bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Jane Zhang

Tracy Qu

Kuaishou Technologies, operator of China’s second-most popular short-video platform, will end its gruelling, companywide overtime schedule as Big Tech in China begins to slowly address the controversial, and sometimes deadly, work culture known as 996.
The overtime arrangement known as big week/small week, where employees were required to work a six-day week every fortnight, was first implemented in January ahead of the company’s IPO.
The company offered double wages for working weekends and triple time for anyone who worked on statutory national holidays.
More than half the employees were already working overtime on weekends, but that policy was extended to the entire company, Kuaishou staff said at the time. But some people welcomed the longer hours because they could make more money, one person said.
Kuaishou did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Chinese tech firms, known for their aggressive pace of expansion, have increasingly been accused of overworking employees. The culture of 996 – working 9am to 9pm, six days a week – has become an unwritten rule for many of the country’s tech companies, in some cases with tragic consequences for employees.
Kuaishou tallies 1 billion users to join ByteDance, Tencent in elite club
Although China’s labour law prohibits employees from working more than eight hours a day and 44 hours a week, and overtime is capped at 36 hours a month, Big Tech companies have yet to face any serious repercussions.
However, more are changing their tune amid growing pressure from the public and authorities.
“In recent years, internet companies have been labelled as capitalists by users and they are regarded as representative of exploitation … That has led the companies to roll out policies of mollification,” said Zhang Dingding, an internet industry commentator and former head of Beijing-based research firm Sootoo Institute.
Tencent owned gaming studio Lightning & Quantum Studio Group, developers of hit games PUBG Mobile and the Chinese-only version called Peacekeeper Elite, has encouraged employees to go home at 6pm under a new policy, though it only applies one day a week.
A screenshot of the new announcement appeared on the Twitter-like social platform Weibo early this month, telling employees at the Tencent Games subsidiary about a new policy called “Wednesday Health Day”. Employees were invited to clock out at 6pm on Wednesdays only. Overtime work during the rest of the week was still allowed, but only until 9pm.

ByteDance, the operator of short video platforms Douyin and TikTok, recently conducted a survey to gauge the willingness of employees to end the company’s tough schedule of a six-day week every fortnight.
Surprisingly, CEO Liang Rubo revealed during an internal meeting last week that one-third of employees surveyed wanted to continue the practice, some staff confirmed to the South China Morning Post. One-third of those surveyed were in favour of cancelling the overtime schedule, while the remaining third were undecided.
For many ByteDance workers, the overtime schedule equals a nearly 20 per cent pay rise each month since the company pays double time for weekend work, said one employee, who requested anonymity as staff are not authorised to speak to the media.
However, no policy changes have been announced yet.
Lauded by tech bosses such as Jack Ma, founder of Post owner Alibaba Group Holding, the 996 schedule has seen resistance from tech workers for years, with the practice coming under the spotlight again earlier this year.
In January, Shanghai-based e-commerce platform Pinduoduo came under the microscope after a 22-year-old employee collapsed while walking home from work, and later died in hospital. A week later, the company said another young worker had jumped to his death in his hometown of Changsha.
The cases sparked an investigation into the company by the Shanghai authorities, criticism from China’s state broadcaster CCTV, and renewed discussion on social media about the 996 culture.
Tech workers have been complaining about 996 for years, and in 2019 some launched a project called “996.ICU” on Microsoft’s GitHub code-sharing community.
“If you work 996, you end up in an ICU (intensive care unit),” the campaign’s slogan read. Some netizens have even joked about a new work ethic – “007”, or “00.00am to 00.00pm” seven days a week.


The 996.ICU campaign led Chinese state media to criticise such labour rights violations, but little has changed in the past two years.
Additional reporting by Coco Feng
 


Kuaishou ends gruelling overtime policy as China’s Big Tech try to reform controversial 996 working culture

This file photo taken on February 5, 2021 shows the logo of Chinese video sharing company Kuaishou at its offices in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province. Photo: AFP

The Kuaishou Technology app download page on a smartphone in front of the company's website on a laptop computer arranged in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Institutional investors are buying Kuaishou's Hong Kong shares before its Friday debut at a significant premium to the listing price, underscoring the high level of demand for the world’s biggest internet initial public offering in two years. Photographer: Roy Liu/Bloomberg

Tech

Big Tech

Business

Companies


Kuaishou’s overtime arrangement was first introduced in January ahead of the company’s IPO, but has now been cancelled
The culture of 996 – working 9am to 9pm, six days a week – has become an unwritten rule for most of China’s tech industry



Kuaishou has ended its so-called big week/small week working hours policy in the latest example of China’s Big Tech moving away from the controversial 996 working culture.


China society

China technology

Kuaishou ends gruelling overtime policy as China’s Big Tech try to reform controversial 996 working culture

Kuaishou’s overtime arrangement was first introduced in January ahead of the company’s IPO, but has now been cancelled The culture of 996 – working 9am to 9pm, six days a week – has become an unwritten rule for most of China’s tech industry

Kuaishou’s overtime arrangement was first introduced in January ahead of the company’s IPO, but has now been cancelled

The culture of 996 – working 9am to 9pm, six days a week – has become an unwritten rule for most of China’s tech industry