5 ms·

... we do not have the same problems. Every single software engineer I know does not work 996 even if they work at a fast-paced startup

baroffoos 8y ago
I don't even understand what the point of 996 is. I work normal hours and I find by the last hour I'm mentally done and I become totally unable to do anything more, staying extra hours would get nothing extra done.
- njepa 8y ago
  There is no point other than opportunism. The same reason kids were working in textile mills last century and why housing costs are multiplying now in the western world.
  - baroffoos 8y ago
    But a greedy company acting purely in self interest wouldn't want this because you are getting less productivity by making sure your employees are constantly tired and never getting anything done.
    - ahartmetz 8y ago
      Inappropriate incentives for individuals cause behavior that hurts everyone. Not exactly a new thing.
    - hrktb 8y ago
      To get the full picture you need to shift perspective and see humans more as resources. When a resource doesn’t produce enough anymore it gets replaced.
      - ndnxhs 8y ago
        How can you possibly develop a product when none of your developers have been around for more than a few months?
        Ericson2314 8y ago
        If the entire industry is less productive, it's not a business problem. Overworked employees a probably cheeper per hour too.
- unicornmama 8y ago
  I think it’s a symptom of double digit growth. China does not have enough experienced and qualified managers and executives. So this stupid shit like this flies.
throwawaymjabba 8y ago
Not 996, but some of the h1bs from India go through something similar 5 days a week. Many of them have to attend 'offshore calls' with the team in India which usually starts around 10 pm and goes till midnight, in addition to the regular 9-5 work. One h1b guy I know had his schedule like this - attend early morning 1-1.5 hour meetings at 6.30 am on 3 days of a week, work from 9/9.30-4 (sometimes 5 or 6), attend offshore calls from 10pm that sometimes go beyond 12 am. He worked like this for almost 4 years.
- devdas 8y ago
  The same goes for people in India working with US workers though.
lucideer 8y ago
> ... we do not have the same problems You/we do not have problems of the same scale/severity, but they are still the same problems. This is the argument that things are good in one place because they're slightly better off than another place where things are worse. The status quo of working hours in the US are far from ideal.

baroffoos 8y ago

I don't even understand what the point of 996 is. I work normal hours and I find by the last hour I'm mentally done and I become totally unable to do anything more, staying extra hours would get nothing extra done.

njepa 8y ago
There is no point other than opportunism. The same reason kids were working in textile mills last century and why housing costs are multiplying now in the western world.
- baroffoos 8y ago
  But a greedy company acting purely in self interest wouldn't want this because you are getting less productivity by making sure your employees are constantly tired and never getting anything done.
  - ahartmetz 8y ago
    Inappropriate incentives for individuals cause behavior that hurts everyone. Not exactly a new thing.
  - hrktb 8y ago
    To get the full picture you need to shift perspective and see humans more as resources. When a resource doesn’t produce enough anymore it gets replaced.
    - ndnxhs 8y ago
      How can you possibly develop a product when none of your developers have been around for more than a few months?
      - Ericson2314 8y ago
        If the entire industry is less productive, it's not a business problem. Overworked employees a probably cheeper per hour too.
unicornmama 8y ago
I think it’s a symptom of double digit growth. China does not have enough experienced and qualified managers and executives. So this stupid shit like this flies.

throwawaymjabba 8y ago

Not 996, but some of the h1bs from India go through something similar 5 days a week. Many of them have to attend 'offshore calls' with the team in India which usually starts around 10 pm and goes till midnight, in addition to the regular 9-5 work. One h1b guy I know had his schedule like this - attend early morning 1-1.5 hour meetings at 6.30 am on 3 days of a week, work from 9/9.30-4 (sometimes 5 or 6), attend offshore calls from 10pm that sometimes go beyond 12 am. He worked like this for almost 4 years.

devdas 8y ago
The same goes for people in India working with US workers though.

lucideer 8y ago

> ... we do not have the same problems You/we do not have problems of the same scale/severity, but they are still the same problems. This is the argument that things are good in one place because they're slightly better off than another place where things are worse. The status quo of working hours in the US are far from ideal.