[Vox pop] The unspoken workplace challenges for women in China
The situation where married women without children stand less of a chance against single or even married women with children seems to be an unspoken rule in China’s workplace. What do the Chinese think about this matter? ThinkChina’s Yi Jina and Lu Lingming ask some Chinese individuals.
The challenges women face in China’s workplace have long been a topic of interest on Chinese social media. For example, some people have complained that employers often avoid hiring married women without children for fear they will take maternity leave. To sidestep probing questions like “Are you married?” or “Do you have kids?”, some young women have found it easier to simply claim they are single.
At work, some women find it more challenging to climb the corporate ladder due to factors like family obligations, limited opportunities to network with male bosses and job insecurity following maternity leave.
While some acknowledge that these challenges remain common, others believe the situation is gradually improving as society progresses and more people advocate for gender equality and women’s rights. Nonetheless, many think that there is still a long way to go before China achieves comprehensive support for women in the workforce.
