China considers orphaning one-child policy
5 August 2013
China is considering an end to its longstanding one-child policy in a move to combat an ageing demographic – a process that may in time change employer branding needs and priorities for recruiters in the country.
Mon, 5 Aug 2013China is considering an end to its longstanding one-child policy in a move to combat an ageing demographic – a process that may in time change employer branding needs and priorities for recruiters in the country.
China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission confirmed on Friday, via the country’s official press agency Xinhua, that it is looking at whether to relax the country’s longstanding one-child policy, after this was hinted at by leaks to national newspapers.
Speaking to Recruiter for the Global Spotlight on China in the next edition of the magazine, out next week, one in-house recruiter illustrates the effect of one-child families on talent acquisition.
Greg Allen, global head of resourcing at advisory firm Lloyds Register, says: “The one-child policy means these children are actually driven by six people [two parents and four grandparents], so we can say ‘we’re the best company [to work for]’ – but if the parents don’t know us, then we’ll never get them in.”
The result, Allen says, is needing to brand your company to appeal not just to those workers, but to the older generation who can be key decision-makers.
The policy was introduced in the late 1970s to rein in the country’s growing population, although a relaxation was introduced in 2007 under which couples where both prospective parents came from single-child families were allowed to give birth to two children.
China’s estimated 2013 population growth rate and birth rate are the 154th and 161st slowest globally respectively, out of a total of 223 countries and states listed by the CIA World Factbook. The country is also seeing net emigration – meaning more people are leaving the country than immigrating to it.
China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission confirmed on Friday, via the country’s official press agency Xinhua, that it is looking at whether to relax the country’s longstanding one-child policy, after this was hinted at by leaks to national newspapers.
Speaking to Recruiter for the Global Spotlight on China in the next edition of the magazine, out next week, one in-house recruiter illustrates the effect of one-child families on talent acquisition.
Greg Allen, global head of resourcing at advisory firm Lloyds Register, says: “The one-child policy means these children are actually driven by six people [two parents and four grandparents], so we can say ‘we’re the best company [to work for]’ – but if the parents don’t know us, then we’ll never get them in.”
The result, Allen says, is needing to brand your company to appeal not just to those workers, but to the older generation who can be key decision-makers.
The policy was introduced in the late 1970s to rein in the country’s growing population, although a relaxation was introduced in 2007 under which couples where both prospective parents came from single-child families were allowed to give birth to two children.
China’s estimated 2013 population growth rate and birth rate are the 154th and 161st slowest globally respectively, out of a total of 223 countries and states listed by the CIA World Factbook. The country is also seeing net emigration – meaning more people are leaving the country than immigrating to it.
