Editor's note: China Daily reporter An Baijie visited several factories in Tanghe county of Nanyang, Henan province. The factories, mostly coming from coastal regions, have not only brought more work to the inland area, but also more respectful attitudes toward workers.

In the "industrial cluster district" of Tanghe county, where more than 120 factories are densely located, lots of big bulletin boards with recruitment ads can easily be found outside the factories' gates.

The ads, mostly printed with eye-catching characters, promise attractive rewards - high salaries, multiple subsidies, and sufficient holidays - to their potential employees.

"Each of our workers could get a minimum payment of 1,400 yuan ($221.90) per month, and a 200 yuan food subsidy. The company provides free dormitories for those whose homes are far away," reads one of the company's ads.

A senior manager from an electronics factory said that companies are paying much more attention to the welfare of their workers nowadays.

Unlike their parents, who seldom have any requirements other than sufficient payment, the new generation of workers, especially those born in the 1990s, are seeking more rights from their employers.

An 18-year-old female worker who has worked less than two months for an electronics company complained that the factory's cafeteria was not as good as she wished.

"The dishes are usually too salty, and I miss the food cooked by my mum," she said. "My friend told me that the cafeteria at another factory is better, and I plan to go there if our cafeteria is not improved."

A 22-year-old employee said that he hoped to sing karaoke after finishing work, but there are no karaoke lounges in the vast industrial park.

"I miss the time last year when I worked in a factory in Dongguan in Guangdong province. The entertainment industry is thriving there, and I could relax by singing karaoke or dancing," he said.

To better meet the demands of younger workers, a company manager plans to set up an entertainment venue in the factory, where the workers can play basketball, table tennis, badminton, video games, and watch movies.

"The company has no other choice but to satisfy its employees or they will vote with their feet and go to other factories," said the manager.

"The time when the company could make profits by cutting the welfare of employees has passed forever," the manager said.

(China Daily 03/12/2012 page6)