A Shenzhen based technology company has become the talk of China’s corporate world after rewarding its employees with solid gold keycaps for four consecutive years.
The firm, Insta360, known globally for its consumer 360 degree cameras, continues to earn admiration from staff who say the unusual reward “helps them manage wealth,” as per a report by South China Morning Post.
Gold keycaps mark Programmer’s Day
Insta360 recently celebrated Programmer’s Day in China on October 24 by honouring several outstanding employees with a fresh batch of gold keycaps. The company gifted twenty one keycaps this year alone, with each piece fashioned from pure gold.
The most striking item, the space bar key, weighs 35.02 grams and is currently valued at around 320,000 yuan, roughly US $45,000. According to SCMP, the company has awarded fifty five keycaps in total over the past four years, and the value of these bonuses has more than doubled due to rising gold prices.
Within the Chinese tech sector, Insta360 has gained the nickname “gold factory,” reflecting its distinctive tradition of offering gold as employee rewards.
Tradition extends beyond Programmer’s Day
The gold gifting culture at Insta360 goes well beyond a single annual celebration. Marking its ten year anniversary in July, the company presented all employees and interns with a “gold blind box.” Each box included a 0.36 gram pure gold sticker adorned with different patterns. The gesture was described as carrying “emotional value,” accompanied by a note reading, “All that glitters is not only gold, but also you.”
Newly married employees or those who recently welcomed children receive a pure gold coin weighing one gram. At the most recent year end gathering, the company raised the stakes further by offering a fifty gram 999 gold bar as the grand prize.
Employees speak of gratitude and motivation
SCMP reported that one employee described the gold bonuses as “very pragmatic” and said the gifts “help me manage my money.” Another worker, who has been collecting gold coins for personal milestones, stated that he would never sell them because “there are things that cannot be measured by money.”
A third employee expressed renewed determination after receiving his gold keycap, saying, “I will work harder and fill my whole keyboard with gold keycaps.”
Founder says gold symbolises stability
According to SCMP, Insta360’s founder Liu Jingkang explained that the company does not choose gold for its cash value but for its “stability.” He emphasised that an organisation’s stability depends on talented people and said the gold keycaps serve as a reminder that each keystroke is a touch that “turns the stone into gold.”