SMEs in China in the covid-19 era. The impact on recruitment and Executive Search.

In China, SMEs account for almost 97% of enterprises. These SMEs are essential in China, providing huge amounts of employment opportunities and representing the most important source of jobs in China, accounting for 80% of the non-government labor force.

SMEs in China have had to cope with the difficulties resulting from the covid-19 measures, which have affected business, recruitment and, more specifically, the executive search field. This is all due to political and economic insecurities caused by Covid- 0 policies.

SMEs in China After Covid-19: Impact on Executive Search

Added to the fact that the talent pool in China is shrinking and the foreign talent leaving the country, have made it hard for companies in China to find and retain talent, increasing the demand for executive search partners.

So, because SMEs ensure more than 80% of employment in China, it has become vital for establishing the country’s economy to ensure SMEs´ employment at all levels. To address this situation, the Chinese government established measures that include training subsidies and social insurance premiums that can be paid on a deferred basis and has cut taxes and fees.

These measures have already provided 34.7 billion yuan ($5.17 billion) to help SMEs in China in the first quarter of 2022, supporting the employment situation with 1.57 billion for training subsides and 22.78 million vocational training vouchers across China.

The effect on executive search in China business

On the executive search side and in order to increase the availability of executive talent, the government has given access to capital and loan facilities to foreign companies new in China, through alternative sources of SME financing. Also, a five-year plan for increasing professionalism and improving innovation capacity has been proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

These measures will help reduce SME operating costs and increase employment stability. The measures are expected to help restore market expectations and increase market confidence which, combined with telecommuting facilities and other work flexibilities, can help make China’s SMEs more attractive to local and foreign executives.

Zavala Civitas Executive Search

We are Zavala Civitas executive search and we have walked alongside our clients supporting them in matters ranging from Executive Search to broader Organizational Consulting. We are ready to be your talent and Organizational partner in China & East Asia. We are ready to tackle new challenges and risks with your firm. Click here to get in contact with us.

Zavala Civitas executive search methodology for  China

Related posts

Leadership and Decision-Making in Asia-Pacific’s Age of AI 

From Technology Adoption to Strategic Accountability  Across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimentation. What only a few years ago sat within innovation labs or IT functions has now reached the center of executive and board-level decision-making.  This shift is already measurable. Nearly 48% of companies in Asia now

Read More

Tomás Grimaldi becomes Partner at Zavala Civitas Executive Search 

Madrid, Spain – January 2026  Zavala Civitas Executive Search announces the promotion of Tomás Grimaldi to Partner, reinforcing the firm’s long-term commitment to leadership, growth, and equity partnership continuity.  Tomás joined Zavala Civitas initially as Finance Manager and has progressively taken on broader responsibilities across business development, executive search, and

Read More