Chinese tech companies hiring “cheerleaders” to motivate programmers

Tech companies in China appear to be embracing a new initiative to motivate their employees and not everyone seems pleased about it.

According to the Trending in China Facebook page, Internet companies are hiring “pretty girls” to help motivate its programmers, who are “mostly male and terrible at socializing.”

The girls are dubbed “programming cheerleaders,” who serve to chit-chat, take breakfast orders and even play Ping-Pong with male employees.

The page reports that one company has already “hired three such cheerleaders” for its programmers and “the presence of these girls have greatly improved their job efficiency and motivation.”

Photos posted to the news page, show young women being trained in their new role, each one dressed up and taking notes.

Other photos show the women interacting with the male employees and clapping for one who appears to be playing the guitar.

The response on social media hasn’t been too positive. Many online are complaining the scheme is sexist towards both the women and the programmers.

“Sexism, exploitation and stereotypes abound!!!” wrote one man on Facebook.

Another user wrote: “This sounds like a joke, what a ridiculous and sexist job. It’s like bringing Hooters to [the] workplace.”

“This is degrading –both to the ‘cheerleaders’ and the programmers. Look at the face of the poor woman programmer in the second picture. Stereotypical ‘bro’ culture only now with Chinese subtitles,” wrote another user.

It’s currently unknown which companies have introduced this role or how many of them have hired cheerleaders.