These Chinese companies make you pay a small fee to pretend to have a job • FRANCE 24 English

Summary

In the heart of Chongqing, China, a growing trend sees young people paying to 'pretend' to work in fake companies. These offices, once travel agencies, offer spaces where jobless individuals can spend hours playing games, taking naps, and enjoying each other's company. The idea is to avoid judgment from family and friends, providing fake work environments and certificates to appear employed. With youth unemployment in China reaching alarming levels, many see this as an escape from the pressures of the real job market and the burden of overtime work.

Takeaways

• 😀 Entrepreneurs in China are gaining thousands of followers online with unusual business proposals, such as creating fake companies.
• 😀 Some businesses in Chongqing, China, are offering a workspace where employees do nothing but pretend to work.
• 😀 The 'fake office' concept involves using empty offices with non-functional computers and printers, where people engage in non-productive activities like playing games and napping.
• 😀 People pay €6 a day to use these fake companies as a way to simulate a working environment for up to 8 hours.
• 😀 The office was originally a travel agency, but now it is used to simulate business activities, such as fake trips to Macau for €170.
• 😀 Danny Woo, a 21-year-old participant, uses the office to take photos of his 'work' to show his family as proof of his job.
• 😀 Fake business registration certificates are created to make the job appear legitimate, especially when showing them to family members.
• 😀 Many young people in China are drawn to fake companies to avoid societal judgment for not having a real job or being unemployed.
• 😀 The primary reason young people are attracted to these fake jobs is the pressure of China's high youth unemployment rate, which reached 17% last year.
• 😀 Some young people prefer pretending to work in these fake environments over real jobs, as real employment often involves long hours and overtime.
• 😀 The real unemployment rate among young people in China could be much higher than officially reported, indicating a larger problem in the job market.

Q & A

What is the main concept behind the 'fake company' in Chongqing?

The main concept is to provide a space where people can pretend to work in an office environment. The company offers a setting with computers and office supplies, but no real work is done. People pay €6 daily to spend up to 8 hours a day pretending to work, often engaging in activities like playing video games or taking naps.

Why do people pay to work in a fake office?

People pay to avoid judgment from others about their lack of a traditional job. By spending time in a 'fake' office and creating a semblance of a career, they can show proof to family and friends that they are working, despite not actually being employed.

How does this fake office environment look and operate?

The office has a reception area, workspaces with computers and printers (though these don't work), and a view of the city. It’s designed to mimic a real office, but the actual activity there is limited to playing games, taking naps, and socializing. The employees don’t perform any real work.

What is the significance of the fake trip to Macau?

The fake trip to Macau, which costs €170, is a prop used to make the office environment feel more authentic. It adds a touch of realism to the setup, and participants use it as a form of 'work-related' activity to show family or others that they are involved in something legitimate.

Who is Danny Woo and how does she participate in the fake company?

Danny Woo is a 21-year-old individual who participates in this fake company by taking photos of her workspace. She uses these photos to show her family as proof that she is 'working' in a legitimate office environment, despite not actually being employed.

What does Danny Woo show her family as proof of her work?

Danny Woo shows her family a bogus business registration certificate. This fake certificate serves as proof that she is employed at the fake company, even though she isn’t actually working there.

Why are young people in China increasingly seeking fake office environments?

Young people in China are turning to fake office environments to avoid social judgment about their lack of a traditional job. With the high unemployment rate, many youths seek these spaces as a way to appear employed while avoiding the pressures of a real job, which often involves long hours and overtime.

What is the current state of youth unemployment in China?

Youth unemployment in China jumped to 17% last year, a significant figure that suggests many young people are struggling to find stable employment. Experts believe the actual unemployment rate could be much higher than reported.

How does the job market in China influence the demand for fake office spaces?

The challenging job market, combined with a high unemployment rate, makes it difficult for many young people to find stable work. As a result, some individuals seek out fake office spaces as a way to escape the stigma of being unemployed and to simulate a work environment without the pressure of having a real job.

What activities do people engage in while at the fake office?

While at the fake office, people engage in activities like playing card games, enjoying each other's company, playing video games, and taking naps. These activities provide a sense of social interaction and a break from the pressures of unemployment.