What's happening to those hot jobs in Beijing?

Beijing’s air pollution problems have been widely reported in the news lately. That Beijing suffers from high levels of pollution is nothing new, but the recent surge in media attention will push it to the forefront of people’s minds and will undoubtedly be a factor in deciding whether to take a job in the city.

A couple of high-profile expat employees at leading global firms recently decided they'd had enough of Beijing's pollution, and requested transfer to other locations, such as Germany or the United States. I have an American acquaintance who insisted on a “danger bonus” when relocating to Beijing solely because of pollution. So what does this mean for companies hiring in Beijing this year?

Recruitment in China has been a hot topic for some time. The abundance of opportunities as the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) has boomed over the last few years is extraordinary. The number of foreign companies that have opened in China during this period is phenomenal and salary increases in Tier 1 cities has soared for both multinationals and state-owned organisations.

China, therefore, is exciting from an employment perspective and Beijing is an attractive proposition to local employees and foreigners. But “quality of life” is one area, for employees, where Beijing falls down. 

People tend to move jobs for one of two reasons: money and opportunities. If someone is offering you 50 per cent extra to do a similar job it makes sense to take it. If a company offers fantastic career progression that allows an employee to develop and feel challenged, it is an opportunity to be seized. It is here where the Beijing job market may face challenges in the near future.

Max Price

At the start of the year, recruitment in Beijing was at a crossroads, companies could no longer support the dramatic increases in salaries that were historically offered, and candidates have been moving around far too often and do not have the required experience to command the expected salaries or the positions offered, so once you take away salaries and opportunities why would someone move to Beijing? Or, to put it another way, what other things would people consider before accepting a role in Beijing? This is an increasingly important factor when hiring in China, candidates, like consumers, are more aware of what is available in the market and are insisting that quality of life and the “work-life” balance be considered by companies hiring them.