The startups in the Silicon Valley adopt a controversial “996” work schedule in China

Do you want To work almost twice the record week for 40 hours? It is a question that many startups in the United States raises potential employees – and for the job, the answer must be unambiguous. These companies adopt an intense schedule, popular for the first time in China, the mainland, known as “996”, or from 9 am to 9 pm, from six days a week. In other words, it is a 72 -hour work week.

The phenomenon of 996 in China led to Main protests and Accusations From “Modern Slavery”, with critics, they blame the schedule of a series of The death of workers. Despite the negative connotations abroad, American companies, many of which work on artificial intelligence, adopt both the timeline and Her title During their race to compete against each other – and with China. Adrian Kenners, a serial businessman running a recruitment, employment and beginning of employment company, was surprised by a number of startups that will go to 996. “It has become increasingly common,” he says. “We have many customers where there is a prerequisite for examining candidates before going to conduct an interview if they are ready to work 996.”

At the beginning of the Covid’s pandemic, talks about the conditions of workers in the United States often Focus on fatigue And the need to increase flexibility. Even in the severe hard technology sector, companies began to emphasize efforts to facilitate a balanced schedule. Now, the increase in interest in 996 shows that the pendulum has swing in the other direction. Ellon Musk repeats “Very militants“Warning for X employees, which encouraged them to work to punish hours.

Companies do not have a problem to find employees who want, some of which are framing as essential to their work culture. Rilla, a start -up company of artificial intelligence that sells the programs designed for contractors (such as plumbers) to record conversations with potential customers and train them on how to negotiate higher prices, says all the workforce of approximately 80 people with a schedule of 996.

“There is a strong and growing sub-culture for people, especially in Jelly-Jeji G-which grew up listening to the stories of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and businessmen who have devoted their lives to build companies that changed life,” says Will Gao, the company’s head of growth. “Kobe Bryant has devoted all hours of waking up for him for basketball, and I don’t think there are many people who say that Kobe Bryant should not have been working hard as he did.”

Rila is in the foreground about her expectations. In the current job ListsIt explicitly states that workers are expected to record more than 70 hours a week, and warn them against joining if they are not “excited” about the table. Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the office are provided every day – until Saturday.

Amrata Bhasin, CEO of Sotira, CEO of Ai Logistics Statira, says it is common for the founders of the Gulf region to build the schedule during their growth: “The first two years of starting your operation, you must do 996,” she says. While Bhasin believes that the work burden is mainly required for corporate leaders, she does not think that rank and file employees should be expected: “I don’t think it is fair to pay it to it.”