The president of a Chinese bank has been suspended after a video emerged showing bank employees clearly distressed and in pain being publicly spanked at a company training session.

The clip shows a man, who reportedly charges more than £10,000 for his services, brandishing a wooden paddle and asking the employees in an aggressive manner why they have not performed well in their jobs.

After hearing replies from the four men and four women such as “failing to make a personal breakthrough”, he says “get your butts ready” and proceeds to spank each of the group four times.

One of the women tries to move away from the row as she clutches her buttocks in pain, but he tells her to remove her hands and continues to spank her.

Two executives at Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank, including the bank’s president, have been suspended over the incident, The Beijing News said.

The video of the incident was posted on the Internet by the The People’s Daily on Monday.