ada, I had to do housework by myself, so work-life balance was a very critical issue for me.” Te Chinese definition of work-life
balance also differs greatly from that of Western countries, where human re- source divisions tend to play a more ac- tive role in shaping employees’ expecta- tions. In an emerging market like China, however, Leger argues that the concept is still in its early stages and developing organically out of cultural norms. One example of the different per-
ceptions of work and play is seen with corporate parties. In the West, most em- ployees prefer that their companies host nighttime soirees, to which workers can bring their spouses. Chinese staff, how- ever, tend to favor events held earlier in the day so that they can go home to their families. Watkins believes that age plays a big
role in how Chinese employees perceive work-life balance as well. While older generations didn’t have the luxury of prioritizing their personal lives, most Chinese born after 1978 have a differ- ent perspective. “[Tis age group] is an emerging class of people that have ex- perienced the greatest wealth creation
in the country’s history, and other things are becoming more important,” Watkins said.
Still, those who are in the early stag-
es of their career usually see professional growth as a top priority. For example, David Ju, a merchandiser for clothing retailer Zara, said that work-life balance wasn’t a motivating factor for leaving his previous job. “Work is work, family life is family life. Tey cannot be mixed,” he said.
China’s top retention factors 1. 2.
Challenges
3. Work-life balance 4. 5.
Clear career path
China’s key motivators for employees to change jobs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Increase in responsibility Increase in compensation Work-life balance
Existing company problems with leadership/strategy Lack of promotion/opportunity in existing firm
Source: MRI China Group
People (coworkers and corporate culture) Location
Down the road, things may change:
Ju admits that success involves not only achievements in business, but also hav- ing a good family life. Tat’s something that the Shanghai-
based marketing director knows all too well. “I think I realized that work-life balance is important at 35,” she said. “My daughter brought on this change. I realized I needed to spend more time with her. Otherwise, I would miss the most important time of her life.”
Star search: Key job motivators in 2011
China Economic Review • May 2011
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