Baidu's former PR head Qu Jing resigned after endorsing long working hours in social media videos.
Qu's videos sparked outrage among Chinese workers, particularly younger ones, who have been vocal about poor work-life balance in China's tech sector.
The controversy comes as companies and regulators rethink workplace culture following reports of employee deaths due to long hours.
Baidu, one of China's largest tech companies and the operator of the country's leading search engine, has been embroiled in a controversy surrounding its workplace culture following comments made by its former head of PR, Qu Jing. Qu resigned from her position after posting videos on social media endorsing long working hours and making light of employee wellbeing.
Qu's videos sparked outrage among the public, particularly younger workers who have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with poor work-life balance in China's tech sector. The controversy comes as companies and regulators are rethinking workplace culture following a series of scandals and reports of employee deaths due to long hours.
In one video, Qu criticized an employee who refused to take an extended business trip, stating
Qu Jing, former vice president and head of communications at Baidu, sparked a public relations crisis for the Chinese search engine with her fiery endorsement of toxic workplace culture.
Qu has lost her job at Baidu following the public outcry and backlash over her comments.
In the videos, Qu shared her devotion to her career, strict management style, and unflagging demands on her direct reports. She also threatened to retaliate against employees who complain about her.
Accuracy
Qu Jing sparked a public relations crisis for Baidu with her fiery endorsement of toxic workplace culture.
Qu's comments ignited outrage in China and led to a series of videos being removed from her personal Douyin account.
Qu apologized for causing a ‘big storm’ and sought to distance herself and the remarks from Baidu.
The controversy became a trending topic on Douyin and Weibo, dominating online discussions as users criticized Qu for her aggressive and insensitive approach.
Deception
(30%)
The author makes editorializing statements and uses emotional manipulation by describing Qu's comments as 'fiery endorsement of toxic workplace culture' and 'aggressive and insensitive approach'. The article also engages in selective reporting by only presenting the negative aspects of Qu's statements without providing any context or balance. Furthermore, the author makes a comparison between Qu and Jack Ma, implying that Qu's comments are similarly problematic.
Qu spoke about her devotion to her career, strict management style and unflagging demands on her direct reports.
Users criticized Qu for her aggressive and insensitive approach and accused her, and Baidu, of promoting a toxic workplace.
But now, following the public outcry, Qu has lost her own job at Baidu.
In another clip, Qu shared her personal sacrifices as a working mother. She was working so hard that she forgot her elder son’s birthday and what grade her younger son was in at school. She said she didn’t regret it because she ‘chose to become a career woman.’
The Chinese tech executive has ignited outrage in China with her fiery endorsement of toxic workplace culture
Fallacies
(75%)
The author makes an appeal to authority when quoting Ivy Yang's opinions and analysis of the situation. However, this does not constitute a fallacy on the part of the author as they are accurately reporting her views.
“A lot of what she said really struck a nerve, because people feel that in their own workplaces very often. The fact that she said it in a way that’s so direct and in your face, it just generated this kind of emotional response,” - Ivy Yang
“This is what the bosses are thinking, and she was merely saying it out aloud,” - Ivy Yang
Qu implied in a series of videos that she was not concerned about her employees as she was ‘not their mom’ and said she only cared about results.
She also said that the relationship between her and her subordinates was purely an ‘employer-employee relationship.’
Accuracy
Qu implied in a series of videos that she was not concerned about her employees as she was 'not their mom'
She also said that the relationship between her and her subordinates was purely an 'employer-employee relationship'
Deception
(30%)
The author makes editorializing statements and shows a lack of empathy towards the employees by quoting Qu Jing's comments that are perceived as glorifying overwork. The article also selectively reports details that support the author's position, such as Qu Jing's apology and her past controversial comments.
Many of the criticisms are very pertinent, I am reflecting deeply and humbly accept them.
Why should I take into consideration my employee’s family? I’m not her mother-in-law.
If employees refused to go on such business trips then they would not get salary raises or job promotions.
There are many inappropriate (things said) in the video that caused external misunderstandings about the company’s values and corporate culture, causing serious harm. I sincerely apologize.
Fallacies
(85%)
The author Zen Soo makes several informal fallacies in the article. Qu Jing, the subject of the article, is quoted making statements that can be considered appeals to authority when she says 'There are many inappropriate (things said) in the video that caused external misunderstandings about the company's values and corporate culture, causing serious harm.' and 'Many of the criticisms are very pertinent, I am reflecting deeply and humbly accept them.' These statements imply that Qu believes her own words carry more weight than they do. Additionally, Zen Soo makes a hasty generalization when he states 'Chinese technology firms have long been criticized for their long working hours.' without providing any evidence or context to support this claim.
]Many of the criticisms are very pertinent, I am reflecting deeply and humbly accept them.[
Chinese technology firms have long been criticized for their long working hours.
Bias
(90%)
The author, Zen Soo, demonstrates a clear bias towards portraying Qu Jing in a negative light. The article focuses on Qu's controversial comments and the backlash against her, while downplaying any positive aspects or context of her statements. The author also includes quotes from social media platforms that criticize Qu, further emphasizing the negative perception of her. This bias is evident in the following examples:
Chinese technology firms have long been criticized for their long working hours.
Many on social media platforms like Weibo saying Qu lacked empathy.
Qu had also been criticized for other comments she made in the series of short videos on Douyin that have since been removed.
She also criticized an employee who refused to go on a 50-day business trip during the COVID-19 pandemic – a time when China severely restricted movement and required weeks of quarantine for travelers.
Baidu is one of China’s largest tech companies and runs the country’s leading search engine.
Ernie bot had 200 million users as of last month.
Two employees at e-commerce Pinduoduo died in a two-week period after logging long hours at the office in early 2021.
Younger workers in China are increasingly unhappy with poor work-life balance and have started social media movements like ‘lying flat’ to prioritize individual comfort over professional success.
Accuracy
Baidu formally launched Ernie bot, a generative AI chatbot in August 2023.
Qu Jing implied in a series of videos that she was not concerned about her employees as she was 'not their mom' and said she only cared about results.
Deception
(30%)
The author does not make any deceptive statements in this article. However, the author does quote Qu Jing making deceptive statements. Qu Jing's statements demonstrate selective reporting and emotional manipulation. She only reports details that support her position of being a harsh boss and disregards the well-being of her employees, while also using emotional language to justify her actions. The article does not disclose any sources for these quotes, so it is unclear if they are accurate representations of Qu Jing's views.
Why should I take my employee’s family into consideration? I’m not her mother-in-law,
Fallacies
(85%)
The author makes an appeal to authority by mentioning the statements of Jack Ma and Richard Liu about long working hours being vital to a tech company's success. This is not a logical fallacy on its own, but it can be misleading if taken out of context or used to justify unreasonable demands. The author also mentions the harsh working culture in China without providing any evidence or reasoning beyond what has already been reported in the article.
][The author] The firm is investing heavily in AI. In August 2023, the company formally launched Ernie bot, a generative AI chatbot similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Last month, Baidu CEO Robin Li claimed its chatbot had 200 million users.[/]
[The author] Founders like Alibaba’s Jack Ma and JD.com’s Richard Liu praise long working hours as vital to a tech company’s success.[
