China’s Workaholic Culture and Those Fighting Against It
The clash of big tech business moguls and the labor they rely on
Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba and Richard Liu, the founder of JD.com, China’s largest online retailers, paint a picture of brotherhood surrounding long hours, hard work, and sacrifice in ascending the ladder to success in the Chinese tech economy.
The tech workers subjected to these hours, however, have found a new sense of community in their fight against the abusive workaholic culture to which they have been subjected. The new labor movement is fighting against the so called “996” work regimen that gets its name from employees who are expected to work 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.
While the evidence is anecdotal, as someone with numerous friends working in China in Tech and finance industries, I can attest that these are the hours they are expected to work. My friends, like the 996 activists, complain of the strain it puts on their relationships and their physical and mental health.
Li Shun, a former employee of Baidu told the New York Times of the strenuous work culture and what is changing the push saying, “Ten years ago, people rarely complained about 996. This industry was booming once, but it’s more of a normal industry now. There are no more giant financial returns. Expecting people to work a…
