As many similar-themed memes circulate on social media, having problems with one’s job has become a common sentiment among young people. Therefore, naturally they might post “I hate my job” somewhere co-workers cannot see. It can be awkward when someone from work discovers one of these posts. And it’s even more awkward, if you accidentally post it on the company account that you manage, especially if that company is as influential as Vogue. This just happened with Vogue China, and it instantly went viral, despite the fashion publication’s efforts to delete the post as quickly as possible.
On 12 June, Vogue China posted via its account on Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, just one line with no punctuation: “Really hate this job” (好讨厌这份工作). It was deleted almost immediately, but it was already seen by too many.
- #VOGUE官博秒删 Vogue official Weibo delete immediately: 48.43 million views on Weibo, ranking number 4 on the Hot Search list
The magazine’s China editor-in-chief, Rocco Liu Chong (刘冲), quickly posted on the same platform that: “an editorial colleague forgot to switch back to their own Weibo account. It’s normal to complain about work, and we all understand that. But next time, don’t let me see it.
After the fiasco, netizens feel that the social media editor might soon be out of a job, and many called for Liu to keep the honest staff member on his team. Others began to compile past lapses from other official accounts, and it would seem social media might not be such an easy job for most. With the recent online sentiment feeling empathetic towards fellow workers, showing leniency might be the best move for any employer with a high public profile right now.