Jack Ma: To survive at Alibaba, you need to work 12 hours a day, six days a week
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Any company that you join should allow you to do your best and reward you accordingly. If it doesn't and you don't feel comfortable, then it's time to go asap. Life's too short for deep regrets. And when you find a good job, time will fly by and you will not be aware you are working all the time.
That's how I define a good job
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When I was in my 20s, yes I worked close to those gruelling hours in a Big 4 law firm (9am-8pm M-F, 9am-1pm Sat). After several years there, I wanted to have kids, realized it’s not feasible to maintain those hours and still give quality time to my kids. Heck, it’s not even feasible to maintain those hours for decades without your health crashing eventually.
Quit and sought out a flexi-hours firm.
Long story short, now my flexiwork is 7.30am-1pm Mon/Wed/Fri (days may be shuffled around depending on my family needs/errands). I am earning far far more (per hour) now compared to those full-time years. And enjoying my quality time with my kid.
I am living life to the fullest. In the all-round sense of the phrase. Versus squeezing all the life out of myself working non-stop for a faceless heartless company. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"1906279\" time=\"1555143574\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=1906279 time=1555143574 user_id=53606]
jack ma is heartless.
I am living life to the fullest. In the all-round sense of the phrase. Versus squeezing all the life out of myself working non-stop for a faceless heartless company.[/quote]
there is no quality of life working such ridiculous hours.
I pity the employees working in his company. I would rather be indispensable at home, have a balanced lifestyle and bond with my kids than be easily dispensable in a company. -
not sure if the pay is higher? if higher and know in advance think it is fine ba…guess many work extended hours at official 9 to 5 jobs contract? I think no one is indispensable, we take the pay and work for other people, pay is our return already.
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The Actors and Actresses also work very long hours.
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ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"1906262\" time=\"1555137307\" user_id=\"3:
Agreed. There is no barrier to exit.
Any company that you join should allow you to do your best and reward you accordingly. If it doesn't and you don't feel comfortable, then it's time to go asap. Life's too short for deep regrets. And when you find a good job, time will fly by and you will not be aware you are working all the time.
That's how I define a good job
If one is passionate about one's work, it does not feel like work and time passes too fast.
There is a follow-up interview / article on this topic.
Read this quote somewhere but cannot remember if it is by Jack Ma: 愛就不累 不愛就累 -
Fact of the matter is tech/ICT industry is very fast-moving, cut throat and competitive. R&D to beat your global competitors work round the clock, data-mining, 24/7 maintenance, troubleshooting etc.
Chinese tech companies do operate like Jap and TW plants, i.e. they give 2 hr lunch break and some make staff take compulsory naps after lunch. Others practise morning Rajio Taiso like the Japs. A large no of them offer share/stock options (unvested) and quarterly performance appraisal system is draconian to say the least. Punctuality is monitored down to the last minute by making staff scan HID cards, and lateness entails deduction of pay. But they have other attractive perks like food allowances, overseas postings to less travelled continents to broaden one’s horizon, intl and domestic / cross-provincial business trips, all coveted by hardworking top brains from top universities in China.
I believe many also still practise 5.5 day week like us 20 years ago and earlier. But they do release female staff on 3.8 IWD yearly and they’re allowed to take 0.5 day leave on first day of menses. Maternity leave is 3mths and they had that much earlier, i.e. before Singapore implemented ours here in 2004.
Anyway, in uni, they were already accustomed to 996. Maybe 637 even! 6am-3am 7 days incl PH golden weeks. So you see pillows, mattresses, mats tucked away in labs and office corners. Can’t blame them as the tech districts are not near residential districts. Many must catch shuttle bus to get back to their aprts.
Those in it have a lot of passion in what they do. They were conditioned during their induction period to be patriotic and loyal to the company. Induction activities could include military-style training, singing of patriotic songs, cheers to foster team spirit, writing of reflection letters, public speeches/sharings, daily long distance runs at 6am, 4-pax bunk sharing–not dissimilar to those freshmen must do in their first year.
The fruits of labour for sweating for these companies are very sweet, i.e if you are a survivor. However, if you collapse and die, the payout is low. -
I thought that is the norm. Used to work like that in my 20s. In the office at 8am, leaving only after 8pm, go home quick dinner, laundry, then continue working and couple times a week, global concall till the wee hours. Though not in the office on weekends, I will also be working at home but not 12hrs days lah. When travelling, the hours are even longer. Of course there will be times when I knock off earlier but that will be only about 20% of the time. Even when on leave or on holiday and on maternity leave, I was still working. Not physically in the office but still calling in for meetings, doing up proposals and reports and responding to emails, etc.
When I started by own business in my 30s, it was equally gruelling. 12-14hrs days, 1st one in, last one out. That was for at least 6months to 1 year until the business stabilised. Then I decided I wanted to expand and it was again 12hrs days for at least 6mths.
If we don’t piah when we are young and have no major commitments then when to piah. When kids come, cannot piah like that oredi. I was lucky that my parents helped a lot with my kids so I could put in that kind of hours even as a new mum. Those hours paid off eventually as I had the best of both worlds at the point when kiddos and ageing parents needed me.
But hor, to think I slogged like that but my networth is nowhere near Jack Ma’s, haiz…… -
jho48109\" post_id=\"1908402\" time=\"1556682111\" user_id=\"165799:
when one works too hard, the health problems accumulate and 'erupt' one fine day.
All your hard work will give you great benefit in the end but we also have to remember that health is also wealth. It's okay to do all the hard work just make sure to also check on your health.
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