How Jasan Builds 85% of Its Mid-Level Leaders From Within

Manufacturers expanding across borders face a basic question: who will run the next factory, team or production line?

As one of the world’s leading sock manufacturers, Jasan Group has been expanding its manufacturing footprint in China and overseas while pushing ahead with smart manufacturing. Today, about 85% of its mid-level managers are promoted from within. That internal pipeline provides steady support for the Group’s global manufacturing operations.

01

Spot Potential Early 

At Jasan, potential is not judged by education or professional background alone.

Fei Tianwen, Director of Human Resources and Administration at Jasan Group, describes high-potential employees as pragmatic people who are willing to immerse themselves in the business, supply chain and production system, while also showing innovation, systems thinking and strong organizational skills.

Management capability is built over time. It comes from hands-on experience across the business, supply chain and production, as well as challenging projects and team management.

When employees show potential, they are gradually given greater responsibility — through broader authority, a wider management scope or promotion into new roles. The goal is to let people grow through real work and take on more important responsibilities as their capabilities develop.

Potential is assessed over time, not through a one-off selection process.

Direct supervisors and department heads consider performance, learning ability, accountability, collaboration and problem-solving. They also pay close attention to employees who are willing to take on additional responsibilities, carry out improvement projects, or move across functions and production bases.

Employees identified as high-potential talent enter the Group’s talent pool and gain access to further development opportunities, including targeted training, mentoring, job rotations and overseas project experience.

02

Give Young Talent 

Real Responsibility

Jasan takes a clear approach to graduate hires: new employees should not remain in “learning roles” for too long. They are encouraged to take on real responsibility early and grow through hands-on experience.

After joining the Group, graduate hires first complete general training before rotating through different roles on the production floor. With one-on-one mentoring, they gradually learn how products are made, how the full production process works and how different functions fit together.

The development cycle lasts about three years, with goals set at different stages. Final placement is determined gradually based on individual performance and business needs.

Around six months after joining, graduate hires typically begin moving into assistant-level roles. If there is no suitable opening at the time, their responsibilities may still be expanded. Some start by managing a small number of people and gradually take on larger teams.

By the third year, the development path may lead toward roles such as supervisor, assistant plant manager or assistant manager.

Jasan also provides support to reduce income uncertainty during the early stages of development. A three-year salary protection mechanism helps graduate hires maintain stable base pay while they rotate through different roles and build experience. Other support includes educational subsidies, free meals and accommodation, and additional living benefits.

The Group’s HR team also coordinates talent-support arrangements across its different operations, linking university graduates with Hangzhou’s talent programs so they can make fuller use of available living and housing subsidies.

03

Build Leaders 

From Within

As employees gain experience, Jasan provides room to move upward across production management, technical and functional career paths.

Promotion is not based on seniority alone. Roles and responsibilities change as employees demonstrate stronger capabilities and make greater contributions.

When management positions become available, internal candidates are given priority and employees are encouraged to apply.

A typical path in production management may look like this:

Frontline Employee → Skilled Specialist → Team Leader → Workshop Supervisor → Production Manager / Functional Supervisor → Mid- or Senior-Level Base Management

Employees build experience through day-to-day operations, structured training and project work, gradually taking responsibility for larger teams and more complex production tasks.

Jasan also supports movement across production bases. Employees can apply for overseas assignments, making international projects another path for gaining experience and moving into larger roles.

A promotion does not mean an employee is expected to master a new role overnight.

For employees moving into mid- or senior-level management positions, Jasan provides an adaptation and observation period of six to twelve months. During this time, employees receive ongoing guidance, work toward phased business and team-management goals, and review their progress regularly.

Performance is assessed progressively, including production results, team development and process improvement. This gives employees time to make the transition from experienced professionals to capable managers.

04

Open to New Talent

Jasan’s talent system is not a closed internal loop.

Employees can continue to move forward through internal development, while the Group also recruits externally for technical, functional and selected key management roles. These hires bring new experience, perspectives and ways of working into the organization.

Internal and external talent complement each other in day-to-day operations, strengthening the Group’s overall talent pipeline.

As Jasan advances smart manufacturing, production and management roles are becoming more demanding. Managers increasingly need to understand the factory floor, production processes and team leadership at the same time.

Jasan’s approach — from identifying potential and giving young employees real responsibility, to internal promotion and talent mobility — has been built around those demands.

By developing management talent through frontline experience, while supplementing that pipeline with targeted external recruitment, Jasan is strengthening its organizational capabilities alongside its manufacturing transformation and supporting the steady expansion of its global manufacturing network.

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