Alibaba’s Jack Ma defends China’s 996 schedule as tech workers protest against long working hours

There has been growing resentment among many young Chinese tech workers who feel the need to strike a better work-life balance for the sake of their health

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Jack Ma attends the 2018 Rural Teacher Awards launched by the Jack Ma Foundation in Sanya city, south China's Hainan province, 13 January 2019. Photo Imaginechina

Published: 6:01pm, 12 Apr 2019Updated: 12:26pm, 16 Apr 2019

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has come out as a vocal supporter of the gruelling working hours commonplace in China’s tech and internet industry, as online protests against the so-called 996 schedule heat up.

The 996 schedule – which means working 9am to 9pm, six days a week – is “a huge blessing that many companies and employees do not have the opportunity to have,” Ma said in an internal event on Thursday, according to a transcript published on Alibaba’s official WeChat account.

“If you do not do 996 when you are young, when will you? Do you think never having to work 996 in your life is an honour to boast about?” he said.

Ma defended 996, saying such a schedule has helped Chinese tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent grow to become what they are today, drawing on his own experience of working long hours in the industry. He went on to call on his employees to dedicate themselves to the work ethic.

“If you join Alibaba, you should get ready to work 12 hours a day, otherwise why do you come to Alibaba? We do not need those who comfortably work 8 hours,” he said.

Alibaba did not immediately respond to a request for further comment on Jack Ma’s views.