Things Not Being Said About Chinese Tech Management

996 existed long before there was a term for it, but youthful spirits, blue ocean spaces and the promise of future rewards sustained the workforce back then. Those that couldn’t hack it left, and most tech firms gained a reputation for hard work, high rewards and a high churn culture. In the late-stage consumer internet age, endless work culture be... See more

The very distinct problem of organisational bloat and diseconomy of scale with hiring people is apparent here. Instead of having 1:1s with their direct report, management tells employees to write daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports listing what they’ve been doing. Not to mention the inefficiencies caused by hiring - it takes time to get n... See more

Implications from these factors are numerous. First, there is a generational disconnect where older employees believe in the notion that tireless hard work yields rewards. After all, they experienced this with vested stock growth. The younger generation is there for a job, not a purpose. They want to know when they can afford a house. Second, early... See more

The focus is for firms to get things done quickly, and the attitude is whatever that takes. Communication takes place over the fragmented synchronous WeChat more than email or work messaging platforms like DingTalk or Feishu. Calendar invites are getting wider adoption, meeting agenda-less so.