Many citizens who don’t want to explain their employment status pay to rent a position in a fake office, with some even assigning fictitious tasks and organizing supervisory rounds

For a daily fee of between 30 and 50 yuan ($4-$7), these companies offer desks, Wi-Fi, coffee, lunch, and an atmosphere that mimics any work environment.

According to a report in Beijing Youth Daily, although there are no contracts or bosses, some firms simulate them: fictitious tasks are assigned and supervisory rounds are even organized.

For a fee, the theatricality can reach unimaginable levels, from pretending to be a manager with his own office to staging episodes of rebellion against a superior.

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    I can see many use cases. Here’s one.

    Imagine Joe.

    Joe makes well over $250k/year doing furry porn livestreams. Nobody knows Joe’s face but they are intimately familiar with his penis and anal sphincter.

    Joe doesn’t want to explain to his friends and family what he does for a living.

    Joe deepfakes himself a career.

    His deeply conservative parents are very proud of Joe.

  • Ekybio@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    This is dystopian on so many levels, I need a branded powerpoint to explain them.

    This comment is sponsored by the voices in your head.

    • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 days ago

      Voices in your head:

      Do you hear voices in your head that others don’t? 9 out of 10 doctors recommend Abilify, talk to your doctor today!

      • _stranger_@lemmy.world
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        22 hours ago

        please speak to a real doctor about your real symptoms. Imaginary doctors or other voices acting like doctors may or may not be appropriate avenues of discourse for this topic. Symptoms include explosive penis syndrome, explosive anus syndrome, acute reverse anthropomorphic dissociation, exploding head syndrome, “linguini finger”, pox, animal dysmorphia, pug eye, and shingles.

  • AmidFuror@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    Anyone else read the headline and think it’s about going to a real job but just scrolling the Fediverse all day?

  • FiveMacs@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

    It’ll be hilarious when one person is trying to prove employment to another and they both ‘work’ in the same fake office…

  • TrackinDaKraken@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Sounds like a cheap way to actually run a one person business. I know that this has been a thing forever–renting a single office in an office building that provides a front desk with a greeter, and secretarial services as part of the deal, but I suspect this option is even cheaper.

    • Joncash2@lemmy.ml
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      2 days ago

      I’m pretty sure that’s what these places are. At the end of the article it says people are mostly there for collaboration and office space, but that some people are there for fake work. Whenever I see articles about China now, I have to question the validity of them. Are there people there for fake work? Clearly, but that’s not what that office is for according to the article itself. And you’d have to ask the simple question, does that happen in other nations as well? Absolutely. But for some reason, news about China, they’ll only admit that at the very end. Suspicious

      • dbtng@eviltoast.org
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        2 days ago

        Right? It seems like a WeWork, except they will help you front as well.
        For most circumstances, I would imagine this extends no farther than using their mailbox and address.
        The lead-in of the article doesn’t well represent the details. Pretty interesting, regardless.

        • Andy@slrpnk.net
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          2 days ago

          It looks like a lot of people in this comment section didn’t read the article. Because I expected something far more dystopian, and honestly this is not that big a deal. Maintaining your confidence and avoiding distractions during a job search is actually a real challenge, and if they offer lunch and WiFi, then spending a few dollars a day to get dressed and leave your apartment sounds like a totally reasonable service.

          I think it sounds a little fucked up, but just in the way that most work stuff is fucked up today. I wish multi-purpose short term space rentals in the US were this cheap.

  • thatradomguy@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    From what I hear, Japan kind of does this too or maybe I heard wrong. Idk. Maybe the long hours are still around?

    • Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
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      2 days ago

      not all companies, but companies trying to fire an employee till they willigly quit will force them to do remidial stuff. due to strong labor laws in japan, its required that BOTH the company and employee agree to quit/get laid off to actually be an official transaction. its part of the reason why an employee might feel like theyre stuck in a company their entire life.

      emphasis again, this does NOT apply to all companies

      • dbtng@eviltoast.org
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        2 days ago

        Thx for finally explaining this for me. I’ve not quite understood it till now.
        Not knowing this detail made some Japan stories very odd.

        • Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
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          2 days ago

          its more or less the pro/con of strong labor laws vs at will.

          strong labor laws guarantees both sides will have some body to work a position, but theyre almost handcuffed together forever, so its extremely imperative to find the correct candidate.

          at will has poor job security, but you have the freedom to get out of the contract with the other party as long as its not a protected reason. at will lets people jump jobs more often which is better for increasing your pay. but it has a shit saftey net, so the people at the bottom struggle.

          • Echinoderm@aussie.zone
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            2 days ago

            Chaining someone to a job sounds more like indenture than strong labour laws.

            Actually strong labour laws let employees choose to work for a different employer, while requiring the employer to have a valid reason to dismiss the employee.