Chinese company provides cash rewards to help employees find love and improve happiness

The Shenzhen-based firm launched an internal online dating platform where employees can earn 66 yuan (US$9) for every valid post introducing a single person from outside the company.

If a couple matches through the platform and maintains their relationship for three months, both partners and the matchmaker will receive an additional 1,000 yuan each, according to the South China Morning Post.

The company explained that this initiative is part of its broader efforts to improve employee satisfaction and foster a sense of belonging. Employees welcomed the idea, with one joking, "My company is more eager than my mum."

Illustration of a dating app. Photo from Unsplash

As of Nov. 11, around 500 posts had been shared on the platform, and nearly 10,000 yuan in cash rewards had been distributed. However, no bonuses have been paid yet, as the campaign began less than three months ago.

The initiative sparked diverse opinions on social media. Some users expressed admiration, with a few saying they wished to work at the company and even suggesting the government adopt similar measures. Others criticized the program, arguing that "love should not be measured by money."

China has experienced a consistent drop in marriage rates in recent years. Government data shows that 4.74 million couples registered marriages in the first three quarters of 2024, a 16.6% decrease compared to 5.69 million during the same period in 2023.

The country’s birth rate has also reached historic lows, declining from 6.77 births per 1,000 people in 2022 to 6.39 in 2023.