Recent remarks from high-profile tech executives have renewed attention on extreme work schedules resembling China’s 996 system, in which employees work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. In recent interviews, Passes founder & CEO Lucy Guo and Zoom CEO Eric Yuan have both downplayed the value of work-life balance while describing their own demanding routines.
Dismissing work-life balance
In her June 22 interview, Guo told Fortune that she often works from early morning until midnight and clocks as many as 90 hours a week. “I probably don’t have work-life balance,” she said. “For me, work doesn’t really feel like work. I love doing my job.”
She also questioned the priorities of those who seek personal time away from their jobs. “If you feel the need for work-life balance, maybe you’re not in the right work,” Guo said.
“Work is life”
Yuan had earlier made a similar point with Fortune, saying that he sees no clear division between his personal and professional life. “Work is life, life is work,” he said. He added that he has no hobbies and spends his time either on Zoom or with family. “Whenever there’s a conflict, guess what? Family first. That’s it,” he said.
He said he believes artificial intelligence could eventually allow for a two- or three-day workweek, but he offered no timeline for such a shift.
Echoes of China’s 996 system
The views expressed by Guo and Yuan mirror the so-called “996 schedule,” which has been widely used by Chinese companies and endorsed by billionaires Elon Musk and Jack Ma. The system has drawn criticism for its links to burnout, health problems and death from overwork.
Though Chinese regulators have issued guidance discouraging the practice, enforcement remains uneven. Many young workers have pushed back by protesting and embracing the “lying flat” movement, which involves opting out of the country’s intense professional and social expectations in favor of rest and minimalist living.
Asia worst for work-life balance
The 2024 Global Life-Work Balance Index ranks most Asian nations in the lower half of 60 countries surveyed. Singapore leads the region but still places only 26th with a score of 49.69 out of 100. Its regional neighbors fare worse: Vietnam ranks 37th (43.94), Thailand 39th (43.12), Indonesia 43rd (40.12) and Malaysia 47th (38.88).
The Philippines places second to last at 59th with a score of 27.46, just ahead of the United States at 55th (27.07). Japan (29th) and South Korea (31) report high annual working hours and long-standing workplace fatigue that could even lead to death.
This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices.
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