Recently, the recruitment fiasco of a famous mainland mobile phone brand in Hong Kong is like a mirror reflecting the stubborn problem of age discrimination that cannot be ignored in the contemporary workplace. This seemingly ordinary recruitment incident actually touches the nerve of corporate social responsibility: when ‘35 years old’ becomes an invisible wall in the workplace, what is our society quietly losing?

Age discrimination: a litmus test for fairness in the workplace

A Hong Kong netizen recently posted a video on a social media platform revealing that a famous mainland mobile phone brand only recruits young employees under the age of 35 in Hong Kong and only offers them short-term contracts, calling it a ‘poor recruitment culture’. Such a practice has triggered strong reactions in the Hong Kong community, and the video concerned has also aroused heated debates on social networking platforms on the Mainland.

This is not only a simple recruitment incident, but also an important issue of corporate social responsibility and fairness in the workplace.

In the contemporary workplace, the ‘35-year-old threshold’ has become a daunting hurdle for many job seekers. Enterprises generally have a one-sided perception that young people are energetic, strong learners, and able to adapt quickly to high-paced work and changing business needs. More importantly, these young people are often willing to accept lower salaries and become ‘cheap labour’ in the eyes of enterprises.

Some companies even believe that employees over the age of 35 may face challenges in balancing family and career, and worry that their work commitment and efficiency will be affected. However, this view overlooks the immense value of middle-aged workers: rich work experience, mature professionalism and a more stable work mindset.

Workplace involution: a game of self-consumption

Behind this kind of recruitment discrimination, a more serious problem of workplace involution is reflected. In order to compete for market share and resources, companies are constantly raising their demanding requirements for employees. In order to survive and promote, people in the workplace are forced to enter a nearly crazy competitive vortex: working overtime, constantly upgrading their education, obtaining all kinds of certificates, and even taking the initiative to lower their salary expectations and welfare benefits.

Take the Internet industry as an example, ‘996’ and ‘007’ work system has become the norm. Long hours of high-intensity work make employees physically and mentally exhausted, but do not dare to slacken off a little. This kind of involution has been deeply penetrated into every cell of the workplace, and the end result is that innovation, thinking, efficiency and profitability have all disappeared, leaving only a tired body.

Worse still, this workplace culture is particularly damaging to women. When maternity becomes a liability to career advancement and a factor in companies' refusal to hire, fertility rates are predictably low. This chain reaction ultimately points to a more serious social problem: negative population growth and accelerating population ageing.

Cross-border perspective: Insights from different workplace cultures

Quite different from the Mainland, Hong Kong's workplace presents a distinctly different cultural ecology. Here, instead of encountering discrimination, 35-year-olds in the workplace are highly welcomed by companies. Many companies will give priority to talents in this age group in promotion, salary increase and even talent hunting.

The Hong Kong workplace generally believes that 35 years old is the golden age of career. Talents in this age group often have rich industry experience, stable interpersonal networks, and still have a long career before retirement, which can bring more stable and valuable contributions to enterprises.

Unlike the overtime culture in the Mainland, the work culture in Hong Kong is relatively relaxed. Most employees are able to complete their tasks efficiently within working hours, leave work on time and enjoy a work-life balance. Colleagues maintain clear boundaries with each other, focusing on work at work and rarely intruding on each other's private time after work due to work.

Cultural Roots: Differences in Systems and Perceptions

The reason for this huge contrast stems from deeper cultural and institutional differences. As an international metropolis, Hong Kong is heavily influenced by Western culture, which places greater emphasis on balancing personal quality of life with work efficiency. Enterprises are more comprehensive and objective in their evaluation of employees, and do not regard age as the only or main assessment criterion.

At the same time, Hong Kong's relatively well-developed labour laws provide stronger protection for employees' rights and interests. This forces enterprises to be more cautious and disciplined in hiring employees, and they dare not easily engage in unreasonable recruitment practices such as age discrimination. In contrast, the Mainland workplace is still heavily influenced by traditional attitudes and competitive market pressures in the course of rapid development.

ESG Governance: Reconstructing an Inclusive Talent Ecology

The core of corporate social responsibility (ESG) is not just the pursuit of financial performance, but also the creation of long-term social value. In the field of talent management, this means building an ecosystem that is truly inclusive and respectful of differences.

First, companies need to revolutionise their talent evaluation systems. The traditional age- and appearance-oriented recruitment model is no longer suitable for the development needs of modern enterprises. In its place, there should be an all-encompassing assessment based on ability, experience and potential. Every employee should be given equal opportunities for career development, regardless of age, gender and background.

Diversity is not just an empty slogan, it is the core driving force of corporate innovation. Employees of different age groups and backgrounds bring richer perspectives and ways of thinking. For example, senior employees tend to have deep industry insights and problem-solving skills, while younger employees bring a more agile technical perspective and innovative thinking. Truly smart organisations should aim to create a work environment that integrates and empowers each other across generations.

ESG governance of talent management should also focus on the holistic development of employees. This means that companies need to provide continuous learning and growth opportunities, and establish well-developed career paths. Both middle-aged employees at the age of 35 and fresh graduates should be given the same opportunities for training, promotion and self-realisation.

In addition, companies should also pay attention to the physical and mental health of their employees. Excessive work pressure and lack of work-life balance will not only damage the physical and mental health of employees, but will also greatly weaken the long-term competitiveness of the enterprise. Truly responsible companies should build an organisational culture that respects individuals and cares for employees, so that every employee can find value and dignity in their work.

Law and Ethics: Multiple Protection Mechanisms

Laws and ethics provide solid institutional protection for fairness in the workplace. In this area, Hong Kong and other places have established a relatively comprehensive anti-discrimination legal system, which provides strong legal backing for workplace fairness.

The core of legal protection lies in the elimination of unlawful discrimination in the employment process. No unreasonable restrictions such as age and sex should be set in public recruitment. This is not only a legal norm, but also a basic respect for human dignity.

However, mere legal constraints are not enough. A truly effective protection mechanism also requires moral and ethical support. This requires joint efforts from multiple levels: government departments need to strengthen supervision and establish a sound complaint and relief mechanism; enterprises need to consciously abide by professional ethics and take the initiative to build a fair and open workplace culture; and the public needs to maintain a zero-tolerance attitude towards workplace discrimination.

The construction of workplace ethics is a systematic project. Educational institutions can strengthen the relevant contents in professional ethics education and cultivate students' correct professional values; the media can play the role of public opinion monitoring and promptly expose and criticise acts of discrimination in the workplace; and professional associations can formulate and promote codes of professional conduct of a higher standard.

More importantly, we need to build a new paradigm of corporate culture. This culture should be based on the values of mutual respect, equal opportunities and diversity and inclusion. Instead of treating employees as interchangeable means of production, enterprises should respect the unique value and development potential of each individual.

In this process, the rigid constraints of law and the flexible guidance of morality and ethics are needed. Only through the positive interaction between system and culture can a modern career ecosystem full of hope and vitality be nurtured.

Looking to the Future: Building a Diverse Workplace Together

Against the backdrop of an aging population and a fading talent dividend, respecting and valuing each and every employee is the right path to sustainable corporate development, and the core of ESG governance lies in the construction of a fairer, more inclusive, and more respectful workplace ecosystem.

Every enterprise should be a promoter of this change, not an obstacle. Only by adhering to inclusion, respect and fairness can companies find a way to win in the fierce competition for talent and sustainable development.

Editor's Note

This recruitment controversy of a well-known mobile phone brand in Hong Kong reflects the serious shortcomings of enterprises in ESG governance. Age discrimination is not only a violation of personal rights and interests, but also a self-inflicted damage to the sustainable development of enterprises. The single-minded pursuit of ‘youthful’ talent is both unethical and lacking in strategic vision. A truly responsible enterprise should build a diversified and inclusive talent ecosystem, and respect the value and dignity of every employee. This is not only a legal and ethical requirement, but also the key to long-term competitiveness. Hong Kong's strict anti-discrimination legislation provides us with a model: fairness in the workplace requires institutional protection, but also conscious innovation in corporate culture.