A new kind of “going to work” has suddenly appeared in Hefei — people are now paying just to “pretend to go to the office”!

Local media recently discovered that several so-called “pretend to work” companies have quietly become popular in the city. The concept is simple: turn idle office space into rented desks, charging a few hundred yuan per month, and target people who normally work from home but crave the buzz of an office.

In one office near Hefei’s Economic Development Zone, a reporter found a 30-square-meter room where five or six renters sat at desks, typing, sketching, and programming. Coffee mugs, small plants, and the clatter of keyboards made it feel strikingly similar to a real workplace.

The landlord, Mr. Qian, explained that most tenants aren’t secretly unemployed as social media jokes suggest, but freelancers and remote workers — programmers, designers, and the like. One renter admitted he was too easily distracted at home; at the “fake office,” surrounded by others working, he finally regained focus and productivity.

With monthly desk prices ranging from 300–500 yuan depending on location, plus free Wi-Fi and printing, the idea is catching on. Some landlords are even expanding to add more seats.

What started online as a quirky trend of “pretend to work” is shaping into a genuine shared-economy business — giving remote workers not just a desk, but the discipline and atmosphere they miss from the office.