From a lawsuit filed in January by Chad Hudgens against Joshua Christopherson and Prosper, Inc., a motivational-coaching firm based in Utah. Hudgens, who worked at Prosper as a salesman under Christopherson’s supervision, quit last year.

Joshua Christopherson intentionally engaged in physically and emotionally abusive conduct for the express purpose of increasing the productivity of his team. He patrolled the work area carrying a large wooden paddle that he routinely struck on tables and desktops in close proximity to team members. He would remove the chairs of employees who did not meet the company’s performance goals, or he would…