Zhaopin Limited recently released its 2016 White-Collar Worker Year-End Bonus Survey Report. The report found that more than 50% of white-collar workers in China did not get year-end bonuses in 2016. More than 11,500 white-collar workers participated in the survey.

According to Zhaopin's survey, 50.9% of survey respondents did not get any year-end bonus in 2016, down from 66% in 2015. 39.5% of white-collar workers had received their bonuses by the end of 2016, much higher than 13.4% in 2015.

Cash is still the most common form of year-end bonus for white-collar workers. Some companies offered physical gifts as annual bonuses, including company-made products, cameras, liquor, pork, fish, fruits, sauna coupons, inflatable dolls, rice cookers, tissue paper, and lottery tickets.

White-collar workers' satisfaction with year-end bonuses in 2016 remained at a low level of 2.18 (measured from 0 to 5, with 5 as the highest), although slightly higher than 2.07 in 2015, Zhaopin found. Employees in state-owned enterprises had the highest satisfaction score at 2.46, while workers at private companies had the lowest satisfaction score of 2.07.

In terms of work experiences, employees with less than one year's experience had the highest satisfaction (2.45) with the annual bonus, as their expectations were relatively low. The satisfaction with year-end bonuses declined as work experience increased because more experienced white-collar workers had higher expectations, said Zhaopin experts.

The average year-end bonus for white-collar workers in 2016 was RMB12,821, higher than RMB10,767 in 2015, but lower than RMB13,613 in 2014, according to Zhaopin's survey.

The finance industry offered the highest average year-end bonus in 2016, at RMB17,241, followed by RMB16,839 for the real estate/construction industry. The eEducation/arts and crafts industry had the lowest average year-end bonus at RMB7,433.

White-collar workers in Beijing got the highest average year-end bonus, at RMB15,846, followed by RMB14,640 in Shanghai and RMB14,605 in Shenzhen.

The more work experience, the higher the year-end bonuses for white-collar workers, Zhaopin found. The average year-end bonus for employees with more than ten years of experience was RMB20,471, compared with RMB5,675 for employees with less than one year of experience.

Among different types of companies, state-owned enterprises had the highest average year-end bonus at RMB17,318, while private companies had the lowest average year-end bonus, at RMB11,271.

The average year-end bonus for senior-level managers was RMB28,639, compared with RMB10,009 for ordinary employees.

In terms of occupations, white-collar workers in marketing/PR/advertising had the highest average bonus at RMB16,354, followed by RMB14,850 for R&D. Employees working in administration/logistics had the lowest average year-end bonus of RMB8,144.

(Source: Zhaopin Limited)