Computer programmers usually confine themselves to working in their cubicles. They hardly spend time socializing with their co-workers. In China, where the staff is trained to follow strict protocols to maintain quality of work, some companies demand a lot from their tech workers.

But it looks like employers are slowly compensating for this.

Tech companies in China are reportedly hiring new female staff members to work as cheerleaders for their male populated IT departments, according to Tech In Asia. 

These "office cheerleaders," as they are called, are tasked to socialize with the programmers during work breaks. The women also bring the tech guys breakfast food, play ping pong or keep them company during a sluggish day at work, according to Esquire.

"The presence of these girls have greatly improved their job efficiency and motivation," said one HR manager, according to Mail Online. But the news isn't so well received among netizens on social media.

"What about female coders? Do these guys hire male 'motivators'?" one user asked on the Facebook page Trending In China.

"I bet that these girls would work better than the guys in this company, and without needing any cheerleading stuff for that. This is ridiculous," says another user - a female - in the comments.

The exact number as to how many companies in China have adopted this morale boosting measure is not known.