(Yicai Global) July 27 -- An industrial park near the economic powerhouse of Shenzhen has set up a platform for companies to ‘share’ employees, so that workers can easily be swapped between firms, solving labor shortage or surplus issues and guaranteeing that employees have stable employment and income.

The Shenzhen Heyuan Industrial Transfer Park’s new shared employment platform has helped 23 companies assign over 3,000 users since May 27. The platform can be accessed through the Heyuan government’s WeChat account. People can see which companies have surplus workers, which firms need staff and their contact information.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected firms in the Heyuan Industrial Transfer Park differently, said Liu Darong, director of the management committee of the Heyuan High-tech Development Zone. Its 109 foreign trade companies have seen orders shrink and they are only able to maintain basic working hours.

On the other hand, those that operate in the fields of food and beverage, medical equipment and information technology have benefited, he said. Bottle water supplier Nongfu Spring, IT firm Heyuan COE Communication Technology and others urgently needed to recruit.

Packaging firm Alpha-Pack Heyuan does not have enough workers to meet its growing orders, said Lu Hejun, assistant to the general manager. Only around 100 employees returned to work after the Covid-19 lockdown, much less than its usual 230 staff.

Through the platform, Alpha-Pack was able to enlist another 20 employees. One of them was Jiang Fuhai who is employed at a struggling mold factory. Workers at his factory can only get basic wages. Since being relocated to Alpha-Pack, his income has returned to its previous level.

“Although it is a new field, I have the basic skills and can quickly adapt,” Jiang told Yicai Global.

Labor Sharing Is Here to Stay

The relationship between the original employer and employee does not change. Rather, an Employee Lending Contract is signed that stipulates the lending period, pay, nature of work, the rights and obligations of each party and the liability for breach of contract.

“The three-party agreement and the establishment of flexible lending terms ensures that employees can be lent and returned, which allays concerns about the disclosure of business secrets,” said Yu Jianping, secretary general of the Chamber of Commerce of Heyuan High-tech Development Zone.

“The sharing of labor has only started. We will continue to optimize the platform so that companies in the park have people working at all times, and employees can continue to get income through the website,” Liu said.

The industrial park will optimize the platform’s design, the protection of employees’ rights and interests and guarantee corporate production, Liu stated. The park will also promote online training for ordinary employees, explore the modularization of basic technical training in the park’s leading industries such as IT, molding and food and beverages.

Editor: Kim Taylor