Why Waiting for a Raise in Shenzhen Might Be the Most Frustrating Thing for Office Workers
In the fast-paced and high-pressure world of Shenzhen, there’s a silent frustration that haunts many white-collar workers: waiting endlessly for a company-initiated raise that never comes.
Take Xiao Q, for example. He’s been working in an internet company for nearly five years. In the beginning, the workload was heavy, but at least he could count on a modest raise each year. It made him feel that his hard work was leading somewhere. But for the past two years, everything changed.
When he finally gathered the courage to ask for a raise, his manager gently shut him down. “The economy is rough, business is tight, let’s wait till things improve,” he was told. Like many others, he left the room deflated, and the topic became taboo.
He’s not alone. Some of his friends haven’t seen a single cent added to their salaries in three years. Their only hope? A mythical “across-the-board raise” that companies rarely hand out these days.
But why is it so hard now?
One reason is the economic slowdown from recent global disruptions. The job market is flooded too. In 2025, over 12.22 million new graduates entered the workforce in China—a jump of 430,000 from 2024. Shenzhen alone absorbed more than 400,000 fresh graduates this year.
This massive influx increases competition, and companies know it. Workers feel stuck between keeping quiet or risking everything by asking for more.
So, how long have you worked in Shenzhen? Have you gotten a raise recently? Or are you still waiting for that magical company-initiated raise? Let us know in the comments below.
