In a controversial move, Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group has mandated unmarried workers to marry and start families by September 30 or risk termination, echoing similar pressures from other companies amidst declining marriage rates in China.
Chinese Companies Push Employees to Marry Amidst Declining Birth Rates
Chinese Companies Push Employees to Marry Amidst Declining Birth Rates
Amid China's falling marriage and birth rates, some employers are pressuring unmarried workers to start families or face job loss.
As China grapples with a significant drop in marriage and birth rates, certain private enterprises are intensifying pressure on employees regarding their personal lives. Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group, a chemical manufacturer, recently issued a widely circulated memo urging unmarried staff to marry and have children for the nation's welfare. According to the memo, unless workers begin families by September 30, their employment contracts will be terminated.
This is not an isolated incident; other employers, like a popular supermarket chain, have also sought to influence employee decisions. The supermarket recently advised its workforce against asking for betrothal gifts, aiming to ease wedding expenses and promote marriages. These measures have sparked widespread criticism, as many young adults are already reluctant to start families due to various factors, including the financial burden associated with raising children and the desire for greater personal freedom.
The national statistics back up these concerns, revealing that only 6.1 million couples tied the knot last year—representing a staggering 20 percent decrease from the previous year, marking the lowest figures since records began in 1986. As a result, China's population has encountered a continuous decline for the past three years, provoking further government apprehensions about the country's future demographic landscape.
