Every afternoon, Feng Jianlai clocks out early from his job, picks up his 5-year-old son from kindergarten, and heads home to spend time with his 2-year-old. Just a few years ago, this would have been unthinkable.

Feng, from Zhongshan city, a manufacturing hub in South China's Guangdong province, credits one thing for the change: a local initiative known as "Mom Posts". Initially created to help mothers of young children return to work with flexible hours, the program has since expanded to support fathers like Feng as well.

Feng is the general manager of the sewing workshop at a daily necessities manufacturer. Last year, his position was reclassified as a "Mom Post" after he applied for the designation. Today, 70 percent of the workshop roles are classified as "Mom Posts," giving caregivers greater flexibility in managing their work schedules.

"It's not just for moms," Feng said. "Now dads can take time off when needed and make it up later. It's a real help for families like ours."

Zhongshan was among the first Chinese cities to roll out "Mom Posts," offering government subsidies to encourage businesses to create flexible work opportunities for parents, especially mothers.

Launched in 2022 and continuously upgraded, the initiative aims to address two persistent challenges: labor shortages in the manufacturing sector and barriers preventing caregivers from rejoining the workforce.

By the end of last year, 534 enterprises in Zhongshan had set up "Mom Posts," with nearly 25,000 such positions officially registered. More than 5,600 people have been employed directly through the initiative, and nearly 12 million yuan ($1.65 million) in subsidies have been disbursed.

These posts offer a rare opportunity for caregivers to balance parenting and career development, said Fan Wei, a labor economics professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing. "They support women's employment, promote child well-being, meet corporate labor needs and even influence long-term fertility trends."

The model is now spreading. In December last year, Shanghai launched a pilot program for "Parent-friendly Posts," encouraging employers to create jobs with flexible schedules for employees caring for children under the age of 12.

Dedicated government job service windows across the city have reported growing interest from parents, with some reporting that up to 40 percent of inquiries now come from fathers.

"Flexible jobs have long existed, but they are scattered across sectors and companies," said Hu Yong, a community official in downtown Shanghai. "What we are doing is uncovering these opportunities, matching positions to families who need them most, and encouraging enterprises to create more."

These local policies echo the national agenda. As one of the world's most populous countries, China faces a dwindling number of newborns. Before the numbers started rising last year, both the country's birth rate and number of newborns dropped for seven consecutive years.

To boost its birth rate, China has rolled out a series of policies, including support for second and third children, expanded childcare services, longer maternity leave, and broader aid in education, housing and employment.

In a 2021 policy document on promoting balanced population development, national authorities called for efforts to support work-family balance through flexible employment policies. That vision was further reinforced last year, when a national policy document urged employers to implement telecommuting, staggered work hours and other childcare-supportive arrangements.

Guan Lian, deputy head of the National Human Resources Institute for Service Outsourcing, said parent-friendly posts are a humane and practical response to the pressures faced by dual-role professionals in China. "They help reduce anxiety for a generation caught between work demands and childrearing responsibilities."

Gaps, challenges remain

A 2023 survey by the All-China Women's Federation found that 82.7 percent of full-time mothers hope to return to work, with nearly half favoring part-time or flexible job options.

Today, parent-friendly job zones are a regular feature at recruitment fairs in China. While many roles remain labor-intensive, such as cleaning, catering or customer service, more diverse opportunities are emerging, including remote marketing, livestream hosting and early childhood education assistance.

Yueyue (pseudonym), a mother of a toddler, works part-time as an audiobook host for the Shanghai-based digital reading platform Fanshu App. From a two-square-meter corner of her apartment, she records 10 to 15 hours weekly between naps and meal prep.

Her employer now designates part-time audiobook hosts and social media operators as "Parent-friendly Posts," offering flexible shifts, work-from-home options, and even child-accompanied office hours during school breaks.

"Our policies help us attract and retain talented caregivers," said Liu Yi, head of Fanshu's women's federation, adding that top audiobook hosts of the platform earn around 200,000 yuan annually.

Still, gaps remain. For highly skilled professionals who have taken years off for childcare, reentry into the workforce can be tough.

A mother surnamed Song from Qingdao in Shandong province, who left the workforce for eight years, said jobs that match both her professional background and family needs are limited.

Song's concerns are echoed by Shao Xiaochun, a community official in Shanghai who works with businesses to identify flexible job opportunities. "Most parent-friendly positions are still part-time or temporary, with limited prospects for long-term career development," said Shao.

To truly expand such opportunities, Guan Lian from the human resources institute for service outsourcing argues that companies must fundamentally rethink traditional management. "They need to embed parent-friendly roles into the institutional structure, not just treat them as one-off accommodations."

Meanwhile, experts are urging stronger government action to advance parent-friendly jobs, calling for clearer job standards, improved coordination across departments, and more effective policy outreach to support both workers and employers.

Companies need stronger incentives, and workers need better services, said Shen Jianfeng, a law expert at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing.

"Tax breaks, insurance subsidies and enhanced public services — like skills training for full-time parents — can help bridge the gap," added Shen.