Nearly 200 employees get teary-eyed when kind boss surprises them with $10 million Christmas bonus

Christmas is known as the time of giving gifts, a time of hope. People with unbearable struggles or dimmed hope look up to the season for its optimistic cheer and generosity. There’s nothing better than sharing positive light through wholesome gestures and bringing a bright light to a person’s life. St. John Properties also had something similar in their mind when they came up with a generous plan to light up the festive season, per a press release. The company had just completed its goal of achieving 20 million square feet of space, so the boss wanted to express his gratitude to his employees in the most unique and special way. He decided to share an impactful form of gratitude to honor his employees and surprise them with something wonderful.

Edward St. John, founder of St. John Properties, decided to pay a $10 million bonus to his 198 employees. This came after the fabulous completion of their goal of selling vivid workplaces, offices, retail and more. While announcing the surprise during their annual Christmas party, the kind boss truly outdid himself and left his employees astonished. John shared how the performance of his dear employees had been crucial in achieving this goal, as per a video uploaded by the company on YouTube. What next? The employees were all handed an envelope containing the "surprise" and they were baffled to find bonuses granted to each one of them. These were between the range of $100 and $270,00 based on their loyalty and number of years with the company, according to their post on Instagram. 

With jaw-dropping reactions, tears, laughter, gasps and more echoing throughout the room, every employee was overjoyed. “I was blown away when this happened,” one of the employees said. Another added, “What happened tonight was magical. It is life-changing.” One more chimed in, “I’m very excited, I’ve been here a long time, he didn’t have to do what he did.” Addressing his idea behind this prestigious gift, John said, “To celebrate the achievement of our goal, we wanted to reward our employees in a big way that would make a significant impact in their lives. I am thankful for every one of our employees, for their hard work and dedication. I couldn’t think of a better way to show it.”

The post on Instagram captured the impromptu reaction of a few other employees when the news was announced. While some were left astonished, others were fighting back tears. John made the evening extra special by saying, “I steer the boat but they're the ones that run the boat. They're the ones that make the boat go. Without the teams we are nothing, we are absolutely nothing.”

Speaking about his love and respect for his employees in his company and his life, the founder said, “My philosophy has always been to surround myself with the best and the brightest – and that is what we have done. Every professional at St. John Properties is committed to excellence every day.” The bonus was given to employees in addition to their annual year-end bonus and several other benefits so that they could truly have a very merry Christmas.