CHINA: Every morning, thousands of young people across China get dressed for work—not to earn a wage, but to preserve the illusion of employment.
In major cities, a growing number of unemployed youth are paying daily fees to simulate office life.
As youth unemployment soars past 16%, many recent graduates find themselves stuck in what state media terms an “employment ice age”.
In Beijing and Shanghai, makeshift workspaces offer the illusion of employment.
For as little as RMB 30 to 50 yuan (approximately S$5.35 to S$9), users gain access to an office desk, Wi-Fi, coffee, and sometimes even lunch.
Some packages include additional services like staged photo ops, or fake managers who provide “supervision”.
This phenomenon, widely shared across Chinese social media, is less a joke and more a business model—offering unemployed youths dignity, routine, and a way to manage both personal stress and family expectations.
Maintaining appearances under social pressure
China’s work culture places strong emphasis on visible professional success. For many young people, unemployment carries heavy stigma.
Some resort to these fake offices simply to avoid awkward questions from family members.
Others seek solace in daily routine, or hope that staying in a professional environment may boost their chances of real employment.
In one case, a law firm in Beijing repurposed its unused offices. Real lawyers now work alongside freelancers and ‘fake workers’—some scrolling on TikTok, others playing games to kill time.
Workspaces reinvented as therapy zones
Innovative entrepreneurs have further adapted the model.
In one example, a live stream studio turned itself into a shared office branded for visibility.
In another, a farm on the outskirts of Beijing transformed into a therapeutic co-working site, where users answer emails under the sun and dig up carrots during their lunch break.
The founder of the farm concept said he was inspired by a Japanese book on youth unemployment.
His goal is to give people “a place to feel like they belong”, even if they are currently between jobs.
A reflection of a wider employment crisis
Data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics shows that youth unemployment among those aged 16 to 24 reached 16.5% in March 2025, before easing slightly to 15.8% in April.
While the government has launched initiatives to support job creation and promote youth entrepreneurship, critics argue that deeper structural issues—such as oversupply of graduates and economic slowdown—remain unaddressed.
In the meantime, many young Chinese are turning to these ‘pretend-to-work’ services for comfort and coping.
The desperation to find work has also made many young job seekers vulnerable to exploitation.
According to several local reports, scams are on the rise.
Victims are being tricked into paying upfront fees for fake jobs, undergoing dubious training, or signing exploitative contracts.
These fraudulent practices add to the anxiety and instability felt by unemployed youth.
Though some may dismiss these services as novelty or performance, many users say they gain a real sense of purpose, if only temporarily.
It highlights a deeper emotional need: when employment is out of reach, the structure and symbolism of work still matter.
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