China Cracks Down on Illegal 996 Work Culture

China’s government and major companies are intensifying efforts to dismantle the notorious 996 work culture.

Here's what we mean when we say the "996 Work Culture":

It is a kind of schedule in which staff work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, by enforcing legal limits, issuing new internal policies, and increasing oversight.

A recent State Council action plan calls on local authorities to strengthen protection of workers’ rest rights and curb “illegal lengthening” of working hours by employers.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MoHRSS) and the Supreme People’s Court previously declared the 996 work culture illegal, citing violations of China’s labor law, and several large Chinese firms have already moved to implement significant changes to comply with the upcoming laws.

Drone-maker DJI, based in Shenzhen, has instituted a firm 9 p.m. clock-out rule.

According to multiple reports, HR managers actively guide employees out of the office at that time.

One DJI employee said the office lights are shut off daily at 9 p.m. in its Shanghai branch.

Home-appliance giant Midea has told its employees to leave by 6:20 p.m. and has banned after-hours meetings.

Its internal notice reportedly warns against “formalistic overtime” and encourages reducing non-essential WeChat work groups. 

Haier has also shifted to a full five-day workweek, abandoning the routine six-day schedule common under the 996 model. 

Under Chinese labor law, regular work hours are capped at 44 hours per week, and monthly overtime must not exceed 36 hours. 

Regulators are now more actively enforcing these limits, and companies failing to comply may face scrutiny. 

Legal precedents are being used to back the crackdown. The Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Human Resources have published case studies of labor violations related to excessive work hours, calling out firms that forced employees to waive overtime pay or pushed them past safe working limits. 

In one case, a court ruled a worker’s death was work-related after they collapsed in the office restroom early in the morning.

Academic voices are aligning with the regulatory trend. Li Chang’an, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, has argued that entrenched overtime practices damage workers’ health and personal lives.

He said that companies adopting more humane working hours could gain a competitive edge by improving employee retention.

Still, implementation faces challenges. Critics warn that “mandatory clock-off” policies could mask unpaid overtime, with workloads and performance expectations remaining unchanged.

Meanwhile, some labor-law experts note that off-the-books “invisible overtime”, such as after-hours messaging and remote work, remains difficult to police.

Historically, 996 became a symbol of China’s high-growth tech sector. Startup culture and competitive hierarchies reinforced a grind ethos, even as labor laws set stricter boundaries.

Social backlash in recent years has also grown, with movements like tǎng píng (“lying flat”) gaining attention as young workers reject constant overwork.

The current crackdown reflects a coordinated push by both state institutions and leading businesses to realign China's labor practices with legal standards, while addressing growing social concerns about burnout and excessive competition.