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White-collar workers want to be 'last one out' -- of their jobs

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-17 20:56

Stability first

Two months ago, the Shanghai Human Resources Consulting Association (SHRCA) surveyed 7,000 foreign-funded enterprises in the city and found that these businesses cut their staff by less than 0.8 percent. Most of the lost jobs were in electronic communications, financial consulting, trade and cargo transport machinery.

However, white-collar workers were less liable to look for better jobs. Instead, they were more concerned with making sure they kept their current positions.

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"What will you do if a job-hopping opportunity is put in front of you?" asked a survey by recruiting site 51job.com. More than 80 percent of the 500 white-collar respondents said they would stay put, rather than move for a more prestigious job or higher salary. Similar surveys in previous years showed more than half of respondents would move.

On January 6, the SHRCA promulgated the 2008 White Paper on the Shanghai Human Resources Service Industry. It said that the human resources service sector would be affected by the global financial crisis, although the city had not yet seen large-scale job losses.

The impact was expected to be most notable from February to July, when more people might lose jobs, fewer posts would be offered and labor disputes were likely to rise subsequently.

The white paper also predicted hiring would pick up in the second half.

SHRCA president Gu Jiadong said the total workforce of the city's foreign-funded enterprises increased 13.4 percent year-on-year in 2008. Gu said the total would decline 0.5 percent in the first half and rebound 5.3 percent in the second half.

In comparison, employment in the city's state-owned enterprises fell 2 percent in 2008. The total might rise 2.5 percent in the first half and 1.8 percent in the second half.

Yu Cheng and white-collar workers like him don't want to be among the layoff statistics. They see more than 6 million college graduates looking for their own "rice bowls" and more overseas Chinese students and scholars seeking jobs in China as the crisis spreads.

"If I can keep my job, I don't mind turning off the lights at night," Yu said.

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