Lin Min

linmin67@hotmail.com

LAST week, Qu Jing, a public relations executive at China’s tech giant Baidu, found herself out of a job after sparking a public relations crisis with her eye-popping remarks endorsing overwork. As the former vice president and head of communications at Baidu, Qu ignited public outrage with her fiery comments, hitting a raw nerve with a younger generation of professionals weary of grueling hours and relentless pressure.

In a series of short videos posted on the Douyin platform earlier this month, Qu spoke fervently about her dedication to her career, her stringent management style, and her unwavering demands on her subordinates. In one video, she berated an employee for refusing a 50-day business trip during the COVID pandemic when travel restrictions and quarantines were imposed, making it difficult for the employee to return home.

“Why should I consider the employee’s family? I am not her mother-in-law,” Qu remarked. “I’m not your mother either. I only care about results, and our relationship is solely based on work.” She bluntly stated that she would readily approve if the employee chose to resign.

In another video, Qu asserted that public relations professionals should not expect weekends off and should be “always ready to respond” on their phones 24 hours a day. She even went as far as to threaten employees who voiced complaints, suggesting they would struggle to find another job in the PR industry.

The backlash against Qu quickly spread across social media platforms such as Douyin and Weibo, with users condemning her aggressive and insensitive approach and accusing her of fostering a toxic work environment. Many lamented her lack of empathy towards staff members. Baidu’s stock price took a significant hit on the Hong Kong stock exchange, losing HK$6 billion in value on May 7, as the incident became one of the day’s trending topics.

Following the uproar, Qu lost her job. The company later released an internal speech by Cui Shanshan, a senior vice president overseeing human resources and administrative functions, condemning damaging practices common in tech firms, including “working overtime merely to demonstrate a positive work attitude.”

While Asia is often associated with long working hours and a “work-till-you-drop” culture, similar issues are not confined to this region alone. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has also faced criticism for his approach to employee productivity. Musk’s relentless drive for profitability has led to drastic measures within his companies, such as Twitter.

After assuming control of Twitter on Oct. 27, 2022, Musk halted remote work, terminated employee lunches, and laid off approximately 3,700 employees — about half of Twitter’s workforce. On Nov. 16, 2022, he issued an ultimatum demanding staff commit to a new “extremely hardcore” Twitter that “will mean working long hours at a high intensity.” Employees had until 5 p.m. the next day to accept or take a severance package. This move resulted in significant disruptions to Twitter’s operations, with many employees opting to leave the company.

The fallout from Musk’s actions contributed to the failure of the Twitter acquisition financially. One year after the acquisition, company documents revealed a steep decline in valuation, down approximately 55% from Musk’s purchase price.

Silvia Bellezza, an associate professor of business at Columbia Business School, notes a broader societal shift away from the glorification of “hustle culture” or “burnout culture.” This trend has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting many white-collar workers to prioritize work-life balance after experiencing remote work arrangements.

In China, the concept of tangping, or “lying flat,” has emerged as a form of protest against the pressures of a highly competitive job market and other pressures faced by young people, such as high housing and child-raising costs. While hard work has traditionally been esteemed, younger generations are increasingly valuing work-life balance and are more willing to challenge workplace exploitation.

The lesson from Qu and Musk is clear. A toxic work culture can damage productivity, morale, and company reputation. Company owners and executives do not have to resort to the most exploitative business models. Researchers are increasingly questioning the necessity of promoting workaholism in the context of running a successful or ethical business.

Studies have shown that longer working hours can lead to increased stress, burnout, and various health issues, negatively impacting employees’ well-being. Overwork-related deaths have been reported in China and other countries. Some research suggests that shorter working hours do not necessarily reduce productivity.

In fact, more balanced working hours can improve employee morale, engagement, and overall job satisfaction, which can have a positive impact on productivity in the long term. As artificial intelligence and robotics continue to free humans from repetitive and mundane tasks, there will be more opportunities for humans to engage in creative and strategic work. Treating employees as mere robots is an approach that has no future. An enabling and accommodating work environment is more likely to boost productivity and foster creativity.

(The author is a deputy editor-in-chief of Shenzhen Daily.)