Introduction:As the year-end bonus season arrives, a senior employee at Manner Coffee was reportedly denied their bonus by management due to a subjective assumption that they might resign, sparking widespread discussion in the industry. In reality, year-end benefits vary significantly among coffee brands. This article delves into the full story of the incident, compiles practices from peers such as Luckin, M Stand, and Tims, helps readers understand the real situation, and reflects on the balance between employee rights and corporate culture.
At the turn of each year, year-end bonuses are always one of the most closely watched topics in the workplace. Recently, a senior employee at Manner Coffee shared their experience on social media: despite working all year without taking leave and performing competently, they were denied their rightful year-end bonus because management subjectively believed they might quit after the New Year. The issue quickly sparked extensive discussion among coffee industry professionals, with many expressing sympathy for the employee’s situation, while others used the opportunity to compare their own companies’ year-end benefits.
According to the employee, they had worked at Manner for many years, had perfect attendance and fulfilled their duties over the past year, and had never submitted any resignation application. However, management excluded them from the year-end bonus list based solely on a subjective judgment that they might resign after the New Year. When the employee asked their supervisor for an explanation, they were given only a vague response: “Not everyone gets one.” The employee admitted that although they still had affection for the company, this experience left them deeply disappointed with the company’s handling.
After the post went public, it quickly resonated within the industry. Many fellow professionals in the coffee sector left comments not only expressing sympathy for the Manner employee’s plight but also revealing the state of year-end bonuses at their own brands. Some commented: “Luckin doesn’t even have year-end bonuses,” “M Stand has absolutely no year-end bonus, don’t even ask me how I know!” “Tims didn’t give out year-end bonuses either, the supervisor said they’re waiting to distribute them together for 2023 and 2024,” and some even mentioned, “There’s a year-end bonus? We only got 100 yuan.” It’s clear that the Manner employee is among the minority in the industry who actually receive year-end benefits.
However, even within Manner, not everyone receives a year-end bonus. According to multiple pieces of information from social media, cases similar to that of the poster are not isolated—several other current and well-performing Manner employees also did not receive bonuses. Many netizens expressed dissatisfaction, believing that the company’s actions are not only unreasonable but also exploitative of employees. “This coffee shop is outrageous, it’s outright labor exploitation!” “This approach is like a modern-day landlord, feeling so bad for the poster,” “They can actually withhold bonuses based on subjective guesses? That’s ridiculous!” Netizens overwhelmingly sided with the employee.
In response to such situations, some netizens offered suggestions, emphasizing that year-end bonuses should be a recognition and reward for an employee’s hard work over the past year, and should not be used as a basis for evaluating future employment status. Regardless of whether an employee intends to leave, management should not use this as a reason to deprive them of their legitimate rights. Among the many voices, more and more netizens are calling on employees to actively understand their rights and take action when necessary to protect fair treatment.
Notably, this incident has also drawn greater external attention to the overall employee benefit systems within the coffee industry. From Luckin to M Stand, to Tims, the year-end bonus policies of various brands vary significantly, reflecting different corporate strategies in employee motivation and retention. Some brands choose not to offer year-end bonuses, while others delay distribution due to financial or management considerations, or set subjective thresholds, leaving many diligent employees feeling disappointed.
From this controversy, we not only see the experience of an individual employee but also reflect on broader issues within the industry regarding employee care and transparency in systems. For professionals, understanding the year-end policies of their own brand and how to protect their rights when facing unfair treatment are practical issues that every workplace individual should pay attention to. For companies, how to establish fair and transparent reward mechanisms is a key factor in retaining talent and building corporate culture.
Image source: Xiaohongshu
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
