Qu Jing, the head of public relations at the Chinese internet company Baidu, is facing criticism for her controversial remarks endorsing a tough workplace culture.
Key points:
- In videos published on Douyin, Qu promoted a demanding management style and disregarded concerns about employees being overworked, saying, “as I’m not your mother,” which caused anger from young workers.
- The incident caused a public relations crisis for Baidu, resulting in a drop in stock prices.
- After facing criticism for her lack of concern and insensitivity, Qu apologized and resigned from her position.
The details:
- In the now-deleted videos, Qu presented herself as a tough manager, rejecting the idea of considering employees as family and suggesting they quit if they were not happy.
- In one video, she criticized an employee for refusing a 50-day business trip during the COVID-19 pandemic. She reportedly said, “Why should I take my employee’s family into consideration? I’m not her mother-in-law. I’m 10 years, 20 years older than you. I didn’t feel bitter about it or tired, even though I have two children. Who are you to tell me that your husband can’t stand it?”
- Qu also threatened to hinder the careers of employees who complained about her management. “I can make it impossible for you to find a job in this industry with just a short essay,” she wrote.
- Qu also emphasized her own sacrifices as a working mother, claiming to have forgotten her elder son’s birthday and what grade her younger son is in at school.
- In another clip, she stated that those in public relations shouldn’t expect weekends off and should be constantly available. “Keep your phone on 24 hours a day, always ready to respond,” she said.
- The remarks sparked significant criticism from young workers who have long expressed frustration with the intense and competitive workplace culture in . She received criticism for threatening subordinates and being insensitive to work-life balance. ChinaQu’s apology:
Following this, Qu’s controversial remarks
- a public relations crisis for the sparked search engine company, resulting in a notable drop in stock prices by 2.17% on Tuesday. Chinese The criticism led to Qu offering an apology. She released a statement on her personal account on WeChat, writing, “I have carefully read all the opinions and comments from various platforms, and many criticisms are very pertinent. I deeply reflect on and humbly accept them.”
- “I’m sorry that the inappropriate videos led to the public’s misunderstanding of my company’s values and corporate culture,” she added, noting that her remarks were simply her opinion and did not reflect Baidu’s stance. “I will learn from my mistakes and improve the way I communicate, and care more for my colleagues.”
- According to the
- Economic Review , a state-run financial news outlet, Qu has reportedly stepped down from her position as vice president and head of communications. Baidu has yet to confirm the news.Qu, who was a reporter before entering the PR industry, previously worked at
- , known for its intense corporate culture. This experience influenced her approach at Baidu, resulting in internal dissatisfaction and high turnover within the PR team. HuaweiChina’s work culture:
The situation shows the increasing resistance to China’s demanding work culture, called “
- ,” which requires long hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.996Younger generations have begun to push back against the government’s focus on hard work and productivity by embracing a passive lifestyle using the “
- ” philosophy, which turns away from ambition and consumerism.lying flatThe “lying flat” movement has resulted in trends like
- wearing pajamas to work, young professionals quitting their jobs and throwing resignation parties, and students taking unflattering graduation photos posting to represent the reality of China’s tough job market. Qu Jing, the public relations chief of Chinese internet company Baidu, is facing criticism for her controversial comments endorsing a harsh workplace culture.
Key points:
