The ideal worker at Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group, a Chinese chemical manufacturer, is described in an internal memo as hardworking, virtuous, loyal, and willing to have children for the good of the country. The company has instructed unmarried employees to start families by September 30, or face termination of their labor contracts. This is not the first time a company has tried to dictate its employees’ personal lives, as concerns about China’s falling marriage and birth rates have led to various interventions from companies.

In the past, companies have used various strategies to encourage employees to have children, including issuing notices and creating a “fertility-friendly social atmosphere” in the workplace. Shandong Shuntian directed its notice at unmarried employees aged 28 to 58, and anyone failing to follow this instruction faced the termination of their labor contract. However, the company quickly retracted the notice following widespread criticism. The government, while not directly issuing orders, has been encouraging companies to foster a social environment that promotes childbearing.

Some critics have suggested that these interventions by companies are disguised cost-cutting measures. However, the fact that companies feel comfortable issuing such edicts reflects the broader social environment. The government may prefer to create social pressure for childbearing, as this approach is low-cost and low-risk. The idea of government agencies leading by example in implementing the three-child policy has also been floated, with the central authorities in the past encouraging party members to have one child.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/world/asia/china-marriage-companies-childbirth.html