---
title: "How Should We Manage These Post-90s?"
description: "The article discusses the management challenges posed by the post-90s generation in the Chinese workplace, contrasting their values with those of the post-70s. It argues that the 'wolf culture' of intense work ethic is outdated and that organizations must adapt to the post-90s' desire for work-life balance and personal fulfillment."
author: "魏庆/未央"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
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published: "2016-08-13"
language: "en"
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---

# How Should We Manage These Post-90s?

> The article discusses the management challenges posed by the post-90s generation in the Chinese workplace, contrasting their values with those of the post-70s. It argues that the 'wolf culture' of intense work ethic is outdated and that organizations must adapt to the post-90s' desire for work-life balance and personal fulfillment.

壹
**The So-Called 'Wolf Team' Is Actually a 'Conspiracy'**
Text: Wei Qing / Source: Teacher Wei Qing (ID: weiqinglaoshigongsi)
It was said that we are descendants of the dragon. But look around in companies, many seem to have become descendants of the wolf.
The 'wolf team' is a 'battle sentiment' that many post-70s relish, a heroic dream in their weary lives. But this concept is seen as stupid by many post-90s.
Why are there so many conflicts when post-70s managers manage post-90s employees? Because their genes are different, and they grew up in different soils. Moreover, each has its own symbolic significance.
Some post-70s are 'money-grubbers who don't care about life.' When the boss asks, 'Work six days a week, and I'll pay you 6,000 yuan. Work seven days a week, and I'll pay you 7,000 yuan. Which do you choose?' They answer, 'How much if I don't sleep at night?'
Don't blame these people for being greedy. Born in the era of ration tickets, they grew up poor under the planned economy, once believing that college entrance exams were the only way out. Through a combination of circumstances, they caught the wave of reform and opening-up, joined private enterprises where performance was king, drank chicken soup for the soul, were injected with chicken blood (metaphor for motivation), and witnessed splendor and glamour. Then, under the leadership of the General Secretary, they entered a new era where 'education, medical care, non-GMO food, and various safe living necessities tend to favor the minority class.' Post-70s, with elderly parents and young children, carry heavy mortgages... In the flood of materialism, they desperately paddle their oars.
Typical post-90s have inherited property and care from their parents, so they naturally have little economic pressure. They grew up with pop culture that encourages individuality. They are unwilling to 'kill themselves for money' like the so-called 'elite' post-70s, who seem to 'live to work.'
If people are not greedy for small gains, they must have other plans. What are these post-90s planning?
Post-90s seem to inherently possess the spirit of the Wei and Jin dynasties (noted for free-spiritedness). They demand equal communication, happy work, and enjoyment of life. They want to make money, but also to be cool, and above all, to have fun. They yearn for 'the world is so big, I want to see it.' Some even put it into action: 'I work to save money to buy my freedom. Once I've saved enough, I'm out of here.'
The 'chicken blood' for post-90s is not about success or elite culture, but the so-called 'spend time on beautiful things, and then meet a more beautiful self.'
Sorry, that's too sentimental. Let me translate it plainly: 'Life is short, so play.'
If you fine post-90s heavily, they quit. If you tell them, 'Work hard, and I'll reward you,' they reply, 'I have enough money to spend; I don't want to work hard.' They have enough money and don't want to earn more? This sounds incredible to post-70s 'elites,' leaving them dumbfounded. It's not patricide, but it's like stealing the junior apprentice sister.
When post-70s talk to post-90s about 'wolf teams,'
Post-90s sneer inwardly: 'Do you think I'm stupid? You just want to fool me into working hard without reward. You really take me for a fool, damn it.'
But if you tell post-90s: 'If this project wins, we'll take a break and go on a trip abroad,' they'll jump up and work tirelessly.
It's good to go out and see the world. You'll realize that in many countries, supermarkets are closed on weekends because the staff also need days off. To Chinese people, this seems too unambitious. Chinatown is always bustling with business, everyone competing.
Post-70s and post-90s: neither is right or wrong; they just grew up in different soils. So, each has their own choices and consequences. The coexistence of the two generations shows the diversity of society. The shift in values from post-70s to post-90s is actually a process of distortion and restoration, confirming that society is progressing, becoming more civilized, and more respectful of human nature.
There is no secret to managing post-90s employees. The key is that managers themselves must embrace this new attitude towards life, understand respect, equality, love what they love, and appreciate the basic value of 'work and life.' Only then can they create a work environment and atmosphere that post-90s enjoy.
I often feel that the 'wolf team' culture is a distorted concept born in an overly competitive environment, even a 'conspiracy.' It originates from 'struggle and striving in a context of poverty, desperation, and monolithic values.' It certainly does not bring higher performance or a better life experience.
Rest assured, it will change. I believe that within the lifetime of the post-70s, we will eventually see domestic supermarkets, sales staff, and manufacturer salespeople also get weekends off.
When the times are no longer so harsh, the 'wolf team' conspiracy will eventually die. It will be replaced by the post-90s.
Note: The post-70s and post-90s in this article refer to specific groups of people who work or start businesses outside the system.
* Teacher Wei Qing's essay, written on August 3, 2016, in Jinjiang, Fujian, and revised on August 10 in Guangzhou.
贰
**Is It the 'Post-90s' Changing the Organization, or the Organization Changing the 'Post-90s'?**
Text: Weiyang / Source: Internet Weekly
The oldest 'post-90s' are already 26 this year. In the workplace, as 'post-70s' step back, 'post-80s' move into leadership, and 'post-90s' gradually replace 'post-80s' as the backbone of the workforce.
In this society where birth years are imprinted with the times, the younger generation is always seen as having the ability to control social development trends.
Based on their social behaviors and psychological activities, it is believed that 'post-70s' are a passionate generation, 'post-80s' bridge the gap, and 'post-90s' are more casual and free. But workplace rules are created and modified by the previous generation, and no matter how free-spirited, they eventually have to enter the melting pot of the workplace. After undergoing trials and tribulations, will the freedom-loving 'post-90s' remain 'pure in origin and pure in return,' or will they 'blend with the clouds and moon'?
**"Forgive me for a lifetime of unbridled freedom"**
When mentioning 'post-90s' and the workplace, 'naked resignation' (quitting without a job lined up) is familiar. They leave at the slightest disagreement, saying, 'The world is so big, I want to see it.'
Regarding 'naked resignation,' the act itself is neither right nor wrong, but in most cases, it suits industry elites better. After all, they have accumulated social wealth over long careers, so they don't have to bow to reality due to short-term livelihood issues. Moreover, industry elites have influence in their circles, allowing them to compare options and find a more suitable position. In contrast, post-90s seem a bit hasty when resigning nakedly. While pursuing freedom and dreams is commendable, they must consider whether their abilities can support their dreams.
Post-90s carry labels like 'visual,' 'brain-hole,' and 'two-dimensional.' These labels present a fresh, individualistic, and straightforward image to the workplace. When making career choices, they often prioritize interest over salary, unlike previous generations. At work, they value salary increases over base pay, seeing raises as recognition of their value, while base pay is just a reflection of the company's strength. Regarding benefits, they find soft perks like annual leave, flexible hours, and no overtime more attractive than the five insurances and one fund.
So, for the unspoken rules in the workplace, post-90s are resistant. They can work overtime for responsibility, but they cannot accept forced overtime like 'if the boss doesn't leave, we can't leave.' They disdain the long-standing 'servile' ways of interaction. From any angle, post-90s are a youthful storm, an inevitable result of social development. In a sense, post-90s are a microcosm of society in this era.
At the same time, because post-90s grew up in an era of highly developed mobile internet, their behaviors and views reflect the path of social development for the next 10 or even 20 years. The emergence of such post-90s has drawn mixed reviews from previous generations. Whether they see post-90s as promising newcomers or as 'Liu Adou who can't be helped,' they will continue to be active in the workplace that will eventually belong to them, with their unique generational traits.
**Tides come and go, the world changes**
Post-90s grew up without older siblings or younger siblings, often carrying a strong sense of superiority. But this superiority is not arrogance; it's a urgent pursuit of self-worth. In the workplace, they know to respect seniors like teachers, and through long-term compulsory education, they have inherited traditional Chinese virtues like humility and unity. What they dislike are the secular attitudes left over from previous generations, so when viewed through conservative lenses, they appear eccentric and self-willed.
The pace of the times never stops, and the distinct post-90s are changing organizations in a feedback loop.
Currently, mobile internet is still in its development stage. From this perspective, mobile internet development needs a 'landing' process, during which post-90s gradually shift from supporting roles to leading roles.
The new generation has unique perspectives on things, and companies should embrace their growth.
The so-called 'post-90s' are not 'people from an unknown world' or 'heretics.' They simply have more obvious imprints of the times. Whether good or bad, these imprints are products of the era. They want flexible working hours. From a developmental perspective, why not? If each employee's daily workload is fixed, flexible hours can allow that work to be completed more efficiently in shorter or more suitable time. Historical experience tells us that where there is oppression, there is resistance. In this light, freedom is indeed more precious.
Among post-90s, the hardest concept for previous generations to accept is 'two-dimensional' (ACGN culture). Why do post-90s like two-dimensional? This phenomenon reveals a spiritual essence. In the two-dimensional world, there can be wild imaginations and things that cannot happen in the three-dimensional world. For example, a movie can be presented in both 2D and 3D forms. In 3D, there may be criticisms about poor acting, mismatched appearances, or unfaithful scenes, but in the 2D concept, these flaws do not exist, and they consider such criticisms reasonable.
The two-dimensional world focuses more on the innocence and simplicity of human nature, and the pressures of real life can be released in the two-dimensional world. So, the two-dimensional label of post-90s contains more about human simplicity. When such values integrate into the workplace, they become the beginning of a spiritual baptism.
**Hold on to freedom in the storm**
Regarding whether it is the post-90s changing the organization or the organization changing the post-90s, there is no need to be too serious. The times are always developing. Previous generations need to view the new generation with a normal mindset. They may be immature, but they also have more ambition. They integrate into society and the workplace, and eventually become the dominant force. So, organizations will eventually be stamped with the post-90s imprint. This imprint will fade as post-00s grow up, but it will always be remembered by history.
Life is precious, and love is more valuable. If for freedom, both can be thrown away. All the expectations and disappointments that post-90s bring stem from their pursuit of freedom. This pursuit is something previous generations never had with such abandon, or perhaps it was a futile struggle and compromise. The freedom of post-90s is endless, growing with life. The younger generation is formidable; how can we know they won't surpass us?
-END-
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