China's tech employees are fighting back against the "996" working hour philosophy

https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/12/china-996/

Currently there's been a lot of press around Chinese tech workers protesting the "996" working hour philosophy, which stands for 9AM-9PM, 6 days a week. It's kind of interesting because the tech companies that have this "unofficial" policy (Alibaba, JD, Tencent) all pay very well, in some cases more than IBD. Obviously banking is a different industry, but it's funny how Americans and Europeans just "take it" while Chinese programmers are shouting outrage about essentially 72 hour work weeks, which would be a light week for most bankers.

 

I think we've come to expect that kind of working hour philosophy in banking. I would also push back on "just taking it" given the amount of bankers that leave for "greener" pastures.

 

Well the folks who decide to stay in finance. Just like the Chinese programmers can decide to move to a lower paying company that doesn't do 996, they decide to stay because of the superior comp

 

I was referring specifically to American and European finance employees. Also, Asian countries have longer work hours but not necessarily more work ethic. A large part of it is facetime (e.g. workers can't leave the office before their bosses). It's not uncommon to hear Japanese salarymen literally fall asleep at their desks

 
wicked awesome:
This is highly inaccurate.

American's and European's are the laziest workers - Asian countries have a much higher work ethic, and statistically work much longer hours.

I live among Asians and I can say that they are lazy workers too. I think only Japanese workers have a much higher work ethic.
 
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