996 - regress of the working hours in modern times
I was thinking … how did we reach such a point where even Silicon Valley is proposing the 996 work culture as a viable alternative to the 955 work schedule?
Let’s start with the begging. What is 996? It is one of the alternatives proposed by some governments that it should be worked - from 09:00 AM to 09:00 PM \ 6 days a week. First time I read this I thought it cannot be true. We can’t be thinking in our modern times in going back to a schedule which won’t allow you any time for yourself or your family. Unfortunately, the joke seems to be real even in developed countries like the US.
The joke (and I will keep mention it like this, because the proposal simply is a bad joke), seemed to have been started by tech concerns. I cannot emphasize how much irony is in that last sentence. The tech companies, which raise shareholder value by firing tens of thousands of people, are proposing that the remaining few, should simply overtake the load by renouncing their private life and pretty much all their free time. This happens in the 21 century, in the full blown evolution of technology through AI.
Historically, people have fought (and won) in the industrial revolution a century ago, the right for a 40h \ week schedule. We had children working in factories to make a living. That was also abolished. We pretty much had companies which were not regulated and like the wild west, made their own rules about how work should look like and how people are to be exploited. We have fought and abolished that, with the intentional repetition, a century ago.
Now, it might be said that I am overreacting comparing the two, as working for a tech company has it’s perks, which I don’t deny. In the end you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, but the precedent should be avoided at all costs. The Joke should be stopped in it’s idea phase, without any further discussions. Companies should be allowed to be creative in finding new ways in productivity, without taking precious extra time from their employees. I truly believe this can be achieved, but without any incentive from the leading parties, why should they? The easy way is increasing the working hours and expectations and shifting the stress on the employee, way which always will be taken by corporation instead of investing in new ways in assuring the well being of each and every one of us.
Now this discussion is not new, as it started last year but the alarm signal for me was the proposal that came in Germany in increasing the working hours as well and removal of flexible work. If this idea, transpired even in Germany, a state which is known for it’s social policies, we should really think about how we want our future to look like. It is a dangerous path to take, especially with creating such precedent.
I see the technology and the rise of AI as humanities chances in building something that we only have imagined or seen on TV. Not a dystopian society like in the well known novel “1984” but a bright one, with people who are chasing their dreams and be creative. This can be achieved only if we start now and set our standards high. Yes, it can be hard in the beginning and we might have unforeseen challenges that will need solving, but what is the alternative? To regress by working more, while being on the verge of being fired with the constant feeling that nothing works in our favor?
I say NO, this is not necessary and should not become the norm. We are better than this and only by uniting our strengths (and weaknesses) we will build the bright future that each and every one of us is dreaming of. A world full of hope and purpose!
Until next time, TFG