Workplace motivation days can be great way to get staff fired up and ready for the job at hand.
However, employees working for an Italian estate agency, who walked on hot coals as part of their motivation day, know that some workplace initiatives to boost morale can backfire.
Nine sales people from the Techocasa agency were taken to hospital with light burns after the ‘exercise’ – designed to help them overcome their fears and seek new challenges.
Motivational trainer, Alessandro Di Priamo said the hotel near Rome where the firewalking was held used the wrong kind of wood and artificial coal.
Speaking to Reuters he said: "Firewalking helps people overcome their fears, seek new challenges and understand that most of what they see as their limits are self-inflicted.
"I have done this job for 12 years with thousands of people and never had a problem. I myself walked first on the bed of burning coals and didn't feel anything – in fact that same evening I went for a 16 km run."
It was also reported that Serafino Bisirri, the manager of the Villa Icidia Hotel, denied responsibility for the incident.
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