China’s companies cut back on year-end bonuses as profit margins narrow
South China Morning Post
by He HuifengFebruary 17, 2026
As China’s workforce heads into another year-end bonus season ahead of the Lunar New Year, the mood is colder than in previous cycles. Unlike a few years ago, when social media was flooded with posts flaunting outsized payouts, public talk of bonuses has largely faded from view.
Long viewed by Chinese employees as a barometer of corporate prospects, industry momentum and even the broader economy, the year-end bonus packages for 2025 have become smaller, rarer and far more unevenly distributed,...
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Originally published on South China Morning Post on 2/17/2026