Skimming Workers' Meals: A Hidden Issue in Business Management

Meals provided during lunch, dinner, or overtime shifts are essential for workers' well-being and productivity. Many companies offer them free of charge as part of their employee welfare programs. However, this policy can sometimes become a loophole exploited by certain individuals for personal gain.

The Problem

Most workers have limited choices when it comes to meal options. Even when the quality is subpar, they often hesitate to voice complaints for fear of workplace repercussions. Exploiting this situation, some individuals in authority engage in unethical practices such as:

• Fixed Kickbacks: Meal providers "thank" the responsible person with a hefty sum after signing the contract.

• Meal Budget Cuts: Every month, they receive 10% of the invoice value from the supplier.

  
  

Consequences

To offset these additional costs, meal suppliers compromise on quality, leading to several severe outcomes:

• Substandard Food: Meals lack nutrition, and proteins like fish and meat are often not fresh, forcing workers to skip meals or eat insufficiently.

• Food Poisoning: Some workers experience health issues, prompting them to bring their own meals, even at the risk of violating workplace rules.

• Poor Sanitation: Unregulated outside food increases the likelihood of rodent infestations in factories. In some cases, client shipments were found contaminated with food remnants and rodents, causing significant reputational damage to businesses.

  
  

  A Case in Point

  
  

  A foreign-invested company provided free meals for its workers. However, after a meal supplier contract was signed, the person in charge received a “thank you gift” worth 50 million VND.

  • Monthly Kickbacks: They continued to receive an additional 10% of the meal invoices.

  • Contract Manipulation: The director’s assistant ensured the contract remained active despite numerous complaints from workers.

  • Inflated Reports: Approximately 30% of workers regularly brought their own meals, yet the supplier and involved personnel still divided the profits from these unclaimed meals.

    
    

  The Outcome

  The meal quality deteriorated sharply, with 70% of meals left uneaten or discarded by workers. This situation persisted for months, even years, until bigVUN identified the issue and intervened.

Solutions from bigVUN

With extensive experience in cost control and process transparency, bigVUN ensures:

• Tight management of input costs for businesses.

• Service quality delivered matches its true value.

• Identification and prevention of exploitative practices within the organization.

  
  

Let bigVUN help you safeguard your business and workers' rights.

Contact us today for consultation and support!