Employees have grumbled about their brutal schedules over the years, and some have even tried to fight back. Published Feb. 1, 2021 Updated Feb. 5, 2021 It was 1:30 a.m. just days before the new year, and the 22-year-old employee of Pinduoduo, a Chinese e-commerce company, was leaving. On Monday, social media platform Weibo was buzzed with the hashtag "Bilibili worker on Monday when a workplace blogger reported the mans death, citing anonymous colleagues claiming that he was forced to work overtime, reported AFP. Offers may be subject to change without notice. The state-run CCTV on Tuesday published acommentarythat warned against trading human life for profit. Critics argue that the 996 working hour system is a violation of Chinese Labour Law and have called it "modern slavery". Zahng was six months into a job at Pinduoduo, and has been hailed as the latest victim of what is knownas the "996" work culture plaguing China's tech industry. [71], Several Chinese media outlets criticized the 996 working system. Subscribe!function(m,a,i,l,s,t,e,r){m[s]=m[s]||(function(){t=a.createElement(i);r=a.getElementsByTagName(i)[0];t.async=1;t.src=l;r.parentNode.insertBefore(t,r);return !0}())}(window,document,'script','https://www.openculture.com/wp-content/plugins/mailster/assets/js/button.min.js','MailsterSubscribe'); 2006-2023 Open Culture, LLC. In a grim irony, Japan has the lowest productivity among the G7 nations: its people work hard, yet their companies are hardly working. [20][21] Numerous overwork deaths and suicides have occurred during past decades due to the 996 system and other overtime working system in China. The aforementioned low productivity, along with a rapidly aging and even contracting population, contributed to Japans loss of its position as the worlds second-largest economy. It was overtaken in 2011 by China, a country with overwork problems of its own. Anonymous activists launched a project hosted on GitHub called 996.ICU, meaning "Work by '996,' sick in ICU." "Legally, workers have the right to corresponding compensation and rest times or holidays. If Congress doesn't pass a bill funding the government before the end of September, key agencies will shut down. After all, this same work ethic has also been credited as the driver of success for these firms, some of which have since become incredibly prominent on the world stage. China has further relaxed its child policy, allowing couples to have up to three children. "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to the public and we strongly object to the views expressed in the post. "Whether it's the knowledge workers in internet businesses or the blue-collar workers at delivery platforms - both employ millions of workers, and many are most likely working 996 hours," Dr Song Zhaoli, of the National University of Singapore, said. The 996 working hour system was deemed illegal by the Supreme People's Court on 27 August 2021. Bryan Ke January 6, 2021 The death of a 22-year-old employee from Shanghai-based e-commerce giant Pinduoduo has reignited a long-drawn discussion of China's overwork culture known as "996.". Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. In its Monday statement, Pinduoduo did not give a cause of death for Zhang, the South China Morning Post reported. The CNBC segment just above investigates what can be done about such labor conditions, which even in white-collar workplaces contribute to the heart attacks, strokes, and other immediate causes of deaths ultimately ascribed to karshi. China steps in to regulate brutal '996' work culture - BBC News A minister reported a robbery. After initially claiming that the post was fake, Pinduoduo laterapologizedand said a contractor had uploaded it without authorization, adding that the company strongly opposed the views expressed. We accept PayPal, Venmo (@openculture), Patreon and Crypto! The suicide rates are officially 'low' but regular suicide and death reports of workers from China are. Paramedics spent six hours trying to revive her, but it was in vain. '996' work culture: Deaths, self-immolation draw scrutiny on China tech giants 5 min read. In a joint statement published last Thursday, China's top court and labour ministry detailed 10 court decisions related to labour disputes, many involving workers being forced to work overtime. Developed by Keidanren, Japans oldest business lobby, it was initially received as a direct response to karshi, but it has its origins in marketing. It spoke to a generation of urban workers disenchanted by the notorious "996" work culture, where staff are expected to work from 9:00am to 9:00pm, six days a week. Her death is widely believed to have been caused by overwork, and the woman's family has reportedly declined the offer of a post-mortem examination. "That's why it is now trying to create an employment system that seems more humane for young workers - to make work appealing to them. WION Web Team Beijing Updated: Feb 10, 2022, 12:28 AM IST Photograph: (AFP) Follow Us Story highlights Several Chinese companies still operate through the '996' work mode, where it is expected from the employees, especially in the tech industry, to work from 9 am to 9 pm six days a week Letters | China's 996 work culture is labour exploitation by another name Support for the practice of requiring employees to work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, comes from the top, and is. Claims that overwork killed China tech worker reignites '996' debate China's 996 work culture is labour exploitation by another name Without naming specific corporations, CCTV called for authorities to step up regulatory oversight to protect the rights of workers. The repository on GitHub states that the name "996.icu" refers to how developers who work under the 996 system (9AM9PM, 6 days per week) would risk poor health and a possible stay in an intensive care unit. A 25-year-old worker at Bilibili died on Saturday, sparking intense debate on Chinese social media. "This is of big concern for the government because it needs these workers to keep the economy going," Dr Chan said. A hashtag relating to the death of man employed at video platform Bilibili has been viewed hundreds of millions of times but company denies claims he was overworked. After all, this same work ethic has also been credited as the driver of success for these firms, some of which have since become incredibly prominent on the world stage. Initiatives to put a stop to the ill effects of overwork, up to and including karshi, includemandatory vacation days and office lights that switch off automatically at 10:00 p.m. [35][36] Later, the official account of Pinduoduo posted (but deleted shortly afterwards) an answer on Zhihu, saying "Those who are at the bottom of the society earn their wages at the risk of losing their lives". Death of young worker renews criticism of Chinese tech's relentless '996' work culture. [1][2][3][4][5][6] A number of Mainland Chinese internet companies have adopted this system as their official work schedule. Published on: The 996 culture has been promoted by the country's increasingly dominant tech founders, including Alibaba's Jack Ma, but has seeped into other sectors. Meanwhile, big companies are just getting richer. 72 hours per week. The court observed that "adhering to the national working hour system is the legal obligation of employers" and said that workers deserve "rest and vacation". But this is a concept that worries authorities as the country grapples with a shrinking labour force in the years ahead. We never spam. Experts say to prioritize these 4 habits, Gen Z is rejecting everything theyve been taught about tipping. On Sunday, Pinduoduo apologized for the post, and blamed a contractor named Li who was working for the company. The so-called996 office schedule 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, plus overtime has spurred criticism in previous years following complaints from tech workers and earlierdeaths. But public anger means authorities can no longer turn a blind eye, experts told the BBC. [24] Another study likened 996 culture to "modern slavery", formed through the combination of "unrestricted global capitalism and a Confucian culture of hierarchy and obedience". Complying with national working hours is the obligation of employers," the notice warned, adding that further guidelines will be developed to resolve future labour disputes. The Supreme Peoples Court and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security published a lengthy essay Friday about labor violations and unreasonable overtime, labeled 996 because of the common practice of working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. The main reason is the government has been ignoring this. The flurry of activity led to the "issue" page of the repository to be flooded with spam and shut down, which was hotly discussed on Zhihu, Sina Weibo, and WeChat. Getty. Meanwhile, big companies are just getting richer. [12][13][14], The culture of overtime work has a long history in Chinese IT companies,[15] where the focus is typically on speed and cost reduction. A One-Man Blockade Against the U.S. Military - The New York Times How a Hindu holy book influenced Oppenheimer, Rhodes wildfires are 'like a biblical catastrophe', Russia pummels Odesa after killing grain deal. And in January, a food delivery driver set himself on fire after he was allegedly denied $770 (559) in overdue wages, just one month after a worker had died while delivering meals for online platform Ele.me. Some people registered a website domain named "996.ICU" to complain about the "work a 996 [schedule], sick in the ICU" life. Chinese tech workers have long protested the rise of the trend, but authorities have taken few steps to counter it. And for many workers who are pulling in longer hours than ever amid the pandemic, enough was enough. The one thing they had in common? The Vice report above covers the "996" system, which stands for working from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m, six days a week. Were hoping to rely on our loyal readers rather than erratic ads. While Zhang died in Xinjiang, Pinduoduo is headquartered in Shanghai. Months later, House Republicans again find themselves with leverage. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,Cricket News, Bollywood News, A hashtag related to the mans death and including the allegation of overwork trended on Weibo, receiving hundreds of millions of views, including accusations the government had not done enough to address the problems in the year since a spate of high-profile deaths linked to overwork in 2020. "I am so tired. Laws limiting working hours have thus far proven ineffective, or at least circumventable. Our quiz How desperate US prisoners try to escape deadly heat. Based in Seoul,Colin Marshallwrites and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. [37], Just a few days after the early January accident, another employee committed suicide by jumping. The video platform Bilibili, where the man was working as a content auditor, said company representatives went to the hospital to assist and then notified his family. China Clamps Down On Large Companies, Excessive '996' Work Culture And "996" sees staffers work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, and has been praised by top executives like Alibaba founder Jack Ma and JD.com CEO Richard Liu Qiangdong. The 25-year-old reportedly died soon after he was admitted to a hospital from his home on Saturday afternoon, The Guardian reported. China's 996 work culture has claimed another techie's life: All you For every person who drops dead on the job, maybe there are 50 or 100 who decide they do not have enough spare time or energy to raise even one child. Is it that hard to give a sincere apology? However, the company defended itself saying that the 25-year-old, whose name is yet to be revealed, had been working from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm for the past week, with no overtime. China says a media worker collapsed and died as a result of '996' work Dutch programmer Guido van Rossum remarked that the 996 work schedule is "inhumane". Like Mr Ma, who founded online retail giant Alibaba, e-commerce platform JD.com chief Richard Liu has previously defended this culture, hitting out at "slackers". [19] According to China's state-owned media People's Daily, a 2013 survey showed that 98.8% of Chinese IT industry workers said they had health problems. Earlier this year, two employees of the fast-growing e-commerce platform Pingduoduo (PDD) died unexpectedly, reviving the debates over "996". one user wrote on microblogging platform Weibo. Over the weekend, a hashtag used to mark Zhang's death and identify her as a victim of "996" had garnered millions of views on Weibo, Bloomberg reported. A move towards better labour protection also comes as the attitudes of many young Chinese have changed, experts say. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Exhausted and disenfranchised with endless work hours, many Gen Zers and millennials are taking to social media to promote the idea of "tang ping," which translates to lying flat. Loading YouTube content More generally, President Xi Jinping is trying to realign the relationship between Chinese corporations and the stateby placing increasing restrictions on private enterprises. Ma, who came from nothing and became China's richest man, said in April 2019 it was a "huge blessing" to work overtime and 72-hour weeks as a young employee. 12-Hour Days Are No 'Blessing. It's boldly imaginative and his most mature work yet, writes . This year, 996 shot back into the news after two workers died at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce giant. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices China blasts '996' excessive work culture By Jill Disis and CNN's Beijing bureau, CNN Business Published 4:42 AM EDT, Fri August 27, 2021 Link Copied! The court ruled the death work-related and asked the company to pay the victim's family about 400,000 yuan (S$83,500). Let's take a look at the 996 work culture and what critics say: Once endorsed by tech billionaires like Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Richard Liu, 996 responds to working 12 hours per day, from 9 am to 9 pm, for six days a week: 72 hours per week. [17], Long time working system brings various diseases and mental disorders to Chinese workers. The work time to be prolonged shall not exceed, however, 36 hours a month. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Terms & Conditions. It is unclear if the cases were directly linked to overwork, but they caused outraged netizens to debate 996 culture and the "dark side" of working at some of the country's most acclaimed firms. Any work beyond that requires extra pay for overtime. And in January, a food delivery driver set himself on fire after he was allegedly denied $770 (559) in overdue wages, just one month after a worker had died while delivering meals for online platform Ele.me. Bilibili confirmed the employee's death in a statement late Tuesday and said they had apologised to his family while terming the incident a wake-up call. 996 refers to people working 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., six days a week. Now, China's authorities have issued a stern reminder to companies that such punishing work schedules are in fact, illegal. As China continues its crackdown on some of its largest firms to stem their influence, companies will not dare to cross lines, they say. [79][56][80][81] In 2021, Chinese scholars stressed on policy-makers that "there is a need to reform work policies to realize the lowering of working time per worker in China (and also to curb excessive-work cultures like 996)". The spiritual movement encourages people to take more time to unwind and be happy with their current life, rather than chasing money or long work hours. Last Saturday, smartphone maker Vivo said it would scrap its "big/small weeks" practice, where workers alternate five and six-day working weeks. In May, China's once-a-decade census revealed its slowest population growth in decades. [56][57], On 2 April 2019, it was widely reported that Tencent's QQ browser and WeChat, Alibaba's UC Browser, Qihoo 360's 360 Browser, and many other Chromium-based Mainland Chinese browsers blocked the 996.icu repository on GitHub, describing it as "an illegal and fraudulent site". Jack Ma draws controversy with call for '996' work culture. It outlined 10 cases -- including but not limited to the tech industry. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. The 996 working hour system ( Chinese: 996) is a work schedule practiced by some companies in China. It derives its name from its requirement that employees work from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, 6 days per week; i.e. Please find all options here. Here's what happened to other Chinese businessmen who mysteriously disappeared after sparring with regulators. Toxic '996' work culture, China's dark side of labour exploitation [7][8], In March 2019, an "anti-996" protest was launched via GitHub. The practice has come under. They want domestic peace," Dr Chan said. Many young workers in some of China's biggest firms work brutal '996 hours' - 9am to 9pm, six days a week, Many delivery workers in China say they are underpaid and overworked, Some of China's youth want out of the rat race, 'China needs its workers to stay competitive', Jack Ma famously said it was a "blessing", Why China's youth are 'lying flat' on the job, Obamas' personal chef dies in paddleboard accident, LGBT Malaysians angry at 1975 'white saviour' act, 'Historic' - the World Cup's first out trans player, Bayer expects $2.8bn hit as weedkiller sales fall, Julian Sands' final cause of death is undetermined. Workers may now also feel more emboldened to take their bosses to court. In many of the country's biggest firms - particularly in the thriving tech sector - employees often work far longer hours and are not always compensated. Karoun Demirjian, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains . The 10 cases heard by the . "I expect more workers will likely invoke their rights under the labour laws when they feel they have been mistreated," said Angela Zhang, a law professor from the University of Hong Kong. Octavia Butler's novel Parable of the Sower depicting a dystopian U.S. in 2024 was published 30 years ago. 2023 BBC. Prevalent in Chinese tech companies, it has been blamed for stress, illness, and death among employees. Prevalent in Chinese tech companies, it has been blamed for stress, illness, and death among employees. FP Staff Last Updated:February 23, 2022 20:07:52 IST To support Open Cultures educational mission, please consider making a donation. But several Chinese companies still operate through the 996 work mode, where it is expected from the employees, especially in the tech industry, to work from 9 am to 9 pm six days a week. In 2019, a group of programmers made headlines when they launched a campaign on code-sharing platform Github, blacklisting start-ups that overworked staff from using their open-source code. Last Saturday, smartphone maker Vivo said it would scrap its "big/small weeks" practice, where workers alternate five and six-day working weeks. How is this fair?" What is China's 996 work culture that is polarising its Silicon Valleys "The government cannot sit still and let this blow up. "From now on, we are people who will have full weekends! At 1:30 a.m. on December 29, a 22-year-old woman was walking home from work on the outskirts of Urumqi, the capital city of China's Xinjiang region, when colleagues saw her grab her stomach and fall to the sidewalk. PDF Xin Bao. The Striving Trap- Chinese 996 Work Culture, Online and According to Hong Kong-based NGO China Labour Bulletin, 131 cases of food delivery worker protests were recorded between 2016 and 2021. China needs them to remain competitive.". Her death sparked a social media backlash against Pinduoduo and the relentless working schedules expected of its workers, prompting district officials at the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau to commence an investigation. By law, Chinese workers have to be paid extra when they work more than eight hours a day, but firms have been avoiding paying them by exploiting loopholes, the document said, as reported by Bloomberg. It's one of 10 examples of court disputes mentioned in the paper, which highlights the effect of the "996" work culture working 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., six days a week that pervades many of the country's top firms, Bloomberg reported. A 22-year-old employee of Pinduoduo, a Chinese e-commerce platform, collapsed and died after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. on December 29. [7], The Labour Law of the People's Republic of China states:[improper synthesis? In 2019, a group of programmers made headlines when they launched a campaign on code-sharing platform Github, blacklisting start-ups that overworked staff from using their open-source code. [22][23], In 2020, a study found that "Chinese businesses are more likely to follow long work hours than American ones". if you like our Facebook fanpage, you'll receive more articles like the one you just read! This past week, many tuned in to see if its all-time . The expectation has in the past been promoted by high-profile figures including the Alibaba founder, Jack Ma. The practice has come under fire from workers, some companies, and now the state. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The trick is to take a break as soon as you see a bright light and hear dead relatives beckon.. [42] Bai Ya, the CEO of Youzan, replied, "it would be a good thing to look back at a few years later". According to China's labour laws, a standard work day is eight hours-long, with a maximum of 44 hours a week. Under "996," early-career tech employees are encouraged and expected to work gruelling shifts from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., plus overtime, for six days a week. I first encountered it nearly thirty years ago in aDilbertcomic strip. Numerous threads went viral on social media as other workers came forward to say they regularly worked more than 300 hours every month - far surpassing legal limits. Chinese internet companies should think beyond reaching unicorn status and IPOs and a steady, healthy corporate culture is a must for long-term growth, said Marlon Mai, Shanghai-based managing director with recruitment consultancy Morgan McKinley. Second, the company will pay more attention to the physical health of employees, it said, listing increased physical examinations and the establishment of an onsite mental and physical health clinic. It said it had established a company team to cooperate with police inquiries and to assist the family. "Young people have seen other possibilities and they prefer more flexible lifestyles," Dr Song explained. China has produced a document highlighting the dangers of some companies' "996" work culture. At Bilibili, even if you have annual days off, they wouldnt really let you go. The employers had lost. (2) Wage payments to labourers no less than 200 percent of their wages if no rest can be arranged afterwards for the labourers asked to work on days of rest; But this is a concept that worries authorities as the country grapples with a shrinking labour force in the years ahead. The deaths, people say, were due to the prevailing toxic "996" work culture. Sign up for notifications from Insider! [31], After 58.com's 996 schedule was made known to the public, an internal email from the vice-president Gang He (Chinese: ) of JD.com was leaked online, which contained a demand for the management team of JD.com to implement the 996 working hour system "on a flexible basis". "All of us grassroots people are sacrificing our health in exchange for a paycheck," the verified Pinduoduo account commented on the web forum Zhihu. (3) Wage payments to labourers no less than 300 percent of their wages if the labourers are asked to work on legal holidays. [38][39] On January 10, news sources reported that Pinduoduo fired an employee who posted photos showing his colleague being carried into an ambulance. [40][41], In January 2019, an employee of Youzan stated on the social platform Maimai that their supervisor had enforced the 996 schedule. Among the latest is Premium Friday, a program explained in the Vice video above. A hashtag about the employees death has drawn more than 260 million views on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo service as of Tuesday. . Pinduoduo confirmed the deaths of two young workers recently, sparking debate over a culture of overworking in China's tech companies; A '996' work schedule of 12 hours a day, six days a . Criticism of the online retailer intensified after Pinduoduo confirmed that a post on the Quora-like Zhihu service which said that all people from the bottom rungs of society exchange their lives for money had originated from its official account. ], Chapter 4Article 36The State shall practise a working hour system wherein labourers shall work for no more than eight hours a day and no more than 44 hours a week on an average.[25]. 996 refers to people working 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., six days a week. All rights reserved. In a similar incident, a 43-year-old delivery driver collapsed on the job and died while delivering food for Eleme. Others claimed they found it difficult to claim back accumulated leave before it expired. ChinaSource | The 996 Work Culture However, as a result of the backlash over Zhang's death, the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau said it would send an investigative team to Pinduoduo to examine the company's work practices, the Post reported. In early 2019, Chinese tech workers protested the "996" workweek on the code-hosting site GitHub, where they outed companies, like Alibaba, that had cultures of excessive overtime. Recent deaths have again highlighted the dangers in China's "996" work culture - a . But will China's clearest warning yet pave the way for real change for some of its overworked citizens? 12-Hour Days, Six Days a Week - The New York Times The sudden death of Chinese tech worker due to overwork has triggered a furore in the country, with many raising voices against the return of the toxic 996 culture. Another added: Our work intensity is like this: if you work the night shift, it is from 9pm to 9am. Are you sure you want to Log out from Business Standard, This is a subscriber only feature Subscribe Now to get daily updates on WhatsApp, First Published: Aug 27 2021 | 2:22 PM IST, Key stories on business-standard.com are available only to BS Premium subscribers. Any work beyond that requires extra pay for overtime. It also prompted posts by people who said they worked for the company claiming they had worked 12-hour overnight shifts across last weeks lunar new year holiday. ", "Employee health is an issue that can't be ignored.". '996' has long plagued China's tech workers A number of other Chinese tech giants have been implicated in encouraging "996." "We spend most of our weekends in the office," a employee of Tencent. Confronting the Toxic 996 Work Culture - OHS Observer In December of 2021, an employee at the Chinese e-commerce company Pinduoduo collapsed while coming home from work and died.