What is China’s 996 Workweek?
The term “996 workday” has recently become a trending topic in China. It refers to a work schedule where employees start work at 9:00 AM, end at 9:00 PM, and work six days a week.
Programmers Take to GitHub
Working 12 hours every day and only being able to rest for one day per week is typical for Chinese programmers. This grueling work schedule has led to a great deal of discontent. Some programmers have taken to the worldwide code repository GitHub to voice their concerns. They have created a project where they can share their experiences and discuss the negative impact that the 996 schedule has on their lives.
Within a few days, this project gained a following and the support of numerous programmers. It has become a symbol of the struggle for better working conditions in China’s tech industry. Many hoped this kind of collective action would lead to change and result in more reasonable working hours for programmers nationwide.
Soon afterward, large internet companies, one after the other, issued a response concerning the 72-hour work week.
Jack Ma’s Response
The founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, published a statement commending overworking and stated that he considers this not a problem but a kind of reward. Following
Jack Ma’s speech for a moment, 996 was pushed to the heart of the storm.
Employees don’t like the 996 workday. According to them, the 996 workday leaves them no time for themselves or their families. In addition, many people are anxious that the 996 workdays will become an accepted working system by companies. Then, if someone leaves work on schedule, they will, on the contrary, be considered to be a lazy person who doesn’t like to work.
Yet, many bosses hold the 996 workday in extraordinary esteem. They think that young people should just get to work. If you don’t have a 72-hour work week now, when will you have one?
How about you? What do you think of the 996 work day in China?
Are you interested in learning more about Chinese culture? If so, you may want to check out China’s Knock-offs to continue your exploration.
