Alibaba head’s remarks spark debate over China working hours
Chinese e-commerce tycoon Jack Ma has long been an example of how the power of big dreams, strong leadership and sheer elbow grease can create massive fortunes in China’s go-go economy.
Yet, recent remarks by the head of Chinese online business giant Alibaba that young people should be prepared to work 12-hour days, six days a week, have prompted a public debate over work-life balance in the country.
Ma is one of China’s richest men and his comments brought both condemnation and support as China’s maturing economy enters a period of slower growth — and young people look to escape the drudgery their parents often had to endure.
Even the People’s Daily newspaper, the ruling Communist Party’s mouthpiece, issued an editorial this week saying mandatory overtime reflects managerial arrogance and is “impractical and unfair” for workers. Online complaints included blaming long work hours for a lower birth rate.
“The anxiety of companies is understandable, but the way to alleviate anxiety is not making employees work overtime as much as possible,” the People’s Daily said.
The debate has exposed contradictions in modern Chinese society, where the Communist Party was officially founded on improving conditions for workers and peasants but also calls for huge sacrifices to build a powerful and prosperous nation.
Wang Dao, 29, who works in the media industry, said long working hours should not be compulsory, though hard chargers will inevitably put in the extra time.
“For startups and strivers, (long hours) are valuable, but it should not be advocated for everyone,” he said.
Ma, 54, and with a fortune estimated at around $40 billion, has responded to the criticism by saying work should be a joy and also include time for study, reflection and self-improvement.
Attitudes toward lengthy work hours are changing as Chinese incomes rise and employees have more options for entertainment and relaxation, said Han Jun, a professor at School of Labor and Human Resources at Renmin University in Beijing.
“Employees want to enjoy their leisure time more and are less willing to work long hours,” Han said. As Chinese industry develops, companies need more than just hard work, and firms that pressure employees to work too many hours might be hurting themselves, he said.