More Chinese tech giants are addressing their overtime work culture as it receives growing attention online and in the media.
Recently, Tencent’s gaming business Lightspeed & Quantum Studios introduced work regulations which restrict employees from working on weekend and national holidays. The guidelines also instruct them to finish work at 6 pm on Wednesdays and before 9 pm on other weekdays.
The short-video platform Kuaishou is the latest company to address the ‘996’ craze (working from 9 am until 9 pm six days per week) which is prevalent in the tech, gaming, and sales industry.
On 24 June, Kuaishou sent an email to its employees, announcing that it would be stopping its ‘big and small week’ working rota. The schedule forces employees to rotate six-day weeks (‘small week’) with a normal five-day working week. The company told employees that they hoped the changes would make staff happier and more efficient.
The ‘big and small week’ schedule was first implemented in January 2021. Kuaishou pays double wages for employees who work during weekends and triple wages for those working during national holidays.
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