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Supervisor in slapping video apologises to intern's parents

Supervisor in slapping video apologises to intern's parents
PHOTO: Supervisor in slapping video apologises to intern's parents
PUBLISHED ONMay 20, 2013 4:30 AM

SINGAPORE - The supervisor who was filmed repeatedly slapping a 29-year-old intern has apologised to his parents.

However, they refused to accept the apology from the supervisor known as Alan, the Shin Min Daily News reported.

Video of boss abusing employee goes viral
  • A viral video showing an office worker being repeatedly slapped by an older colleague has been taken down from YouTube, where it was first uploaded on Friday.
  • The video, which was supposedly filmed by an intern at a local firm, has outraged many netizens.
  • In the video, an older man can be seen hitting an employee on the head. A colleague persuades him to calm down but he continues with three repeated slaps on the younger man's face.
  • The victim remains quiet throughout the abuse.
  • Some netizens who are more sceptical have pointed out that it is unlikely for a person to remain quiet while being attacked.
  • Nonetheless, many are taken aback by how hard the slaps appear to be.
  • The mysterious uploader, only known by his user name Shane M, said in his original post that he had filmed the scene as the abuse happened frequently.
  • He said in a description put up with the original post: "I had just started an internship and noticed my supervisor constantly bullying my co-worker in the workplace.
  • "The abuse were (sic) often physical. I confronted him about his behavior, but I felt his explanation was insincere."
  • " I fear that his appalling behavior would continue should I not be around to witness it."

The Chinese daily said that when the parents looked him up at his office this morning to demand an explanation for his actions, the supervisor apologised and claimed that he did it in a fit of anger.

The parents also told Alan that their son would not be turning up for work from Tuesday.

They told Shin Min that their son appeared to be under a lot of stress from his job at the local private firm. They added that he regularly worked long hours, reaching home as late as 11pm on some nights.

The intern was paid a monthly allowance of between $500 and $600 by the company.

6 lines your boss should never cross
  • Salaries and bonuses are private and confidential information; your colleagues do not know how much you're paid.
  • If your boss accidentally reveals such information, it can lead to resentment, envy or other forms of negative emotions among colleagues.
  • This is a form of workplace abuse.
  • Even if you have made a grave mistake, a good boss should talk to you in private in a civil tone.
  • Supervisors should always lay down attainable tasks for employees and provide them with the appropriate resources.
  • If your supervisor tasks you with an impossible task, it is important to discuss and communicate expectations to each other.
  • Details of personal lives, regardless of whose, should always be kept out of the office.
  • If you find your boss talking about such things, change the subject back to work. This goes both ways; you should also keep your personal life out of the office.
  • Comments about gender, physical appearance or anything else that makes one blush is a total no-no.
  • This borders on the edge of sexual harassment at the workplace.
  • 6. Implying that sex, race, age or religion is a factor in work performance These factors do not affect one's job ability at all.
  • This is workplace discrimination at its worst.

The parents were shown the video, which was first uploaded on YouTube on May 17 and went viral, by their nephew who thought that the victim resembled his cousin. The intern had initially refused to admit that he was the employee in the video.

He also did not want to explain to why his supervisor had hit him, but he told Shin Min that it was the first such incident.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

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