Death of 22-year-old Pinduoduo employee renews controversy over China’s 996 overwork culture, sparking an investigation

[Song Hong]

I have joined a few German big tech, personally been Berlin and Munich R&D labs.

German engineers go back home around 1700. But --- German working culture is quite cooperative and systematic. People cover one another. The managers are seen as peers and not superior vs the top engineers.

People know their place, and not so much backstabbing.

But Germans are rude when you are incompetent.

I heard Germany has short working hours. How reflective is that of the general population?

 

[Uguduwa]

I heard Germany has short working hours. How reflective is that of the general population?

Legally it's 8 hours per day but when you're new in your career it's normal to work overtime. As far as I know finance sector is the worst in this with interns putting 12 to 14 hours per day to secure a job.

 

[8888888888888]

996 is OK as long as there is money to back it up, little money means slave labor conditions.

 

[Mista]

Legally it's 8 hours per day

Typical or legal limit?

If it's typical that's not too different from Singapore then. I thought you guys would work like 6 or 7 hours considering some statistics put Germany at a 35 hour work week.

 

[Uguduwa]

Typical or legal limit?

If it's typical that's not too different from Singapore then. I thought you guys would work like 6 or 7 hours considering some statistics put Germany at a 35 hour work week.

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Legal limit is 48 hours per week. 6 days and 8 hours per day.

I am not sure but I think this could be because of the prevelance of part time workers that the average working hours are short similar to NL that has the highest percentage of part time workers of any country as far as I know.

 

[Figaro]

996 is OK as long as there is money to back it up, little money means slave labor conditions.

No it isn't ... with a life like that, what is the point of making such money? I think it is because the Chinese tech giants have built such a system that if you don't do 996, then you will be fired. The only way to deal with it is to get the Chinese government to place labor restrictions preventing this.

 

[Song Hong]

Indeed, Chinese tech companies has rank and yank system, bottom 10% get fired.

No it isn't ... with a life like that, what is the point of making such money? I think it is because the Chinese tech giants have built such a system that if you don't do 996, then you will be fired. The only way to deal with it is to get the Chinese government to place labor restrictions preventing this.

 

[CHN Bamboo]

This company provides back-end developers with a salary of more than 25k rmb ($4k) a month during campus recruitment and one year's salary is calculated on the basis of 18 months. And this is not special offer. I don't understand the point of such news, since all IT enterprise employees work overtime.

在这个国家，如果加班能多给钱，已经算很不错了。
除非你进外企和国企，但是这些企业的待遇能达到拼多多的一半都不容易。
选择国内私企就要承担风险。私企就很少有遵守劳动法的。

 

[Song Hong]

Many top China IT companies have 996 and no one leave is because, this is more preferable to elsewhere. Salary, stock, career prospect..etc.

Bosses of IT recruit engineers only from 986 211. They fired the bottom 10% to make way for new recruits. Under such system, everyone volunteer 996. The boss need not ask for it.

This company provides back-end developers with a salary of more than 25k rmb ($4k) a month during campus recruitment and one year's salary is calculated on the basis of 18 months. And this is not special offer. I don't understand the point of such news, since all IT enterprise employees work overtime.

在这个国家，如果加班能多给钱，已经算很不错了。
除非你进外企和国企，但是这些企业的待遇能达到拼多多的一半都不容易。
选择国内私企就要承担风险。私企就很少有遵守劳动法的。

 

[Figaro]

Many top China IT companies have 996 and no one leave is because, this is more preferable to elsewhere. Salary, stock, career prospect..etc.

Bosses of IT recruit engineers only from 986 211. They fired the bottom 10% to make way for new recruits. Under such system, everyone volunteer 996. The boss need not ask for it.

Chinese software industry is the worst ... not only do they suffer in 996 but almost all software engineers are replaced in their 30s by cheaper and younger college grads. Everyone knows this is what goes on at Huawei or Alibaba.

 

[Song Hong]

Facebook also fire botton 10%, probably Google and Microsoft is doing it stealthily.

Chinese software industry is the worst ... not only do they suffer in 996 but almost all software engineers are replaced in their 30s by cheaper and younger college grads. Everyone knows this is what goes on at Huawei or Alibaba.

 

[Figaro]

Facebook also fire botton 10%, probably Google and Microsoft is doing it stealthily.

Still better than 996. Google and Microsoft are much better since they pay considerably lower and have a more rigid engineering culture than Facebook.

 

[Song Hong]

The prevalence of fire 10% in US big tech compel many engineers to join startup. You get egalitarian culture. But then when companies become successful, then the pioneer will implement fire 10%, and impose rigid culture.

The kinder pioneer move on and start another company.

Still better than 996. Google and Microsoft are much better since they pay considerably lower and have a more rigid engineering culture than Facebook.

 

[Viet]

I heard Germany has short working hours. How reflective is that of the general population?

We have something 35 or 40 hours week. I have 37 hours week. From my experience it’s not helpful for anyone least for the company to have people to work more than that. The most productive hours are in the morning coffee after breakfast and coffee after the lunch.
Just 30 something pct of employees work hard, the rest just sit there doing nothing or watching video.
To have this 70 pct to work 9 hours cost the company more because they waste water and power.

 

[Song Hong]

We have something 35 or 40 hours week. I have 37 hours week. From my experience it’s not helpful for anyone least for the company to have people to work more than that. The most productive hours are in the morning coffee after breakfast and coffee after the lunch.
Just 30 something pct of employees work hard, the rest just sit there doing nothing or watching video.

Vietnamese engineer drink beer at lunch time.

Also many companies deduct salary when you make mistake. This is not so nice.