad debate on it is necessary in the Indian context – or a better way should be found to prevent burnout and encourage people to come to the office. As soon as the post went viral, users on social media were divided. One user gave an interesting argument that office unhappiness is not always due to the office personal life also runs alongside. In such a situation, a few days’ break can be beneficial for both parties. Another user called it a ‘genius idea’ and said that if Indian companies implement this, half the employees will come to the office happier than before, because burnout should not be considered loyalty. One user gave a practical angle this policy is actually made so that employees do not make false excuses for leave; no questions are asked if they tell the truth. But not everyone agrees with this. One user sharply replied that 10 days of leave cannot fix a year of bad work culture. Instead, employees would prefer better working hours and managers who respect their time. Working Hours in Pang Dong Lai’s ‘Unhappy Leave’ Policy: 7 According to the South China Morning Post, this policy was introduced in 2024 by the company’s founder, Yu Donglai. Employees can take 10 additional ‘paid leaves’ per year without providing a detailed reason, and managers cannot refuse it. Refusal is considered a violation of the rule. Not only that, employees work only seven hours a day, get full weekends off, receive 30-40 days of annual leave, and are given five additional days separately for Chinese New Year.