Can you go ‘all in’ as an employee and still have...?

An employee works at a JD.com logistics centre in China.

Photo: Reuters Source: SCMP, by Celia Chen

Can you go ‘all in’ as an employee and still have a healthy approach to work?  Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com thinks so

• JD.com employee asks on social media if company is implementing ‘995’ work hours

• Social media post reignited debate about the work culture of China’s tech industry

Are tech companies in China working their employees too hard?

A social media post on Tuesday by a self-described employee with e-commerce company JD.com went viral on Maimai.cn, a Chinese version of LinkedIn, reigniting debate about the work culture of China’s tech industry, which has spawned some of its biggest companies in recent years.

The JD.com employee said he heard rumours that the company will implement a “995” work culture, shorthand for 9am to 9pm, five days a week, and asked if anyone had received official notice. The post attracted many comments, with one user saying it is “an indirect way to fire people”, while others commented that their companies had even “crueller” work culture, with 12-hour work days, six days a week.  “Cheer up! You have a two-day break every week”, one post read.

Putting in the sort of hours once associated with investment bankers has long been an unwritten rule in China – a way to demonstrate work ethic and prove your job dedication. The tech industry has in recent years given rise to the “996” culture that critics have said is leading to lower productivity and burnout.

Earlier this year, Zhu Ning, founder and chief executive of Hangzhou-based e-commerce firm Youzan, sparked controversy when he called on all employees to embrace the 996 work culture.

“If you feel no pressure working at a company, you should leave, for your employer is dying; if you feel no pressure at your department, then you should request a transfer, for your department is about to cease existence,” he wrote on social media platform WeChat.

A slowdown in the economy has meant that workers may have little choice but to put up with a long-hours work culture if they want to keep their jobs. And the days of rampant job hopping for higher pay look to be over as companies of all sizes trim headcounts and hunker down for tougher times.

Internet and e-commerce companies still have the most job openings, but hiring in the sector is down 15 per cent from a year earlier, according to a report released in January by Zhaopin, a job listings website. The slowdown has also contributed to lower valuations for Chinese start-ups and a shrinking pool of venture capital funds.

So what does JD have to say about its work culture? The company was established by billionaire Richard Liu Qiangdong, who talks about how he overcame poverty to start and build the e-commerce business into what it is today.

Energy has been in our DNA from the very beginning. Part of our corporate transformation is about getting back to our roots which have brought us to where we are today,” JD.com said in a statement. “We believe in hard work and that being ‘all in’ leads to the fruit of success, but are also advocating for a healthy and effective approach to work.

Source: https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce, by Celia Chen

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