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Year of the Snake: Hong Kong banks offer lai see, hampers, Asia Miles to returning workers

Companies have traditionally given staffers lai see packets on the first working day of the Lunar New Year

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Lai see packets. Photo: Shutterstock Images
As Hong Kong’s workers return to their desks on Monday after a long holiday break, many large banks and financial firms are offering them millions of dollars in lai see, hampers, Asia Miles, lucky draws and other gifts to ring in the Year of the Snake.
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Companies have traditionally given staffers lai see packets on the first working day of the Lunar New Year as a token of their appreciation and a blessing for the year ahead.

A Post poll of 10 lenders found that this year’s return-to-work lai see packets are as fat as they were last year, ranging from HK$100 (US$12.82) to HK$1,000. But many banks are going beyond the famous red packets.

For the second year in a row, digital lender ZA Bank was the biggest giver out of those surveyed, handing over HK$1,000 to each staff member via its ZA Bank app. It also added features that allow managers to send surprise-filled red packets to different teams, with a total pool of up to HK$2,000.

ZA Bank is also allowing its workers to take a “Snake King Holiday”, a day off that can be taken during the first month of the Lunar New Year. It also unveiled a new employee benefits programme.

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“At ZA Bank, we owe our success to the dedication and hard work of our employees,” said Calvin Ng, the company’s alternate CEO. “The Lunar New Year is a time to express gratitude and foster togetherness.”

“These initiatives not only recognise our employees’ contributions but also ensure they are re-energised to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead.”

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