A viral video from China shows a woman attacking a man with office supplies as the man sits at his desk doing little to defend himself. Local sources later identified the woman as Zhou, a government worker, who was attacking her boss Wang Chunhui. Translators clarified that Wang was apologizing to Zhou throughout the assault. Wang had been harassing Zhou, largely via text message, and Zhou had reported Wang’s harassment to the police. In this particular case, Wang was stripped of his party and government positions, while Zhou will not be punished for her role in the conflict.
In Taiwan, an employee married four times (and divorced three), all in an effort to max out the paid time off mandated by law for married couples. The grant of paid time off was ultimately overruled by a court.
Business Takeaway: The video from China went viral for a variety of reasons—some simply thought it was funny while others saw it as a laudable symbol of resistance. Taken together, these cases highlight the frequent tension between employer and employee over how each is treated and perceived.