In China's increasingly high-pressure labor market, a new sociological term is gaining traction among Gen Z and millennial professionals: "first-job colleagues", or more colloquially, "workplace childhood friends".

The term describes a specific bond between entry-level hires who enter a company at the same time. Unlike the strategic networking of senior management, these relationships are characterized by "trauma bonding" through initial professional failures and the steep learning curve of transitioning from academia to the workforce.

As China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30), which prioritizes high-quality youth employment and mental health in the workplace, these "anchors" are becoming essential for retention. On platforms like Xiaohongshu, hashtags related to "first-job camaraderie" have surged, reflecting a shift where emotional support is now valued as highly as career advancement.

The following are the experiences of four such "workplace childhood friends".

Legacy networking

For Chen Xinyi, a banking professional in her 30s in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, the bond with her first-job colleagues is not just a fond memory but a tangible source of strength that has shaped her career over the past decade.

In 2015, Chen was part of a wave of new hires at a major bank during the industry's golden era. Selected from tens of thousands of applicants, a group of about 50 new recruits, including Chen and her four closest friends — later dubbed the "Xi'an five tigers" by impressed peers from other cities — were sent to Beijing for six months of intensive training.

It was during this period, living together in a hotel and navigating a new city, that their foundational trust was built. The camaraderie was instant. "Looking back, it was amazing," Chen said. "We three girls shared a dorm, and unlike some university dormitories, there was no conflict whatsoever for six whole months. It felt magical."

The real proof of their bond, however, came when they returned to their home branches in Xi'an and were scattered across different banking subsidiaries. When Chen suffered a personal crisis, a "Tiger" colleague silently absorbed her workload at the bank counter, maintaining the branch's efficiency while providing emotional cover.

"She almost didn't let me serve anyone that day. She shouldered all the work while quietly comforting me," Chen said.

This unspoken support system continued as they navigated the competitive path toward career advancement. In 2018, both were hoping to be transferred to the bank's new, prestigious headquarters building.

One evening, after dinner, they walked together to the still-unopened headquarters and prayed to be transferred there. Not long after, their prayers were answered.

This mix of emotional support, shared ambition, practical help, navigating internal office politics and sharing information cemented a friendship that has long since transcended the workplace.

Now, even after Chen changed banks two years ago, she and this friend speak daily on WeChat, sharing everything from work woes to dating updates. "In all kinds of relationships, the core need is to be seen and understood," Chen said. "First-job colleagues can give you that understanding in a way that even old school friends sometimes cannot."

Surviving together

While Chen's bond was built on shared ambition, Tian Xiao's was forged in crisis. A former TV news editor in Beijing, Tian's closest professional ties date back to the 2020 pandemic.

Working 12-hour night shifts in a two-person team, Tian and his partner developed a "silent rhythm" of mutual support.

The workload was immense. "During that time, we were forced to grow up very fast," Tian said.

Tian would flag important stories for his partner's morning summary, helping them both leave on time. "You need a certain empathy," he said. "You help others so the whole team can clock out together."

Their bond, however, wasn't forged solely in the office. It was also cemented through youthful misadventures. Tian recalled a night when a group of them went to an escape room in suburban Beijing.

In the middle of a chase scene, one colleague tripped and fell, breaking his hand. "It was pretty dangerous," Tian said, but added that instead of panicking, the group rallied, spending the rest of the night at the hospital with their injured friend until 2 am, before dragging themselves to work just six hours later.

That shared sense of crisis management has translated into a lasting digital infrastructure.

Even though most of them have since left the media outlet and scattered to different cities and industries, the bond endures. A WeChat group, once buzzing with weekend getaway plans, now features photos of members' children and shared life updates. "When I go to Beijing, we always make time to meet for dinner," Tian said. During one such reunion in December last year, seeing one of his friends as a new mother gave him, for the first time, a tangible sense of time's passage.

These are the friends who witnessed his most awkward, stressed and formative professional self, and that shared history is irreplaceable, he said.

Comrades-in-arms

In the more rigid structures of the civil service, these friendships act as a safeguard against professional isolation. Lyu Peirou, 24, was recently placed in a rural village in Shaanxi, far from her Beijing-based support system — her boyfriend.

Her "virtual squad" — a group of four graduates from prestigious universities placed in different villages — functions as a decentralized brain trust. They share practical advice on village governance, such as drafting activity plans and navigating grassroots bureaucracy.

"We all face the same problems — living in unfamiliar places, the huge psychological gap between our expectations and the reality of grassroots work," Lyu explained. "We feel anxious about the future."

For Lyu, these people are more than friends; they are "comrades-in-arms". They share experiences on navigating the unique challenges of village life, from organizing activities to communicating with locals.

Lyu uses the group to benchmark her progress. When she organized a village sports day, the group's "online cheers" served as the primary validation for her work in an otherwise isolated environment.

The group members maintain their connection through near-daily chats and monthly video calls that can last two or three hours.

Once, they even met in person for a three-day trip to Xi'an, staying in the same hotel. "Meeting offline felt no different from our online connection," Lyu said. "We became more and more familiar. When we met, there was no awkwardness at all."

One friend, a girl with exceptionally clear logic and assertiveness, has already been entrusted by her leaders to handle complex public complaints. Another male friend, who loves philosophy and politics, can quote the famous writer Lu Xun and cite lines from political dramas. "I think to myself, they are so impressive," Lyu said.

Same worldview

For the tech-sector workforce in Beijing, these bonds are increasingly being curated through personality metrics. Zhang Zuge, 31, bonded with two colleagues over their shared "INFJ" Myers-Briggs personality type profile.

"We are all INFJs," Zhang said, referring to the personality type known for being introverted, intuitive and sensitive. This shared personality trait meant they intuitively understood each other's need for space and deep, meaningful conversation.

Their relationship evolved from workplace banter and roasting their bosses to discussing life's biggest questions after they all left their original company. They became each other's cheerleaders during subsequent job hunts and personal crises.

"We can share embarrassing family issues or relationship problems without judgment," Zhang said. When he decided to quit his job last year, riddled with anxiety and indecision, their encouragement was a crucial factor in mustering the courage to leave an unhealthy environment.

"Their support helped fortify my own resolve," he said.

Their understanding is so profound that they even tacitly agree to cancel social plans at the last minute when feeling socially drained, knowing the others will perfectly understand. "For us, maintaining a little distance is good," Zhang said. "We occasionally share our lives, letting each other know our updates. That's a pretty good thing."

As Chinese workplace culture moves away from the "996" (9 am to 9 pm, six days a week) era toward a focus on sustainable development, the "workplace childhood friend" represents a move away from the "lone wolf" professional model. For a generation facing high mobility and economic shifts, the friends made at the starting line are no longer just coworkers — they are the new infrastructure of a lifelong career.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn