“Does my walking posture look like a penguin’s now?” These days, Hu Shide often teases himself like this when meeting familiar friends.
The over-60-km hike three days ago left him and his three companions with a string of blisters on their soles.
“We didn’t expect the journey to be this tough. But then again, the tougher the journey, the greater the rewards,” said Hu Shide.
Boss becomes a “ascetic walker”
This hike stemmed from a form of self-punishment.
Hu Shide, 39, runs his sock company in his hometown of Zhuji. Though not large in scale, the business has seen steady growth over the years.
Hu usually leaves an approachable impression on employees, and his biggest hobby is merely driving family outings.
But no one expected that on the morning of January 16, Hu would announce a decision: since the 2012 sales target of 70 million yuan was not met, he would walk on foot from the company to Yiwu as “punishment” for the poor “year-end performance.”
“The company’s sales revenue in 2012 was just over 50 million yuan, roughly the same as in 2011. But that was achieved after investing 40 million yuan to expand the factory area from 3,000 to 12,000 square meters, which actually led to a decline in yield per mu,” Hu told reporters. “Someone had to take responsibility, and that someone is me.”
After he announced the decision, three employees volunteered to join: a post-80s administrative manager, a post-60s workshop director, and a post-90s salesman.
At 8:15 a.m., the four set off from their company on Wangyun West Road in the Chengxi Industrial Zone of Zhuji, carrying only a bottle of mineral water and very little money, heading for Yiwu Trade City.
“We hadn’t fully anticipated the difficulties. Unlike those backpackers on TV who are always well-prepared,” they agreed to spend as little money as possible—they didn’t even bring ID cards—and walk straight to their destination.
Arrived at destination at 2:30 a.m.
Hu’s action caused a stir in the company. Before departure, some employees came to the factory gate to see them off. However, others doubted whether they could make it, considering they were all out of shape and Hu even had flat feet.
In the beginning, they passed through Yaojiang Tunnel and onto the Anhua Expressway in Zhuji. It was already past 1:30 p.m., but things were going relatively smoothly. The four stopped at a roadside stall for noodles before continuing on their way.
Later, they passed through Zhengjiawu, took the route through Dachen and Suxi, and entered Pujiang County. By then, it was dark. “We really couldn’t walk anymore—our physical strength and willpower were both at their limits,” Hu recalled. “We had planned to find a small hotel to stay in before continuing, but we had cut off our own retreat by not bringing any IDs.”
Left with no choice, the four took an hour-long break, and after recovering slightly, continued on their way at 8 p.m. “The blisters on our feet had already burst, and our socks were sticking to our skin. Every step felt like being pricked by needles.”
A kind auntie riding an electric tricycle with several slop buckets offered them a lift back to Yiwu. They declined. They encountered several such warm-hearted drivers afterward, but none of them accepted the offers.
Without flashlights, the four stumbled along, using occasional light from passing vehicles to guide their way, and finally arrived at the main entrance of Yiwu Trade City at 2:30 a.m.
“The reason we chose Yiwu was originally to visit the two company stores there.” But the four were too exhausted and could only check in hastily with the help of colleagues.
“At that moment, it felt really good, as if we had conquered the whole of Yiwu,” Hu said. There was a sense of sweet relief after the suffering.
Positive energy after self-punishment
The 18-hour trek exhausted their stamina, and the four took a bus back the next morning.
At 10:30 a.m., Hu arrived at the company three hours later than usual. Unexpectedly, as he limped to the entrance, over 30 company managers were lined up to welcome him.
Even more surprisingly, over the next two days, everyone’s execution and work efficiency improved significantly. Tasks that used to require repeated reminders were now completed immediately.
“The company has been around for six years, and most employees are veterans. Some aspects have inevitably become a bit lax. It seems that a bit of a wake-up call is necessary,” Hu said. The company’s previous reward and punishment system mostly involved “financial sanctions,” which may not have been effective in motivating employees.
“Maybe what today’s society needs more is ‘positive energy,’” Hu reflected. Going through the “skin-deep pain” of such a “physical punishment” makes people more responsible. “Everyone’s execution improves, every link gets smoothed out, and the company operates more smoothly.”
Of course, Hu doesn’t plan to promote long-distance walks among frontline employees. “For now, it’s only suitable for management, and I’ll definitely lead by example.”
Huishide is starting to feel optimistic about the full-year sales figures for 2013. “Achieving sales of 80 to 100 million yuan is definitely within reach.”
But what if the set target isn’t met?
Huishide replies boldly: “Walk — from Zhuji to Hangzhou. If the goal is farther, the journey must be longer.”