Majority of Beijing Expats Working from Home due to Coronavirus

Majority of Beijing Expats Working from Home due to Coronavirus
Mar 10, 2020 By eChinacities.com

Most Beijing expats are working from home in response to the coronavirus crisis, according to a poll by the Beijinger website. The survey, conducted over WeChat last week, interviewed 341 expats across eight Beijing-specific WeChat groups.

Working from home
Source:Mimi Thian

The results showed that the vast majority of foreigners working in China’s capital (68 percent) are working exclusively from home during this so-called "special period”. Another 20 percent are working partly from home and partly in the office, while fewer than one in 10 are working their regular hours in the office as they did before the outbreak. Overall, 42 percent of respondents said their workload has been reduced due to a downturn in business on the back of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Beijinger admits, however, that there was a flaw in the study, as some respondents said they are still in limbo and have not yet been able to return to work at all. Others, especially teachers, reported that their workload has in fact increased since the outbreak.

Many teachers said that switching to online lessons has increased their hours as more material must be prepared for online lessons given the fact that the typical discussion part of classes has been rendered obsolete. They are also having to spend time doing individual assessments and giving feedback to students whose progress they would normally be able to monitor in class.

In addition, messages and meetings among faculty members trying to navigate the new working system are bleeding in to evenings and weekends. With all schools currently closed across China, teachers with their own children at home are finding it particularly hard to keep up with the workflow.

What is your current work situation in China? Tell us in the comments section below.

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Keywords: Beijing expats working from home

8 Comments

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Guest15034668

I’d like this

Apr 17, 2020 20:13 Report Abuse

olayinka9139

That the best way that can save them from the spread of this deadly disease

Apr 13, 2020 02:19 Report Abuse

Fatai2356

Because that is what they think is very easy for them

Apr 09, 2020 23:54 Report Abuse

adb2014

People working from home has been common knowledge for a while now. And why focus only on people in Beijing or Shanghai?

Mar 11, 2020 09:08 Report Abuse

Nikwestside

Because that's the data they had access to?

Mar 11, 2020 14:23 Report Abuse

adb2014

I'm sure they have access to all the first and even second-tier cities. But we only seem to get reports on BJ and SH, because news outlets just (seem to) assume that most foreigners live there. I live in GZ and it can be frustrating trying to get reliable news and updates for my area.

Mar 14, 2020 14:57 Report Abuse