Baidu executive tells staff: ‘I’m not your mum’

The head of public relations at Chinese search giant Baidu has created her own PR crisis after posting several videos on social media demeaning staff, in the latest example of the sometimes brutal workplace practices in China’s tech sector. “I can make you jobless in this industry,” said Baidu vice-president Qu Jing in one video. She added she needed employees dedicated enough to do 50 straight days of business travel at her side and did not care if it affected their personal lives. “I’m not your mum,” she said. “I only care about results.” Qu also said she was so devoted to Baidu that she was unaware of her son’s class year at school. The executive posted the videos on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, intending the clips to serve as examples to her team of how to use social media to promote Baidu. Instead, they have reignited criticism of the workplace culture at Chinese tech companies. “Employees will never feel at home at a company that doesn’t have even a little bit of warmth

The head of public relations at Chinese search giant Baidu has created her own PR crisis after posting several videos on social media demeaning staff, in the latest example of the sometimes brutal workplace practices in China’s tech sector. “I can make you jobless in this industry,” said Baidu vice-president Qu Jing in one video. She added she needed employees dedicated enough to do 50 straight days of business travel at her side and did not care if it affected their personal lives. “I’m not your mum,” she said. “I only care about results.” Qu also said she was so devoted to Baidu that she was