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“I’ve been working until 1:00 am or later, then getting up at 8:00 am to continue working this week, but my mentor still pointed out a lot of problems that need to be reworked. But there’s no space to escape, if I don’t work harder, I would be laid off in the next quarter. I couldn’t imagine if I lost this job, either I had a rich family to rely on or had some indispensable skills. Now there’s massive laid-off everywhere due to the economic downturn, and it would be extremely hard to find another job if I’m being dismissed. The most probable result of my life would be nothing.”
– Linda, a 26-year-old operation specialist in Tiktok, Shanghai

In China’s bustling urban centers, a significant number of young individuals are employed in Internet firms, driven by the desire for a more promising future characterized by secure employment and affordable housing. Linda’s experienced colleagues at Tiktok, who worked diligently like her, underwent a transformation in their lives. Originating as diligent students from rural or small-town backgrounds as Linda, known as “,”(“小镇做题家”) they excelled academically, performing well in entrance exams and securing places in top universities. While they lacked broader perspectives and social networks, they nonetheless successfully transitioned into urban elites with competitive salaries, stock shares and options from China’s most valuable company in the early years, becoming firmly established in first-tier cities.

However, this once cherished aspiration has been shattered due to the end of rapid growth and the impossibility of significant salary advancements. The soaring property prices in China, especially in big cities, make it impractical for most people to purchase an apartment in such a metropolis, diminishing the chances of achieving such an exciting miracle. Returning to their smaller hometowns or cities is a challenging prospect for these individuals, primarily due to the limited Internet-related job opportunities outside major urban hubs such as Beijing and Shanghai. Furthermore, young individuals like Linda, who often belong to the first generation of college graduates in their families, face immense expectations of securing respectable employment and surpassing their parents’ financial achievements. These young people are swashed down by hopelessness.

Overtime pressure still grows under hopelessness. According to Chinese labor law, workers should not work more than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, and overtime is restricted to 36 hours a month. However, staff in the Internet sector, especially at big tech firms, face unpaid compulsory overtime, . The pervasive in Chinese internet companies is exemplified by the widespread adoption of the (working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week) and the (work six days a week, every other week).  Despite the alarming occurrences of sudden due to long working hours, which serve as a warning to society, the common issue of excessive overtime work remains largely unchanged.

During my 2022 fieldwork conducted in Shanghai and Beijing, the two biggest and most developed cities in China, I encountered a significant number of young people working in Internet companies with different positions and salaries, who were all enduring excessive workloads, resulting in losing hope and an escalating level of pressure. This blog outlines how and why some young people who worked in Internet giants in China commonly with extremely long working hours, felt pressure under hopelessness. By analyzing the social and economic context of the post-COVID downturn in China, the findings illustrate how this pressure was connected to the fear of unemployment, the burden of maintaining high objectives after rapid growth, and the drive to maximize human resources, resulting in a hollow pressure amidst prevailing hopelessness.

“Frightened Birds” in Chinese Internet Companies

During the summer of 2021, Linda achieved success in the highly competitive job market after completing a master’s degree at a prestigious university in China. With a remarkable academic background and extensive internships in renowned internet companies, she excelled in multiple rounds of job interviews. Linda’s triumph came in the form of a job offer from Chinese Tiktok, a widely recognized internet firm and one of the top 5 companies in China. Moreover, Linda’s accomplishment was further highlighted by being offered a “special package,” indicating her exceptional qualifications and the provision of a higher salary in comparison to other graduates.

However, under the prestigious surface, Linda has been grappling with immense pressure – ranging from performance pressure, long working hours pressure, to future development pressure, particularly since 2022. Shanghai, known as China’s economic center and a global trade hub with endless opportunities, was deeply hurt by an unprecedented that lasted more than two months, resulting in a shrinking economy. The relentless demands of long working hours, challenging targets, a disheartening work environment, and stagnant wages have gradually drained her energy. Despite being allergic to cat hair, she recently purchased two cats, necessitating the rental of a larger apartment where she can establish a “human-cat separation” to alleviate her allergies. However, this also means higher rental costs. She reflects on how people used to say that Tiktok was the ultimate destination for individuals in the Internet industry; she has arrived at this “destination” early. Finding a new job has become incredibly difficult, and she feels the pressure of paying for the new apartment, making the prospect of unpaid unemployment unaffordable. Young workers like Linda find themselves trapped in a cycle of working overtime, not driven by their own ambitions, but rather out of fear of being laid off. The prevailing stressful atmosphere compels everyone to endure excessive workloads.

Contrary to expectations, the post-lockdown period and the removal of China’s “dynamic zero-COVID” policy did not bring about the anticipated economic resurgence. Instead, numerous rounds of widespread at China’s Internet Giants instilled fear in people, creating an atmosphere where job security became increasingly uncertain. In the internet sector, there is a popular adage known as “Golden March, Silver April” and “Golden September, Silver October,” signifying the optimal months for job transitions due to the active job market during these periods. However, since 2022, this notion has lost its effectiveness as the entire economic environment resembles stagnant water, discouraging individuals from daring to switch jobs. Linda expressed her powerlessness to me, sighing at the prevailing circumstances. White-collar employees like Linda, who work in prominent internet companies, frequently engage in both online and offline communication with their peers to exchange industry information. They are well aware of the deteriorating market conditions characterized by limited job opportunities, widespread layoffs, prevalent salary reductions, and flagrant violations of labor laws. Despite their dissatisfaction, they reluctantly and intimately commit to overwhelming workloads for fear of being dismissed.

Linda once described her experience to me. Filled with trepidation, she would typically leave the office at 10 pm each day, often being the first to depart among her team members. She recounted how the office atmosphere felt stifling, leaving her to quietly exit the still busy but silent workspace without bidding farewell to her colleagues. She doesn’t want to draw too much attention to her “early” departure, as nobody bothered to lift their heads from their laptops, occasionally giving her a fleeting glance. She stepped into the vibrant neon-lit nights of Shanghai.

Linda and Yubo, an agency worker employed by a labor recruitment agency but dispatched to a prominent Internet company, exemplify two distinct ends of the spectrum of employment in the Internet sector in China. Linda secured a coveted position at Tiktok through the highly competitive graduate entry program, reserved for exceptionally talented graduates from prestigious universities. This prestigious role comes with generous compensation and superior welfare benefits. Linda earned a monthly salary of approximately $3,700 before taxes, in addition to a year-end bonus equivalent to three months’ wages. The average was approximately $855. Conversely, Yubo worked as a front-end developer, earning around $2,100 per month. However, Linda’s experience of working overtime resonates with Yubo’s and thousands of other workers in similar situations. Yubo revealed that he had to work until midnight for an entire week, resulting in heart palpitations and forcing him to reluctantly request half a day off for rest.

    “This level of hard work is not driven by ambition. Instead, it stems from a collective sense of fear and insecurity, as if we are all ‘frightened birds’ constantly dreading the possibility of being dismissed. Reluctantly, we push ourselves to keep up with the pace set by others. In the past, we used to believe that a better life could be achieved by reaching certain milestones, with the expectation that our quality of life would improve. However, it becomes ‘from one pit to another’ now. Even if we reach the goals we had set for ourselves, there is no relief from the burden, like even if I had more work experience, the possibility of job hopping for a significantly higher salary remains tough; even if I find a better job someday, I still have to worry about midlife unemployment; even if I work in Beijing now, I couldn’t imagine buying an apartment. There is a lack of interest or ambition to create something meaningful; our primary focus is simply to survive.” (Yubo, a 24-year-old front developer as an agency worker, Beijing)

Linda also describes the experience of moving “from one pit to another.” Transitioning to a new job not only entails the difficulties posed by a shrinking job market but also brings about overwhelming uncertainty. The same set of issues, such as excessive overtime, burdensome work arrangements, unqualified yet harsh supervisors, the looming threat of downsizing and layoffs, are pervasive across nearly all internet companies. In smaller private companies, the situation is even worse as they often disregard labor laws. “While big companies may superficially comply with regulations to some extent, small companies treat us as ‘new slaves’ with complete disregard for the law,” Linda explained, shedding light on why she feels unable to resist or change her circumstances.

The Era of High Growth Faded Away as Bubbles Remained

Linda and Yubo are just two among the thousands of workers facing similar situations. Working in prestigious and well-paying Internet companies used to be their source of hope, offering opportunities to fulfill their expectations for a better life. In the past, those expectations seemed within reach. The rapid expansion of the internet sector, particularly the mobile internet, led to a significant increase in users over the past few decades. Linda has a friend who worked as a user growth operator in PDD Holdings four years ago, holding a similar position to hers. The friend described how easily they achieved user growth goals at that time, with even the natural growth of users occurring at an astonishing pace. Linda admired those golden days but recognized that hoping for their return seemed unrealistic—the high-speed train had already departed. According to the “51st Statistical Report on China’s Internet Development” released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), as of December 2022, the number of Internet users in China had reached 1.067 billion, with an internet penetration rate of 75.6%, a 2.6% increase from December 2021. Furthermore, 99.8% of internet users accessed the internet through mobile phones, indicating that the era of rapid growth in the internet industry had come to an end, forever.

The era of rapid growth comes to a standstill, it is leaving behind a bubble of inflated expectations. In many internet companies, employee performance is evaluated through the Objective and Key Results (OKR) framework, with each team leader setting objectives that are reviewed on a monthly and quarterly basis. In the past, these objectives were more attainable, representing ambitious yet realistic figures based on industry development. However, the dynamics have shifted. Everyone, especially experienced team leaders, is aware that achieving high growth is now difficult, yet they continue to set high objectives that are challenging to realize. It’s like gambling. These leaders also fear for their own survival, as they must triumph in the increasingly fierce competition with other departments or teams. If they manage to achieve the high objective, it can be credited to their effective management and organization, securing their position and even leading to promotions. Conversely, if they fail, they can conveniently find someone within their team to blame and hold accountable, known as the “blamer” (referred to as “背锅侠” in Chinese). However, if they were to set lower and more practical objectives that are easily achievable, they would fail to demonstrate the value of their department or team compared to others.

In the quest to prove themselves, people have embarked on a kind of enterprise-level . Faced with the pressures of survival within the company, leaders set unrealistically high objectives and then pass on the burden to their team members. These team members have no choice but to work harder, striving to meet the demanding goals in order to prove their worth and avoid being dismissed. Even if someone is dismissed as a “blamer”, it is not a significant concern. It presents an opportunity for the leader to replace the fired individual with someone who is more compliant or favored, creating a more “integrated” team. Linda, with a hint of despair in her voice, shared, “My mentor told me that I didn’t meet her expectations, which is usually an ambiguous yet nonspoken precursor to dismissal.” She continued, “Only those who maintain a good relationship with the leader and are available around the clock without any complaints can temporarily secure their position.”

Striving to Function as an Effective Component

During the previous flourishing era, the Internet industry experienced rapid development by pursuing a strategy of expanding its market share through substantial investments in both human resources and financial resources, with little consideration for returns. However, as the period of fast growth came to an end, management shifted its focus toward enhancing human resource efficiency. In order to achieve this, two approaches have emerged: extensive layoffs and the utilization of external .

To make the best of human resources, Tiktok has established numerous small teams consisting of a product manager, an operator, and only a handful of developers and testers. Their aim is to develop new apps or attract more users. However, due to the inherent challenges associated with these projects, it is highly unlikely that these teams will replicate the successful miracle of Tiktok. Despite facing immense pressure and working overtime under the watchful eye of her mentor, Linda is determined not to lose her job, at least not for now. Therefore, she is compelled to work even harder to prove her worth. Nonetheless, she is aware that regardless of her dedication and hard work, the most favorable outcome she can hope for is delayed dismissal, as there is a constant supply of younger, cheaper, healthier, and more compliant eagerly waiting to take her place. China’s labor market is already inundated with a substantial number of unsuccessful job seekers who completed their college education amidst the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. However, this summer, they will be joined by an additional 11.58 million new graduates, representing an increase of approximately 820,000 compared to the previous year. Alarmingly, the unemployment rate for individuals between the ages of 16 to 24 currently exceeds 18%. Employees within the organization are consumed at an accelerated pace and discarded when their value diminishes, or to put it more professionally, when their human resource efficiency declines.

Another approach to enhance human resource efficiency is the utilization of external staff provided by labor recruitment agencies like Yubo. These agency workers are not considered part of the Internet companies’ internal workforce but are rather viewed as “services” acquired from external sources. They are assigned various work arrangements under the control of the Internet company and can be easily disposed of when their services are no longer required, as their labor contracts are with the labor recruitment agency. Yubo, for example, is not recognized as an employee, yet he diligently works towards achieving his mentor’s goals. He fully understands the situation, stating, “We are treated as commodities. The Internet company sources workers from the agency and releases them when they no longer meet the requirements.” However, Yubo has no other choice as he lacks a competitive educational background and other suitable job opportunities are in smaller cities, where wages are significantly lower, less than half of his monthly wage now. Yubo’s manager is aware of his long working hours, which can be monitored through the online system, and reminds him to “take care” as the excessive hours pose a risk of sudden death. Yubo’s manager showed little concern for him. Although the manager acknowledged Yubo’s excessive workload, there was no effort to address it. The manager’s only intention seemed to be preventing Yubo from sudden death, for which the company should take responsibility.

Both Linda and Yubo dedicate more than 60 hours per week to their work, particularly during the demanding “big week” when they are required to work six days continuously. The demanding workload burns them out. During her precious days off, Linda prefers to spend time lying in bed and enjoying the company of her cats. She seldom cooks for herself and instead opts for ordering takeout meals online.

The feeling of hopelessness is a recurring theme in our conversations. Yubo, with only a junior colledge education, is currently enrolled in a self-taught undergraduate degree program. He values the improved qualifications but acknowledges that they may not significantly enhance his prospects when searching for another job. He contemplates pursuing a master’s degree in the future but remains uncertain about the potential for a hopeful outcome. Yubo expressed his despondency, saying, “There are very few people I can share my thoughts with in life. It’s impossible to separate work and life; work has become my entire life.”

Linda, who used to possess a vibrant and optimistic personality, has become more withdrawn since starting work. During her master’s degree, she had a brief stint as an intern in the local government, however she quit after just two weeks, finding it monotonous and lacking significance. In her pursuit of securing a higher-paying and more challenging job, she undertook multiple internships to accumulate experience and abandoned her aspirations of taking . There are moments when she blames herself, reflecting on how foolish she was to despise the very job she now desires. She purchased a series of exam reference books and intends to study diligently but finds herself unable to spare any time for preparation. The dusty stack of reference books sitting in a corner represents her only, albeit faint, glimmer of hope.

Yun Xiong is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology at Peking University. She’s currently a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Department ‘Anthropology of Economic Experimentation’.