Annual bonus season brings gain and pain

More than 80 percent of companies polled say they will hand out hongbao to employees

The annual bonus season is already under way ahead of the Spring Festival, prompting highs and lows among optimistic and pessimistic white-collar workers.

Zhu Junting, assistant to an international pharmaceutical company's chief executive officer (CEO), has been counting a wad of money she was given by her boss, along with praise for her good performance.