Chinese companies are not exactly known for being a bastion of outstanding employee treatment.

So when we hear about a Chinese cosmetic company that made its employees crawl on their knees in Chongqing's busy commercial district -- it should come as little surprise to most Westerners. Yet somehow, the news that comes out of that country continues to amaze.

The controversial event took place on May 2 and was blogged about by many local city residents who witnessed the events, reports China Smack -- a website devoted to translating popular Chinese news stories for an English speaking audience.

Also see: 105-year-old woman's secret to longevity? Bacon

A few people notified police who later showed up to clear the area and give the male employer responsible the equivalent of a slap on the wrist.

The police reportedly "criticized" and "educated" the employer, who claimed he simply wanted "to train them to deal with pressure."

What exactly did the employer think he was achieving? Did his employees

By guest contributor Natasha Goh

With personal income tax capped at a modest 20% and no capital-gains tax, it’s unsurprising that Singapore has become a magnet for wealth around the region. In a recent survey of 1,000 mobile millionaires, Singapore was deemed the most desirable place to call home in Asia – billionaires Richard Chandler and Eduardo Saverin are amongst the notable individuals who have chosen Singapore as their home-away-from-home.

According to Boston Consulting Group’s 2012 Global Wealth Report, Singapore has the world’s highest density of millionaire households at 17.1% or 188,000 households. At the same time, its popularity as an offshore banking hub is also growing in leaps and bounds, with wealth under management set to overtake Switzerland by 2020. Switzerland currently manages some $2.8trillion in assets, whereas Singapore has seen assets under management grow from just $50billion in 2000, to $550billion by end-2011.

It is somewhat counter-intuitive then that

Do you dream of retiring?

Do you fantasise about the day when you don’t need to work any more?

On the Labour Day that just passed, I saw Facebook status updates that said something like this: “The best thing about Labour Day is that I don’t need to labour” or “My bed laboured very hard today because I spent so much time sleeping”.

I'm guessing your friends expressed similar sentiments?

The many, many, many hours we spend at work

We’re at work for eight or more hours a day, for at least five days a week, for up to 40 years.

In fact, you’ll probably spend more than 90,000 hours at work over the course of your lifetime. If that sounds like a lot of hours to you, it’s because it is!

Is work just about the money?

Besides the work I do with students, young adults and parents, I also work as a project engineer. As such, I spend more time working than the average person.

Please don’t get me wrong; work should never become an obsession. But since our work occupies such a large proportion of our waking

Eating a balanced diet and getting sufficient exercise are crucial to maintain a healthy weight. (Thinkstock photo)

Weight gain is common as we age. As you move through your 20s on to your 30s, you may notice subtle changes in your waistline, and an increasing tendency to gain weight.

Many attribute age-related weight gain to a slowing metabolism. Slow metabolism however is rare, and it’s usually not what’s behind being overweight or obese. Rather than slow metabolism, factors more likely to contribute to weight gain with ageing include:

1. Overconsumption of calories
2. Physical inactivity
3. Genetics and family history
4. Certain medications
5. Unhealthy lifestyle habits such as skipping breakfast or not getting enough sleep

We should however be mindful that metabolic rate does change as we get older because of the decline in our muscle mass. This reduction in muscle mass begins relatively early at the age 35, becomes more profound with time and continues until the end of our life.

Since our resting metabolic rate is dependent on our body composition – muscle being more metabolically active and burning more

Mr M, 47, was a former senior sales and marketing manager at an electronics MNC for nine years before he was retrenched in 2009. Married with a wife and twin teenage sons, he tried his hand at being a financial advisor for a year before deciding to become a taxi driver. He has been running his taxi service since 2011. He survived a heart-attack in late 2012 and now has four stents in his heart. His philosophy on life is now to live well, stay healthy and to share his real-life experiences. In his latest post on Taxi Talk, he shares the plight of PMETs (Professional, Managers, Executives & Technicians) who suffered job losses but picked themselves up and made good in life.

#1 : Engineer turned Principal

Recently, I attended my kids’ Speech Day. I was very impressed with the guest-of-honour, who was their ex-teacher, so humble and well regarded by his former colleagues and friends. He is Mr Tan, aged about 45 years old, now the principal of a neighbourhood school in the North. He was an

Mr M, 47, was a former senior sales and marketing manager at an electronics MNC for nine years before he was retrenched in 2009. Married with a wife and twin teenage sons, he tried his hand at being a financial advisor for a year before deciding to become a taxi driver. He has been running his taxi service since 2011. He survived a heart-attack in late 2012 and now has four stents in his heart. His philosophy on life is now to live well, stay healthy and to share his real-life experiences. In his latest post on Taxi Talk, he shares the plight of PMETs (Professional, Managers, Executives & Technicians) who suffered job losses but picked themselves up and made good in life.

#1 : Engineer turned Principal

Recently, I attended my kids’ Speech Day. I was very impressed with the guest-of-honour, who was their ex-teacher, so humble and well regarded by his former colleagues and friends. He is Mr Tan, aged about 45 years old, now the principal of a neighbourhood school in the North. He was an

Mr M, 47, was a former senior sales and marketing manager at an electronics MNC for nine years before he was retrenched in 2009. Married with a wife and twin teenage sons, he tried his hand at being a financial advisor for a year before deciding to become a taxi driver. He has been running his taxi service since 2011. He survived a heart-attack in late 2012 and now has four stents in his heart. His philosophy on life is now to live well, stay healthy and to share his real-life experiences. In his latest post on Taxi Talk, he shares the plight of PMETs (Professional, Managers, Executives & Technicians) who suffered job losses but picked themselves up and made good in life.

#1 : Engineer turned Principal

Recently, I attended my kids’ Speech Day. I was very impressed with the guest-of-honour, who was their ex-teacher, so humble and well regarded by his former colleagues and friends. He is Mr Tan, aged about 45 years old, now the principal of a neighbourhood school in the North. He was an

COMMENT

Not since Singapore's independence have there been so many parties interested in Labour Day. Traditionally a celebration for the NTUC, the rest of us use Labour Day as another chance to do a long weekend. Unless you're a shopping mall, there has been little impetus for any organisation to actively pull crowds together.

This year, on the 1st of May 2013, we are saw three very interesting events. The morning started off with the Stand Up for Singapore picnic at Hong Lim Park, where cupcakes were raised in solidarity. Concurrently, at Down Town East, it was more pomp and ceremony. The Secretary General of the NTUC together with the Prime Minister belted out their May Day messages, calling for a stronger Singaporean core and laying out their plans for the pursuit of happiness. The evening saw ex-NSP candidate Gilbert Goh's sequel protest to a government population paper.

Goh hailed his event as "Singapore First Labour Day Protest" (sic) and intended it as a part two of the last