Resigning cannot solve the problems encountered in the workplace; the most important thing is to adjust yourself well.

The subway is a means of transportation with a very strong "workplace vibe."

I hope I can keep it up and play both scripts—work and off-work—well at the same time.

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"Once you've worked a job, your aura changes." Some netizens mock themselves: no matter how meticulously you dress for work, you can't hide the exhaustion radiating from your whole body. What exactly does the "workplace vibe" (banwei) "smell" like? How can young people new to the workplace adjust themselves and adapt to the pace and pressure of work? And how should employers improve management to reduce unnecessary occupational burdens on employees? We invited 3 young people in different career states to talk about their understanding and feelings regarding the "workplace vibe."

Interviewees:

Zhou Daoji (freelancer, 7 years since graduation)

Wang Xiao'an (grassroots civil servant, 3 years since graduation)

Zhang Jiawen (bank client manager, 1 year since graduation)

How do you understand the "workplace vibe"? What special meanings does the "workplace vibe" have for you?

Zhou Daoji: The term "workplace vibe" is hard to define clearly; it can refer to all the discomfort that work brings to a person. When I worked at a startup, I had heavy dark circles and my complexion wasn't great either. After I quit, former colleagues would see me and say "you look great," and by comparison their complexions really were worse than mine. I feel that working has a kind of "alienating" effect, leaving a person in a rather exhausted state, with emotions and mind not in a healthy place.

Wang Xiao'an: The "workplace vibe" expresses a sense of being disciplined—toward the demands given by superiors, you can only obey and accept, and even asking questions means giving offense. Many people say that graduates who have just entered the workforce have very clear eyes, because school allows students to develop in diverse ways and tolerates young people's individuality. In the workplace, what you say and what clothes you wear must follow a set of rules—isn't it popular now to talk about "bureaucratic-style" dressing? "Being too different from others" may make you a target.

Zhang Jiawen: The "workplace vibe" is a kind of temperament that distinguishes people from those who don't work. Once, in an alley near my workplace, I ran into an aunt walking her dog. The alley only allowed one person to pass at a time. I was about to let the aunt go first, but she said, "You go first—you young people are so tense from work." At that moment I realized that at a glance, I clearly had the "workplace vibe."

Why has the term "workplace vibe" become popular now? What circumstances or emotions of young people does it express?

Zhou Daoji: I think my parents' "workplace vibe" is also very obvious—it's just that their generation feels that since they won't easily change jobs anyway, they might as well make the best of it where they are, so they don't express it, or even think about it. Those born in the 1990s and 2000s have a stronger demand for individuality and freedom, and they will express the "workplace vibe," whereas in fact the situation it points to has always existed.

Wang Xiao'an: I work in a grassroots subdistrict office, and most of my colleagues live in nearby residential compounds—some get home in just a 5- or 10-minute walk. Generally, young colleagues often work overtime, and everyone works overtime voluntarily, because what the organization advocates is the devoted spirit of serving the people wholeheartedly.

Zhang Jiawen: I used to live in the suburbs far from my workplace. When my university mentor learned about it, he said something that left me silent for a long time: "Whatever you do, don't let your boss know you live far away, or else he'll feel embarrassed to ask you to work overtime." Rationally, I thought what he said made a lot of sense, but emotionally it was hard to accept. It seemed he had revealed an unspoken rule: this world is centered on work. Our workplace has a non-material reward called a "commendation slip." When I talked with colleagues who joined at the same time, we all felt this was the boss "drawing a pie in the sky." Besides, I don't like the idea that "a higher rank crushes you to death," and I look forward to an equal workplace environment.

Are you satisfied with your current work and life situation?

Zhou Daoji: Whether I was working before or not working now, both have been choices that follow my heart. For more than half a year right after I quit, during the off-season for travel I would travel off-peak to places I hadn't been before, and during peak season I would stay at home reading books, watching TV series and movies I'd wanted to see. This kind of life has improved my state, but it comes at the cost of losing a stable income and social security. Starting this year, I'm trying to do some work that allows flexible office arrangements, striving to earn an income that can support myself.

Wang Xiao'an: I studied in different cities for my undergraduate and graduate degrees, have traveled to many places across the country, and also had two study experiences abroad, so the so-called "faraway places" have lost their mystique for me. I pursue stability, pursue the warmth of everyday life, and value present happiness. Of course, at first I wasn't quite used to the work of a civil servant—in fact, I also stepped out of my original comfort zone, thought more about my own personality, and came to see issues from more diverse perspectives.

Zhang Jiawen: I enjoy communicating with different people, and working at a bank branch happens to let me meet all kinds of people; I get positive feedback from interacting with others. Because bank pay is directly tied to individual performance, this also gives me a sense of fair distribution. However, because work hours involve such frequent interaction with people—sometimes making more than 100 calls a day—my desire to socialize outside work hours is greatly reduced, and I'd rather be alone.

Does the "workplace vibe" come from work itself, or from specific aspects of work?

Zhou Daoji: Doing prescribed things at prescribed times in prescribed places itself goes against human nature. As long as you work, you will certainly feel some discomfort. From a macro perspective, how strong a society's "workplace vibe" is also related to its economic development—if the level of social productivity supports high welfare, then it may be possible to reduce the "workplace vibe."

Wang Xiao'an: Where there are people, there is a jianghu, and there are human relations and worldly wisdom. When working at the grassroots level, if you don't handle interpersonal relationships well, you'll run into trouble wherever you encounter problems. I suggest "letting the bullet fly for a while," seeking more within yourself, and gradually figuring out the ways of the workplace.

Zhang Jiawen: Work will more or less have a "workplace vibe." If we use "workplace vibe" to refer to the sense of constraint from work, then two factors have an important influence: one is whether you work in an office, and the other is whether your boss is nearby.

How can the "workplace vibe" be removed? Can work and life be balanced?

Zhou Daoji: The reason I quit back then wasn't that I hated the content of the work, but that I felt the cost-effectiveness of working wasn't high enough—through flexible work I could also earn a similar income and achieve a freer state. But I wouldn't advise everyone to quit and stop working, because resigning cannot solve the problems encountered in the workplace, and may even lead to a vicious cycle of "work—quit—work again." In my eyes, the most important thing is to adjust yourself well, think clearly about what kind of life you want, and cultivate a healthy mindset.

Wang Xiao'an: You should distinguish as much as possible between the states of being at work and off work, and not let work anxiety affect your life. I have civil servant friends around me who, after working overtime late at night, still go to a disco. From personal experience, "finding teammates" is as important as finding a job—having a life partner to accompany you through life, or having good enough friends in life with whom you can share your different life experiences, makes it easier to walk out of the gloom of work and embrace the wonderful life after work, and many problems can also be readily solved.

Zhang Jiawen: I studied business for my undergraduate degree, and at the time our teachers would introduce some management case studies, including some companies that allow employees to adjust their working hours and locations on their own to achieve flexible work. Office workers in big cities often commute by subway, and the subway is a means of transportation with a very strong "workplace vibe," because like work, it demands high speed and punctuality. If the subway is delayed for special reasons, everyone gets very anxious, because they'll be scolded and have their pay docked. Now I've moved to a place very close to my workplace, and I can walk home after work, so I feel partly liberated from the "workplace vibe."

What are your plans for the future? What changes do you expect?

Zhou Daoji: In my eyes, the different states I've been in before are all important experiences, and all form part of my life experience. I want to first see whether I can fully support myself through freelance work; in the long run, if there's a suitable job, I'm willing to go back at any time. But the times are full of change, so I can only deal with things as they come and keep adjusting myself.

Wang Xiao'an: My life progress bar moves very fast—after graduation I quickly married and had children, with changes every year, and every year I feel I've grown a lot. I hope I can keep it up and play both scripts—work and off-work—well at the same time.

Zhang Jiawen: Our workplace has very high employee turnover; new employees all have to go to frontline branches, and whether they can return to the branch department later depends on the subsequent competitive selection results—many people can't hold out for even a few years. I still hope I can persevere, stay at least the full 5-year contract term, and reach an ideal income level.