Gen Z graduates are stepping out of college with prestigious degrees, only to be met with a sluggish job market, making it feel nearly impossible to land a gig. The situation has gotten so bad in China that young professionals are even paying to work in a mock office to pass the time.
Young adults in China are paying between 30 and 50 yuan per day, or around $4.20 to $7, to sit in fake office setups across the country run by Pretend to Work Company. While the cost might not sound like much for U.S. readers, the nation’s average non-private sector annual salary is just shy of $16,000—so the $1,820 annual price to pretend-work Monday through Friday adds up. These spaces are hotspots for China’s jobless Gen Z to work on their own startups, apply to open roles, or simply sit around in the company of other struggling youth looking for an opportunity. The mock offices often provide computers for use, as well as free snacks, lunch, and drinks.
These faux working locations are popping up in major cities including Shenzhen, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Kunming, according to reporting from the BBC.
With China’s youth unemployment being sky-high at 14.5% for 16- to 24-year-olds, there are plenty of jobless professionals to commiserate with at these “pretend to work” locations. It may seem counterproductive for unemployed people to be spending their money feigning work at an office—but the spaces may be better at stimulating a new opportunity than job-seekers being isolated in their apartments, according to experts.
