In 2021, Zhongshan City in south China's Guangdong Province initiated an employment program for stay-at-home mothers, helping more women get flexible employment near their homes. This form of employment has been widely acknowledged and promoted in the city.

Jiang Guixiang, whose child is over 3 years old, works for a clothing factory in Zhongshan. While having to take care of her child and her family, Jiang previously could only apply for short-term jobs or do part-time jobs which offered low pay. In April 2022, Jiang applied for a job at a clothing factory and was recruited.

With many of her colleagues start working at 8 a.m., Jiang is allowed to start 15 minutes later because she has to send her child to kindergarten before going to work.

A woman worker sews clothes at a clothing factory in Zhongshan City, south China's Guangdong Province. [People's Daily/Hong Qiuting]

There are between 40 and 50 women workers just like Jiang at the factory. "The company signs contracts with us, pays social insurance contributions, and arranges pre-employment skills training for us. I feel secure working here and I want to do well at work," Jiang said.

An official from the human resources and social security department of Zhongshan said  jobs like Jiang's are tailored for mothers who are still at working age and have children aged 12 and below.

Feng Wenjing, general manager of the clothing factory, said that the factory needs more workers when it has a lot of orders to meet, so there is a high demand for flexible workers during this time. He also said that the factory benefits by offering jobs to these women as the government provides favorable policies, incentives and subsidies to it for doing so.

A woman worker (left) communicates with her supervisor at a factory of Guangdong Liyea Technologies Co., Ltd. in Zhongshan City, south China's Guangdong Province. [People's Daily/Hong Qiuting]

"We're happy to recruit these women, and we also provide pre-employment skills training for them so that they can adapt quickly," said Feng.

Feng said that women are meticulous and efficient at work, being able to get a good salary while taking care of their families. He said this form of employment is beneficial to both the factory and the women workers.

Zhongshan unveiled a series of policies to support flexible employment for stay-at-home mothers.

In August 2021, the city released guidelines on the employment of stay-at-home mothers, which said that employers must sign standard contracts with these women employees.

In July 2022, the city released 18 measures to promote the new form of employment, including improving the quality of employment, providing new support policies, strengthening skills training and implementing tax reduction and exemption measures.

To help participating enterprises reduce labor costs, the city grants each company a subsidy of 400 yuan ($58) each month for hiring one stay-at-home mother who is at working age and has a child (children) aged 12 and below.   

By the end of 2022, Zhongshan City had held five special job fairs for stay-at-home mothers, helping more than 1,400 people find jobs.

(Source: People's Daily Online)