GameStop TikTok contest challenges its employees to dance to a particular song. One of the prizes is '10 additional labor hours,' as if the game workers haven't suffered enough for the past few years.
In a now-deleted post on the company's website, as reported by Kotaku, store leaders are supposed to encourage their employees to search up #redwinechallenge on TikTok and replicate the dance.
As a prize, the company gives their lucky employees 'an Echo 8, Echo Auto, $100 VISA gift card, and 10 additional labor hours' during Black Friday in late November. The contest is supported by Incisiv, a marketing firm that partnered up with GameStop.
"Imagine what you could do with all those prizes!" the challenge reads.
The competition rolled out from November 2 to 4. The cast to vote would be done on November 5, and the winner would be announced on November 6.
GameStop has pulled the competition off their website since the campaign attracted controversies and media inquiries.
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What Did They Mean By 'Labor Hours'?
Although the company is yet to make a statement about what 'labor hours' mean, it is undoubtedly a way to press the store's budget during a busy week like Black Friday.
As Kotaku reported, just like other retailers, GameStop stores work under a strict monthly budget. Any work that exceeds has to be done, but they will go unpaid.
One of the former employees told the gaming website that working hours have always been a touchy subject among the managers.
"They're typically running their stores off strict hour allotments which causes the managers to overwork themselves or run their stores with limited help."
That said, winning the Inclusiv TikTok Challenge would be a massive boost for any GameStop store manager. It lets them overwork their employees during the busiest time of the year. That's all you could do with that prize.
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Not the First Controversial Thing GameStop Has Done
Earlier this year, amidst the current pandemic, GameStop attempted to gain an 'essential business' label to remain open as the governments shut down stores and lock down the cities.
Kotaku obtained a memo from a retailer that the company believed should be classified as essential retail, alongside pharmacies and groceries. The company was to reduce working hours, postpone events, and prohibit trade-in sales. However, enlisting game stores with places where you can buy foods and medicines simply do not add up.
Even worse, many employees have called out the company for lack of preparation and resources to operate safely. Essentials to keep the stores clean like toilet papers and hand sanitizers were tough to come by.
