A CEO has been slammed for offering cash bonuses to staff with a perfect attendance record.
James Ryan - CEO of London's Grove Square Galleries - spoke about the policy on UK breakfast show Good Morning Britain. Also interviewed on the subject was Izzy Obeng, the Ghana-based founder of non-profit mentoring agency Foundervine.
While Ryan argued that paying employees for not taking sick days incentivized them to work hard, Obeng argued that it was more important for workers to feel their mental and physical health is "acknowledged" by bosses.
"If they are really unwell, of course, we don't want them to come in, we don't penalize people for not attending," said Ryan. "It's more a case of incentivizing people and saying, 'Come on, we can get through this.'
"Some people, when they get up in the morning and go into work, they do battle on through and seem to be fine," he added.
Ryan went on to talk about the issue of staff taking time off when they are not really ill.
"It's fair to say we can all hold our hands up and admit we tried to pull a sickie. You get to know people's character, and if they're over-indulged, you know whey they're trying to put a fast one."
Obeng, who is based in Accra, argued that Ryan was creating a culture where employees didn't want to come to work.
"It's really about the type of culture you want to build and what the message is you're giving to your employees," she said. "Especially as we come out of covid, and we're all trying to come back into work and be more in the office, I think if genuinely you are unwell, it's important your employer gives you the acknowledgment that they care about your wellbeing."
Ryan defended his policy, saying it has made people at Grove Square Galleries more productive and helped to promote staff wellbeing. He also pointed out that his company offers full pay rather than statutory sick pay on sick days.
But for many viewers, this was not enough to convince them that Ryna's business model was a good idea. The debate divided GMB's audience, with many chiming in on Twitter.
"I'm so disgusted at this employer paying employees not to go sick, good grief," tweeted one user.
"Paying people extra to come into work sick is backwards thinking. We are in a pandemic! Can't believe this attitude," tweeted another.
"You've got to show some sort of compassion to your staff if they genuinely are sick," added a third.
Though many viewers slammed his approach, Ryan did have some supporters.
"I think the bonus is a great incentive!" tweeted one person.