More cities offer 'mother-friendly' jobs to women with childcare obligations

Duan Yi, 30, who was a homemaker for four years after giving birth, recently found a job at a flexible employment fair in Chongqing.

Previously, Duan ran a small shop, but was forced to shut it down due to economic issues. To boost her family's income, she started looking for a job that would allow her to maintain a work-life balance. Her wish was granted on Friday at the special employment fair co-hosted by the Chongqing Employment Service Bureau, the human resources and social security bureau of Shapingba district and the women's federation of Shapingba.

Today, Duan works as a data entry clerk for 500 yuan ($69) per day. She goes to the office if there is work to do, otherwise she stays at home and takes care of her son.

"I'm satisfied with this job and its flexible hours," she said. "Now that I am back in the job market, I can acquire new skills and prepare for more promising career opportunities or entrepreneurial projects."

About 100 companies offered 5,000 jobs at the fair, mainly in the intelligent automobile manufacturing industry and the service sector. Among these positions, more than 2,000 were "mother-friendly", and about 600 job seekers expressed their interest in the positions.

Mother-friendly jobs are designed to accommodate women who are of legal working age and have caregiving obligations for children under 12 years old. The positions often involve flexible hours and adaptive management models, enabling mothers to balance work and childcare.

Li Fangsheng, a manager at Chongqing Youjipin Human Resources Management, said the company joined the employment fair to "find qualified personnel as soon as possible".

The company needs a large number of service-oriented staff to work as restaurant servers, dishwashers and conference attendants, among other positions, for more than 10 high-end local hotels. The positions offer flexible hours, Li said, noting that compared with permanent ones, these jobs cost the company less.

"In the hospitality industry, we particularly welcome mothers to take advantage of the flexible working hours. As these women often have prior experience in tasks such as cooking, cleaning and housekeeping, they are ideal candidates," he added.

Shapingba has organized several such employment fairs this year, providing more than 6,100 jobs to mothers, with their salaries ranging from 4,000 yuan to 13,000 yuan per month, according to the district's human resources and social security bureau.

Tang Yun, deputy director of the Chongqing Employment Service Bureau, said that helping women balance employment and family responsibilities, especially childbirth and childcare, and building a mother-friendly employment environment are critical steps toward fostering a fertility-friendly society.

Chongqing hosted about 1,000 job fairs this year, offering 23,000 mother-friendly positions, Tang said, adding that it will regularly advertise job vacancies through an online platform and organize more special employment fairs to support women.

The number of newborns in China dropped for seven consecutive years before reporting increases in 2024. The country has implemented many policies in recent years to address the challenges.

Like Chongqing, many other Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Jinan in Shandong province and Wuhan in Hubei province, have introduced measures to build a fertility-friendly society. Some cities have encouraged companies to set up baby care rooms and offer childcare services to create a mother-friendly working environment.

In 2022, the National Health Commission and 16 other departments issued a guideline on further improving and implementing measures to support proactive fertility policies, emphasizing the need to "advance institutional mechanisms that promote women's employment and strengthen vocational skills training for female workers, particularly those reentering the workforce after childbirth".

Qi Xiumin, director of Hebei Qixin Law Firm, said that "mother-friendly" positions aim to alleviate employment challenges faced by mothers, enabling them to achieve self-worth and economic independence while addressing structural labor shortages for businesses.

Qi suggested expanding eligibility to include all caregivers, including men with childcare duties and employment needs, ensuring equitable support for families. She also suggested diversifying roles and models by tailoring positions to meet regional and industrial demands.

It is also important to refine standards for position design, rights protection and integrating technical and managerial roles to ensure long-term sustainability, she added.