How Much Work Is Too Much Work?

What is the ‘996’ work schedule and why has it stirred a heated debate in China? Are there any other work schedule models that are gaining momentum elsewhere? Let’s find out

- Manav Seth

How much is too much? Managers, leaders, experts, and employees in China were forced to ask themselves how many hours an employee should ideally work every week when a well-known entrepreneur suggested that the road to success is paved with excessive overtime at the office. Let’s take a look at the recent events, the controversial ‘996’ work schedule and the simultaneous rise of a diametrically-opposite alternative, the four-day work week.

What are 996 and 996.ICU?

A few weeks back, Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, added fuel to an already divisive debate in China when he said that working overtime should be viewed as a “huge blessing” for young employees and those who want to achieve success must be willing to put in the extra time and effort. These remarks were in reference to the concept of ‘996’ – a practice of working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. While the idea of ‘996’ has been prevalent in the country for some time; in the past few months, a couple of leading e-commerce websites in China has officially adopted the same. According to the labor laws in China, the maximum working hours of an employee cannot exceed more than eight hours a day, or 44 hours a week, on an average. Asian countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and India are infamous for their culture of overwork and headlines regarding employees cracking under immense work pressure are routine.