Sunday Setup
A weekly newsletter to help get your mind set up for a positive workweek.
06.08.2025 — Wistful Workers
Work Exchange
Would you pay someone to do your job? I don't mean hire someone to do the work you do. I mean, would you pay your company for the opportunity to sit at your desk for 8 hours a day while you worked — or pretended to work? Personally I wouldn't, but a lot of young Chinese adults are doing just that.
Several "Pretend to Work" companies have been springing up all over Beijing lately, seemingly to take advantage of the 16.5% unemployment rate among young Chinese college graduates who don't want to appear unemployed. These companies provide a real office environment, complete with desks, Wi-Fi, all-you-can-drink beverages, and lunch, for a mere $4-$7 a day. Some even allow you to pretend to be a manager and assign fictitious tasks while other "workers" stage rebellions.
And the Oscar goes to.....
I'll admit, I've pretended to be busy at work in the past — just like some of my past managers pretended to be interested in my career advancement — but paying to assume the role of a beleaguered worker to avoid listening to the Jones' judge you is ludicrous. I'd rather pay an endodontist to perform an unnecessary root canal.
Oh wait...I have done that.
I Heard You the Fifth Time
While on my recent unforced sabbatical, I spent a lot time on work readiness webinars, many of which repeatedly urged attendees to learn how to promote their "soft skills" during job interviews. The message was those personal qualities that impact how you work — communication, critical thinking, listening, integrity, organization, etc. — were just as important as the job-related competencies a candidate would need to do the job well, i.e. "hard skills."
I've always disliked the term "soft skills," but I get the need to differentiate between the two types of skills. The word "soft" kind of implies those skills are weaker indicators of candidate quality, but sometimes the possession of strong soft skills — like listening — can prove to be more valuable than competence alone.
We've all experienced situations at work where someone — perhaps even you — had a misunderstanding because they weren't really listening. As a result, maybe multiple people complete the same task, leaving another incomplete. Or, someone completes an unrelated, irrelevant task that simply wastes time and delays project completion. Either way it's a setback that could've been sidestepped.
Tight deadlines and packed, personal to-do lists cause us to (attempt to) multitask while in meetings. We think we're being efficient, but superficial — as opposed to active — listening can lead to missed information and opportunities, negatively affecting both personal growth and team dynamics.
Instead of trying to process what's next while simultaneously trying to process what your co-worker is saying, try bringing your full attention to the moment so you actually hear their words. Try to listen to understand — not to respond — and acknowledge what you hear without interrupting by asking open, clarifying questions.
Mindful listening is not about being silent. It's about being present. The more present we are — not just at work but in life in general — the more we can truly connect with others.
So, the next time you feel the need to multitask while someone else is speaking, pause your mental activity, check your inner dialogue, and actively listen to what they say. You might actually hear something you've never heard before — connection.