BEIJING (SCMP): Companies in China are offering a “pretend to work” service which includes office space and lunch for 30 yuan (US$4) a day to help people hide the fact they are jobless from their families.
In northern China’s Hebei province, one netizen shared a video of an office space, advertising it as a discreet solution people who are embarrassed about being unemployed.
“For 29.9 yuan per day, you can ‘work’ here from 10am to 5pm, with lunch included,” they said.
Another anonymous internet user promoted a similar service, charging 50 yuan (US$7) for clients to pose as a “boss” in a leather chair and snap photos to reassure their families.
“Many big companies are laying off workers,” the person wrote.
“I had a spare office and thought this could give the unemployed a space to stay and connect.”
He said that while inquiries have come in, no one has yet visited his office.
The “pretend to work” trend has sparked much attention on mainland social media, with related topics racking up more than 100 million views.
One online observer said it helps “ease psychological pressure” on the unemployed.
However, another person criticised it for “promoting escapism”, arguing it hinders the process of finding a new job.
Another netizen shared their own story: “After I was laid off six months ago, my parents helped me move back to my hometown. Parents will always support you, never lose confidence in yourself.”
In June 2023, the youth unemployment rate in China hit a record high of 21.3 per cent for the 16-24 age group, leading authorities to suspend the publication of data for several months.
The government then rejigged its method of calculation to exclude students.
Last November, the youth unemployment dropped to 16.1 per cent, marking a third consecutive monthly decline.
Reports of unemployed individuals hiding their jobless status from families have emerged across China.
Jiawei, a former e-commerce employee from Hangzhou in eastern China, said that after his company went bankrupt, he spent his days at a coffee shop applying for jobs and sending resumes.
“Unemployment is stressful, but I did not want to pass that negativity onto my family,” he told the mainland media outlet Yunxi Technology.
Jiawei left the coffee shop at his usual after-work time, occasionally staying out late to mimic working overtime.
Meanwhile, Chen, a 29-year-old former semiconductor worker from Hubei province in central China, told The Post that after being laid off last year, he chose not to tell his girlfriend.
With two months of severance pay, Chen spent his days at a library preparing for the provincial civil service exam in March.
Experts said that “pretending to work” is an “isolated phenomenon” in China.
“Society places a lot of pressure on people to succeed, and young adults sometimes set their job expectations too high. The sudden shock of losing a job can lead to depression,” Zhang Yong, a social work professor at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, in central China told The Post.
Zhang advised the unemployed to seek professional counselling instead of hiding their struggles.
“They need to take an honest look at their situation, understand the job market, be open with their families and build a healthier mindset about career choices,” he added. - South China Morning Post
