It’s also a path to sickness and, in some cases, early death. The World Health Organisation has concluded that long working hours, like those seen in 996 culture, led to more than 745,000 deaths from strokes and ischemic heart disease in 2016 – up almost 30 per cent since 2000.
Loading
The same study found that working more than 55 hours a week is associated with a 35 per cent higher risk of a stroke, and almost 20 per cent higher risk of dying from heart disease, compared to people who worked a standard 35 to 40 hours a week.
In 2021, China’s Supreme Court ruled that 996 schedules were illegal and a form of exploitation, but that still hasn’t stopped Silicon Valley from flirting with it as a response to the exploding AI boom (and bubble).
Will we ever see this sad trend take hold in Australia? Thankfully, I doubt it. The tide is moving in the opposite direction here. Strong worker unions, progressive legislation such as the right to disconnect and a deeply ingrained cultural respect for life-work balance act as sturdy barricades against it.
Some companies might be tempted to look at China’s rapid growth, or the exponential rise of American AI companies, and attribute that to a 996 culture. But a closer look shows that any short-term productivity gains are soon erased by the long-term effects on employees.
If Silicon Valley wants to glamorise overwork, then in the words of Mel Robbins’ best-selling book, “let them”. Australia has a chance to be a global leader and show that truly successful companies aren’t ones that look solely at the bottom line, but value people just as much as the profits they can create.
Tim Duggan is author of Work Backwards: The Revolutionary Method to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter at timduggan.substack.com
Get workplace news, advice and perspectives to help make your job work for you. Sign up for our weekly Thank God it’s Monday newsletter.
