- Qu Jing, Baidu’s vice president, posted reprimanding videos on social media.
A Chinese tech executive who faced backlash on social media after telling staff complaining about long working hours “I’m not your mother” has now resigned.
Baidu vice president and head of public relations Qu Jing had posted several videos on social media addressing employees.
“I can put you out of work in this industry,” Ms Qu said in a video as she warned staff that she needed their dedication and that she did not care if it affected their personal lives.
“I’m not your mother,” she said. “I only care about the results.”
Baidu is one of China’s largest technology companies, running the country’s leading search engine and is often considered the country’s equivalent of Google.
Baidu vice president and head of public relations Qu Jing berated staff in ranting videos on social media.
Baidu is one of the largest technology companies in China and is a leading search engine similar to Google.
But his comments struck a chord with young workers fed up with long hours and relentless pressure.
Chinese tech companies are known for their long working hours, and employees are expected to do the ‘996’. This means that they start work at 9 in the morning, leave at 9 p.m. and work six days a week.
Ms. Qu has already left the company. In a series of short videos posted last week on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, she talked about her devotion to her career, her strict management style and her tireless demands on her subordinates. .
He criticized one for not wanting to work on weekends and dismissed a complaint that his late-night work messages made one of his employees’ children cry.
In one clip, the tech boss said: “I can put you out of a job in this industry.” His comments have angered young workers who work long hours, often six days a week.
The vice president and head of public relations resigned after her statements came to light
In another clip, he stated: ‘If you work in PR, don’t expect weekends off. Keep your phone on 24 hours a day, always ready to respond.’
Douyin users accused Ms Qu of taking an aggressive and insensitive approach and promoting a toxic workplace.
On Thursday he apologized on social media for causing “external misunderstandings about Baidu’s values and culture.”
‘Many of the criticisms are very pertinent, I am reflecting deeply and I accept them with humility,’ he said. ‘There are many inappropriate things [things said] in the video that caused external misunderstandings about the company’s values and corporate culture, causing serious damage. I sincerely apologize.’
It is understood she left Baidu hours later.
Baidu did not respond to a request for comment. Ms. Qu could not be located.