Emergence of "Pretend-to-Work Companies" | China Truths

Welcome to China Truths. In this episode, we will bring you the following story. Unemployed population increasing, Mainland China sees the emergence of pretend-to-work companies. Now, let's dive into the details. China Truths Unemployed population increasing, Mainland China sees the emergence of pretend-to-work companies. As China's economy continues to decline, the number of unemployed individuals is growing. A netizen has set up a pretend-to-work limited company targeted at the unemployed population, sparking heated discussions online. The topic has even trended on Weibo's hot search list. On December 27, a recruitment advertisement for a pretend-to-work company began circulating on Chinese social media. The advertisement stated that this is a pretend-to-work company with no real business operations. If you are unemployed but want to hide it from your family, you can apply here to pretend to have a job. The company offers workspace where you can freely use your phone. The boss will periodically conduct inspections to simulate the thrill of slacking off at work. Additionally, the boss will pretend to assign tasks, which you are free to reject, even leaving the project plans on the boss's desk. A video showed that the company's layout mirrors that of a real workplace, exuding a professional atmosphere. It is equipped with office desks, chairs, computers, and other office supplies. The job terms include a daily fee of 30 yuan or about 4 U.S. dollars, lunch provided, working hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and no clocking-in requirement. As China's economic situation continues to deteriorate, free public libraries have temporarily replaced Starbucks as a refuge for unemployed individuals. The library index has even become an indicator of unemployment rates in China. Recently, the emergence of the pretend-to-work company has sparked heated online discussions. Many netizens expressed their views. The concept of a pretend-to-work company is so creative. Add computers, and it becomes a new type of internet cafe. This is essentially a cafeteria. To put it another way, for 30 yuan, you get an 8-hour self-study workspace and a box lunch. Where is the company located? I'll stop by and experience it sometime. However, some netizens raised concerns. What happens at the end of the month? How do you explain no paycheck at home? Can pretending to work really ease anxiety? Why am I still worried? On December 30, the topic pay-to-work finally appears trended on Weibo's hot search, sparking even more discussions.