Be Cheerful Or Be Home Mandates IT Firm

German IT firm Nutzwerk Ltd. has come up with a solution to whining in the workplace. It made cheerfulness a contractual obligation.

Ananova reports Thomas Kuwatsch, Manager at Nutzwerk, has declared that those who don’t measure up to the prescribed level of jollity in the morning should stay at home until they cheer up.

The plan was prompted by a female employee who banged on so much about just about everything that other staff began to complain about her complaining.

Employee Kathleen Sochor said “It’s great that whinging is not allowed. If one person is grumpy it makes everyone else feel bad and ruins what could be a good day.”

Lawyer Marion von Sahr cautioned: “In principle, employers and employees can contractually agree on anything if both sides are happy and that includes banning whinging. But I am not sure if being a sourpuss is enough reason to fire somebody.”

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I think firing consistent whiners instead of forcing plastered smile on everyone’s face is a better solution in the long run. Or else adopt a Pike Place Fish Market (Seattle) culture.

What do you think?