Oz boss leaves staff dumbfounded with $15m bonus

Melbourne, Feb 1 (ANI): A father and his two sons, who own Australia's largest bus company, have been dubbed the country's most generous bosses after they rewarded their staff a staggering 15-million-dollar gift-the ultimate pay-off for their hard work and loyalty.

Workers at bus company Grenda were left dumbfounded when surprise bonuses averaging 8500 dollars were paid into their accounts - with some staff receiving as much as 30,000 dollars, News.com.au. reported.

Grenda Corporation owned by Patriarch Ken Grenda, 79, and sons Geoff and Scott, recently sold off its transit operations after 66 years and decided to pour a chunk of the profits into the remarkable thank-you gesture.

They rewarded 1800 staff, from drivers to senior executives, for contributing to the company's success.

Some wept while others rang their banks thinking there might be an error.

But Grenda, the major shareholder, modestly played down the "best boss" moniker, instead paying tribute to his staff.

"A business is only as good as its people, and our people are fantastic. This is to recognise that. We have had people here who are second generation, and one fellow in the same job for 52 years," he said.

"We have grown from just four bus routes in Dandenong in 1945 to operating 1300 buses in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. You only get there if you have good people," he added.

The family has been swamped with about 100 emails and countless phone calls of thanks from staff, who will all keep their jobs under the new owners.

The bonuses were paid in various amounts based on years of service and position.

Staff who had worked with Grenda for three months or more pocketed anywhere from about 1000 dollars to 30,000 dollars before tax.

The company last year sold its transit operations to Melbourne operator Ventura for about 400 million dollars.

Grenda builds about 600 buses a year. (ANI)