The “Zero Govt” policy used in China is making life harder for employees and companies, and needs to be adjusted day by day for restrictions, uncertainty, layoffs and even bankruptcy.
China is the last economic power to pursue a rigorous health strategy based on isolation, specific closure measures and mandatory PCR testing on people affected by Govt-19. However, this policy will have repercussions on the economy, especially with the closure of a large number of shops, the collapse of tourism, the recession in industrial work and the disruption of production chains. The Asian giant recovered quickly from the first epidemic shock in 2020, but in recent months it has been facing its worst outbreak of the virus in two years. In April, this situation led to the complete closure of the economic capital Shanghai for two months, which had catastrophic consequences for operations and recorded unemployment.

Real concern

Fiona Shia has twice lost her job due to an epidemic. In 2020, this 38-year-old Beijing woman held a management position in the hotel industry, when the epidemic crisis hit the tourism industry hard. Two years later, Fiona, who worked for a multinational company, finds herself unemployed again due to health restrictions. “The epidemic has made things so much more complicated,” he says, as many companies are currently reluctant to hire or cut salaries. She points to another hurdle, namely that many employers “do not employ people over the age of 35”, stressing that it is very difficult to get an executive job. “I’m very worried,” he says. Isolation activities and the unexpected closure of shops, offices and factories have become a daily concern for business owners. Due to the day-to-day changing anti-Govt measures, companies no longer have a clear vision.
The epidemic also weakens strong groups that have previously been affected by stricter laws on real estate and technology. Bey, 27, worked for an American company in the technology industry, but he was fired. As the authorities tightened the laws on digital giants, the company that worked for Bay for “lost” money decided to withdraw from the Chinese market. “This will not be the first and last company,” said Beijing resident Beijing, who did not want to be named. As for logistics, health restrictions pose a problem. The clothing team that Andrew Zhang initially worked on tried to keep its stores open. But the owners “realized this was not possible” due to isolated restrictions that disrupted supply. As a result, the company was only sold online and Andrew was fired.

Extra hours

In March alone, about 1.3 million companies in China canceled their business registrations, an increase of 24% year-on-year, according to official figures. Chinese President Xi Jinping firmly defends the health strategy, and no one dares to question it publicly. Analysts expect the zero-coveted strategy to continue, even as the economy pays and restrictions make the lives of business owners and employees unbearable.
“Working from home, especially working overtime in a field like ours, has further blurred the line between routine, professional and personal life,” says Ning. The 26-year-old, who did not want to be named, worked in the marketing department of a technology company in Beijing. He finished his work at eleven o’clock at night. But after being forced to work from his neighbor’s house in Beijing, he no longer stops working before midnight and works overtime on weekends. “I was so tired,” he says. That is why I submitted my resignation letter. ” Since then he has sent resumes to two hundred companies and given only three job interviews. “It’s frustrating, but we need to find a way to proceed,” he says.