Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, praised his staff for the effort they put in around the work schedule which expects employees to complete 12-hour shifts from 9am to 9pm, six days a week.
He also says that their willingness to work these hours is a blessing, it would be difficult not to think that, as you watch your bank balance increase by the second.
He was discussing the perceived lack of work-life balance among Chinese high tech workers. In the chat – that was subsequently posted on the company’s We Chat account, he told employees: “I personally think that being able to work 996 is a huge blessing.
“Many companies and many people don’t have the opportunity to work 996. If you don’t work 996 when you are young, when can you ever work 996?”..never?
He continued: “In this world, everyone wants success, wants a nice life, wants to be respected.” Struggling financially when he convinced friends to give him $60,000 to start a Chinese e-commerce firm.
But now Alibaba is one of the most successful firms, Jack Ma is among the world’s richest men.
