It's output, outcomes that count

THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: What do you think of China's 996 work culture? If not the hours worked, how might one gauge the staff's "professional passion"?

Chris Burton MD, South-east Asia Vistra Group

TO speak openly of a 996 working week effectively institutionalises the philosophy and puts employees under immense pressure to subscribe to it. This is great news for the corporation but not at all good for the worklife balance of the employees.

Most staff are prepared to put in extra hours where necessary to achieve business objectives - but at the employees' discretion. It is unfair that intrusive hours are expected of them openly by the employer. It demonstrates the immaturity of workers' rights across the company.

It also illustrates why globalisation works for large corporations. They can move work from countries with strong workers' rights, to countries where such rights do not exist. Great for corporations, bad for workers.

Dileep Nair Independent Director Thakral Corporation Limited

IMAGINE yourself in a "996" work environment and you will feel at once how oppressive it is. While it may seem "productive" for the technopreneur, for staff, such a regime, apart from being illegal, is inimical to health and results in burnout and exhaustion.

Of course, "work" does not feel like "work" if you love what you do. But getting to do work that you really like - your passion - is for many an elusive dream. It's therefore unrealistic to expect most employees to be passionate about their work. Far better for employers to focus and assess staff on some practical attributes such as commitment and diligence; flexibility and adaptability to change; and ability to work as part of a team. Indeed, enlightened employers who aim at sustainability should encourage staff to "live life" by aspiring to the "888 rule" - 8 hours work, 8 hours recreation and 8 hours rest.

Bobby Sheikh Asia Pacific Head Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute

THE ideal working week has always been widely debated, and not just in China. But the focus on the concept of "worklife balance" and on the number of hours worked is becoming outdated. With flexible office arrangements, connected technologies and the globalisation of businesses, it is now impossible to separate professional and personal lives distinctively.

Instead we need to shift the discussion to "worklife integration" where employees, armed with a understanding of their deeply held personal values, are empowered to make choices on what and how they choose to spend their energy (not time!) to achieve their personal and professional goals. This approach, when embraced at an organisational level, invariably leads to positive outcomes and productivity - for both individuals (at home and at work) and businesses.

Wilf Blackburn CEO Prudential Singapore

CLOCKING long hours at work does not make one the most productive or valuable employee. It is the output that matters. For an outcome-based culture to be successful , employers will need to trust the employee, and let him own his work like a true entrepreneur.

Don't watch him like a hawk and let him choose the way he wants to work, at a time and place of his convenience. Rather than focus on the working hours, direct the conversation to performance and productivity, and work on supporting him to achieve the best outcome for the organisation. Just as technology has disrupted the workplace, the way people work has to transform too. The traditional modus operandi of a nine-to-six daily work regime may still work today, but it will become a thing of the past in time to come.

Vikas Nahata Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Validus Capital

STRESS-RELATED disorders and mental anxiety-related illnesses are on the rise everywhere. A worklife balance is important, hence the 996 culture certainly does not fit in with our beliefs at Validus. While we are a growing fintech and believe in working hard, it's better to work smart. If we treat our co-workers well, the results in the long run are far more desirable and sustainable. The professional passion has to come from within the individual, and we measure it through "ownership" demonstrated towards the company's goals and vision.

John Bittleston Founder and Chair Terrific Mentors International Pte Ltd

CHINA'S 996 efforts are about focus on the job in hand. They are fuelled by ambition to become the richest people in the world. As their wealth grows, their focus will dim. But the culture of China is hard work and money-based rewards. Their productivity will last longer than such focus would in other parts of the world. What matters is the quality of work, not the hours spent doing it.

Time spent in the workplace is no measure of work. Attendance at long meetings, too, is not work. Having professional passion means showing two things that appear contradictory - deep focus on the job in hand and thinking beyond that to the next development and future strategy. A good boss will be able to easily spot staff that demonstrate these two features.

Peta Latimer CEO Mercer Singapore

IT really is a question of strategy, business need and maturity cycle. Companies demanding outperformance, pricing pressures or turnaround would be inclined to "sweat the assets" which is arguably linked to the idea of the 996 work culture. On the other hand, those seeking periods of organic growth, brand resonance or stabilisation may seek to embed learning and cultivate innovation cultures.

Given the macro-economic environment in China at the moment, the 996 culture may make sense for many outbound-orientated organisations. Mercer's research suggests that company management style has a significantly bigger impact on organisational culture as compared to national cultures (up to 12 times).

Tech giants in particular, have been known to achieve a more or less consistent culture globally. This reinforces what we intuitively know: Leadership and management have tremendous influence on people and workplace practices. Interestingly, Mercer's research on employee engagement placed China in fourth place with 81 per cent of employees in China reporting satisfaction with the company they work for, whereas only 70 per cent of Singaporeans reported the same, landing Singapore second from the bottom in Asia-Pacific.

"Professional passion" can be embodied in different ways: innovation, employee advocacy, low turnover, and employee ambassadors leading change.There's no one-size fits all approach. It's about thoughtful alignment of professional passion and workplace culture to the business ambitions across the medium and long-term.

Chris J Reed Global CEO and Founder Black Marketing

I'M with the Chinese entrepreneurs! No matter where I have worked and whom I have worked for, I have always worked more than 12 hours a day and weekends. When I became an entrepreneur time became totally irrelevant but even before then I was never a clock watcher. It is a shame that many of today's generation don't give everything to a role and are not as committed as Gen X.

This especially is the case in countries with more complacent, entitled and rich workforces where there is virtual full employment. Hard work builds your character and if security was taken away from Gen Y/Z and they were told to move out or work in another country, they too would find that working hard is rewarding, fulfilling and grows your character. When I have met Asian workers in Europe they are the hardest working and the happiest Asians in the world. Work is fun if you're passionate and committed.

Ong Pang Thye Managing Partner KPMG in Singapore

996 reflects the reality where global operations have no sunset and speed is everything for a business. My personal belief is that one's professional passion is determined by purpose. For KPMG, our purpose is to instill confidence in the capital markets, and empower growth and change in our clients' businesses. This translates to working hours that may not be that structured, and where performance is gauged by outcome and impact rather than hours worked.

To help our people balance their passion in work with their personal lives, KPMG has a flexi-work scheme where our staff can choose when, where and what they wear to work. It is my hope that this flexibility will allow our people to deliver their best at work and achieve success in other areas of life.

Victor Mills Chief Executive Singapore International Chamber of Commerce

IT'S easy for a passionate entrepreneur, inventor or researcher to spend all hours of the day and night at work. It's unrealistic and unproductive to expect workers to do the same because the result is mental and physical burnout and illness.

In any business, it's the consistent quality of each person's output that determines business success. Instead of judging people on the number of hours they put in, judge them on the quality of their output. Reward those whose output is consistently high with generous bonuses. That's altogether more sustainable in terms of staff engagement, their wellbeing and business success.

Jill Smith Chief Executive Officer Manulife US Real Estate Management Pte Ltd

WE believe that the key to an effective workforce is a focus on quality, rather than quantity. At Manulife US REIT, we pay special attention to growing our human capital, which ultimately benefits the REIT.

There is a woodsman analogy often used in the US - that if we have five minutes to cut a tree, we would spend the first half sharpening our axes. We encourage our staff to share their career ambitions, and we work together with them to succeed in those, so that they are well-prepared when it is time to cut the trees!

Bindu Bhatia Managing Director, Asia-Pacific CWT

A RECENT article in The New York Times compared China's 996 to the "hustle culture" taking over the US. Both seem to equate being passionate about and dedicated to one's job with working extremely long hours. In my view, working 12 hours a day, six days a week is likely unsustainable. While it might yield some immediate growth in output, in the long run it's bound to negatively impact workers' productivity, motivation, performance, health, and even employee retention.

Some European countries have taken it to the other extreme, where employees can't access their emails outside of work hours. I think it's important to create a culture where employees are happy to work beyond their regular working hours when required and/or they personally choose to, but they still feel that their organisation respects their personal time.

Naveen Menon President Asean Cisco

ALMOST everyone in the corporate world has put in long hours at some point in their life. Personally, I did many 100-hour weeks during my days in consulting and corporate audit. I felt I could benefit from this investment of my time in order to rapidly gain exposure to different aspects of the business and learn as much as possible.

The problem, though, is when we start to correlate longer hours with increased productivity. This forces people to "show" they are working long, without necessarily being efficient. To make matters worse, this could come at a personal cost to family and loved ones.

At Cisco, we always respect local working practices and adhere to labour laws. We encourage and empower our employees to work from anywhere/anytime and use any device. We do so by leveraging our advanced collaboration technology, which also enables us to strip away non-value adding work. This not only results in productivity gains for the company and better work-life balance for employees, but also has a positive impact on society and the country overall.

Chia Ngiang Hong President Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS)

996 is acceptable if it happens voluntarily or by choice. Indeed, many successful entrepreneurs, most of our forefathers, many from the pioneer and Merdeka generations and even common folks, work way beyond 996 for the love and welfare of their family or to fulfil their personal ambitions and professional goals.

Many are happy and fulfilled though there are some detractors.

Constant technological advancement and a changing concept of work make it necessary for employees with the passion and drive to continuously learn, unlearn, innovate and create to succeed and excel. This necessitates multi-tasking and working longer hours.

We need to create ample and varied opportunities especially for our young workers and encourage them to do what they like and are good at. Businesses need to provide an attractive and conducive environment that will engage and empower work culture that supports and drives passion. This will help blur the lines between work, living and play, and make work less of a chore or grind but an exciting challenge . . . and that will make a big difference.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard Managing Director - Singapore Robert Half

AS a boss, to best manage staff performance ask yourself: Are your employees overworked? In today's workplace, it's increasingly difficult to switch off, and striking a good work-life balance is a common struggle. For work-life balance initiatives to make an impact, bosses need to lead by example as often many workers stay late only because their boss does.

Improving the balance for employees can improve their overall health and general well-being. It can also help to improve their morale, motivation and general job satisfaction, leading to improved performance in the workplace.

Sheena Chin Country Director Veritas Storage Singapore

IT is challenging to navigate between economic profits and worker's welfare when the competition is intense. The 996 work culture, voluntary or otherwise, tends to spark debate as others are at risk of falling behind when they fail to catch up.

Yet, the tech economy offers vast opportunities in China and employers (or even some workers) might be too self-motivated for success to take a slower pace. Beyond sheer hours, passionate workers often have the quest for learning to deepen their domain knowledge.

They are likely to explore innovative approaches to existing tasks, offer new perspectives and make new connections to exchange ideas that will stimulate creativity and ultimately achieve greater impact.

Ambica Saxena Head YSC Singapore

REDUCING the output of a labour force to the number of man-hours worked is unproductive and ineffective, as it only measures inputs and not more important indicators such as outcomes and impact on the organisation's goals. This is particularly true of today's millennial knowledge workers.

This generation tends to be driven more by purpose and therefore wants a sense of ownership - they want to feel like partners.

Therefore they thrive under modern work practices such as flexible working hours and varied working locations - not clocking in and showing face until the boss goes home. As our workforce increasingly moves in this direction, employees' professional passion should be measured on outcomes, with workers given clear metrics to work towards around impact. This will be a much stronger motivator.

Paul Endacott Regional Managing Director, Asia Ambition

THERE is no denying that China's 996 work culture has played a pivotal role in the massive growth of their economy, particularly its tech industry. However, longer hours do not necessarily translate to higher employee productivity.

Employees should be evaluated by the quality of the work they produce and how efficient they are, rather than the number of hours they work. When it comes to "professional passion" it's employee engagement that's a critical metric.

Are they proud to work for you as a company, do they believe in your purpose, do they feel they're a critical part of "the story"? Companies have to focus on innovation to ensure that productivity increases in line with expectations of business growth; if you focus on hours alone this will very easily translate to high attrition rates.

Sebastian Mueller Chief Operating Officer MING Labs

IT is normal that those with the highest passion and incentive work long hours. These are the founders and bosses of the large conglomerates. They have the most to gain and completely identify with their companies.

The same cannot be expected from employees. Their lives, choices and incentive structures are different. Working them to the bone without the upside of entrepreneurship is not acceptable. They are being offered limited upside for the same downside that entrepreneurs have.

Not to mention that study after study show that employees become ineffective beyond 40 - 60 hours of work per week. Work is about outcomes, not input or output.

Uantchern Loh Chief Executive Officer Black Sun plc

IN Singapore, we call it "nuah", in Malaysia it's known as "lepak" and the Dutch call it "niksen" - and it means doing nothing. In a recent New York Times article "The Case for Doing Nothing", the writer exhorts us to "Resist the culture of busyness".

If you're doing nothing, own it. When someone asks you what you're doing during a nothing break, simply respond, "Nothing". Be unapologetic about taking breaks or holidays, and if you start to feel guilty about being seen as lazy, think of "niksen" not as a sign of laziness but as an important life skill. Choose the initial discomfort of "niksen" over the familiarity of busyness."

Can companies have a corporate culture that accepts "doing nothing" as a critical skill?

Stephanie Boo Managing Director - Asia-Pacific Menlo Security

A LOT has been said for China's 996 work culture which is truly remarkable, propelling the country to global economic powerhouse status. It has created companies that are titans of global industry including Alibaba, Huawei, ZTE and Wanda Group.

At Menlo Security we feel passion manifests in a variety of ways. A deeply ingrained sense of commitment to the organisation, a collegial and respectful workplace are key to sparking employee accountability, sense of ownership and create a more creative problem-solving environment.

This very fundamental tenet has been the core of our DNA which has powered the innovation and drive that has seen tremendous growth for Menlo Security as well as other similar companies from the US.

Jimmy Yam Vice-President of Sales, East Asia Eaton

WE believe in providing our team with the space to recharge, so they enter the workplace every day motivated and inspired. Instead of focusing solely on hours spent in the office, we gauge our employees' performance by other metrics: the quality of work output and identifying instances where they have seized opportunities and executed tasks strategically.

With power being a fundamental part of our world, enterprising individuals who can adapt quickly and tackle issues in an incisive, time-efficient way will be key to making power management safer, more reliable and efficient. It is this passion to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges that we prize and are happy to nurture at Eaton.

Martin Alintuck Managing Director, South-east Asia Ruder Finn Asia

WORKING long hours doesn't tell you much. It could be the person is working extra hard or just not terribly efficient. Here are five questions one can ask to gauge passion.

Is the professional:

It's certainly not an exhaustive nor a definitive list. But the answers will tell you much more than counting hours.

Mike Davie CEO Quadrant

WORKING long hours for long hours' sake is not good. I saw this in South Korea while working in one of the country's largest "chaebols" where workers would sit long hours at their desks, yet productivity was still so low. However, sometimes long hours are needed to achieve your objectives and even make breakthroughs. The key is to understand what we need to achieve and approach this in an efficient and logical manner.

Generally, when creativity is needed, overwork and tiredness are counterproductive. When you are looking to build, discover and experiment then hard work and long hours are needed.

Gauging an employee's professional passion is never easy. I always interview asking what people want to do; I want to understand the reason they want to come to the office everyday, whether that is cash, their co-workers, the work itself, etc. I want staff to take pride in what they do and the tasks they complete, and at a minimum, make sure they know what they want to make their professional life effective and happy.

Takaki Hibino Executive Chairman Dentsu Aegis Network Asia-Pacific

AS technology and its myriad of applications continue to bring new efficiencies to our daily lives, the workplace should be no exception. According to our latest Digital Society Index 2019, employers are failing to utilise their people's digital skills. Organisations must look to leverage digital skills alongside agile forms of working to reimagine work processes and organisational design, helping empower employees to deliver their best work using a fuller spectrum of abilities.

Agile working continues to be at the front and centre of our culture and one of our richest sources of collaboration and innovation. This culture of trust and empowered innovation is key for organisations to attract leading talent, remain competitive and reach their full potential in the long run.

Ling Fang SVP, Asia-Pacific Alstom

IT is not so much the number of hours our employees work, but the innovation and creativity unleashed by our philosophy that ensures we continue to be a world leader in rail transport systems. Diversity, collaboration and entrepreneurial spirit are fundamental to Alstom's culture, and employee empowerment is a crucial factor in our success. Wherever we operate, we seek to create an inclusive culture in which diversity is recognised and valued. By bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and giving everyone the opportunity to contribute their knowledge, skills, experience and perspectives, we create shared value for Alstom and our stakeholders while reflecting the diversity of our customers.

Sandie Overtveld VP APAC Zendesk

CHINA'S 996 work culture isn't new, and many of its entrepreneurial heroes support it. However, there is a rising resistance following workplace reforms in markets like Japan and South Korea, where overtime caps and maximum working hours are being enforced.

Working long hours does not mean the staff is always productive, and also does not necessarily result in a competitive edge - it's important not to mistake effort with ability. In fact, the number of hours spent at work to gauge performance runs counter to our company culture, where we gauge performance based on bigger business and customer outcomes. Professional passion comes from a positive attitude, a collaborative nature, lateral thinking, and diverse perspectives. Building a company of driven individuals means paying attention to making them feel valued, understood, and happy. Knowing where compatibility intersects with capability is an important distinction to make.

Jayaprakash Jagateesan Chief Executive Officer RHT Holdings Pte Ltd

I SEE professional passion in determined colleagues who take ownership over their work and demonstrate teamwork in the face of challenges. In the new economy, the ability to solve problems and deliver successful outcomes matters a lot more than staying late at the office.

Excessive working hours will likely take a toll on our physical and mental wellbeing, leading to an adverse impact on overall productivity. A tired team will have less energy for professional passion.

Employers should invest in innovative technology and empower employees with the right solutions to enable them to achieve more in less time. Working more hours is simply not sustainable in the long term.

Crispin William Francis Director RC Business Group

I THINK the Chinese are one of the most hardworking people in the world. In general, not only are they hardworking, but they are also not afraid to learn new things. I believe this is the key reason China has caught up so fast with the West. A "proud-to-be 996" culture.

During the Industrial Revolution days, the Western people worked hard, but after attaining success, many second and third generation middle-to-high income earners got comfortable and demanded "work-life" balance.

Overall, I'd gauge professional passion through the quality of work - and quality work usually demands long focused hours.

Mario Singh CEO Fullerton Markets

PART of the reason for China's 996 work culture is their hunger for success. A high work ethic isn't necessarily a bad thing although companies need to balance their staff's welfare in the process. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Virgin Group announced in 2014 that they would allow their staff to take as much leave as they want.

In my view, monitoring a staff's working hours is a poor way to gauge efficiency. Clearly communicated goals and deadlines is a much better way. Proactive management (instead of reactive management) is the secret sauce to unlock the staff's professional passion in their work.

Lim Soon Hock Managing Director PLAN-B ICAG Pte Ltd

THE internet has revolutionised the way we work. We now can work anywhere and anytime. Because of the smartphone, many of us are addicted to our work. In reality, most of us work more than 996. That said, it is not the number of hours worked, or face time, that counts, but the quality of work. Our decision cycles have shortened considerably, so invariably our throughput has also increased compared to the past.

A person's sense of responsibility and attitude is a good barometer of his or her professional passion. He can choose not to take action or make a decision, but in our increasingly connected work world, it would soon be noticed.

So it is not so much about 996 that puts the pressure on the individual but the imperative to not be seen as a slacker, in an increasingly fast-paced workplace that demands more now than in the past.

Those of us who are in positions of responsibility are on call all the time, because of the internet and the ubiquitous smartphone, so 996 is irrelevant and a misnomer.

We all have a choice - to work hard to excel or take it easy to enjoy more out of life.

Helen Ng Chief Executive Officer Lock+Store

LONG working hours are a crude measure of employees' passion and commitment to their companies. The punishing 996 work schedule not only runs contrary to the long-cherished principles of worklife balance, but would also lead to diminishing productivity over time. There are occasions when a company needs its workers to work longer hours, but these should be the exception, not the rule. Employees should also be given replacement off days for them to relax and recharge. Greater productivity is not derived from driving our employees to work longer hours but empowering them to work smarter.

Maren Schweizer Director Schweizer World Pte Ltd

TECHNOLOGY has the potential to reduce work time, while the 996 work culture will not disappear tomorrow.

In China's leading innovation hubs of Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen there is simply too much work to be done underpinned by a sportsmanlike ambition to catch up.

Technology, such as AI, has the potential to reduce time required firstly. Research studies have proven that organisations enabling AI at the enterprise level are increasing operational efficiency, enabling faster, more informed decisions and innovating new products and services. I believe the time that will be saved due to increased efficiency and productivity should be used to upscale our talents as a first step.

And we, as C-levels, are responsible to create room for:

By allowing our employees to toggle between work and personal social platforms, this can relieve workday stress, create a deeper connection to the work environment, improve solving problems or fostering relationships with co-workers and even effect our bottom lines positively.

I see a distinct competitive advantage in making it pleasurable to work for an organisation, inter alia with AI products that assist in coordinating calendars, meetings and projects and detect cybercrimes. A Secure Smart Office is changing the way we interact with our work environment.

I am convinced that this approach makes for a talent-company win-win and an important success factor in the digital age.

Kunalan Chakravarthy Chief Executive Priority Consultants

CHINA'S global economic might and success was built on the back of a very proletariat, diligent work culture. This suited the country in its early nation building years.

Today Chinese employees are acutely aware of their options and, to an extent, their rights to a fair work environment and wages. Harnessing a diligent work culture for unprecedented commercial success has placed global Chinese enterprises at a crossroads - eking out more from an increasing liberated and mobile workforce.

In fact enterprises globally, especially Singapore, are faced with the quintessential challenge of motivating a deep sense of commitment, loyalty and drive for success in employees.

Inspiring and engaging the new generation of workers is a challenge that requires an update on management skills, measuring outcomes and valuing talent. Professional passion is earned by the enterprise and cannot be demanded. Employers have to review their regimented approach, and replace it with a more sophisticated results-focused agenda to deliver the long-term success and growth.

Toby Koh Group MD Ademco Security Group

996 will not work in Singapore's work culture and lifestyle norms - perhaps unless the business is a startup and the team is infused with startup energy. The general working population in Singapore desires and expects worklife balance. China has a totally different situation where competition for jobs is tremendous, the hunger to do well is insatiable, and the fear of losing out if one does not conform to the 996 culture is real.

Worklife balance advocates in Singapore may frown on the 996 culture but it is a fact that Chinese companies are benefiting at this time from it. The speed at which Chinese companies react and pivot to changing market conditions is the fuel that feeds the 996 culture. The burning question is how Singapore companies with a 965 culture raise efficiency and productivity to a level that can beat the Chinese fuelled on 996.

Shawn Chen Commercial Director, Global Forwarding, and Director of South-east Asia CH Robinson

PROFESSIONAL passion can be defined in a variety of ways, and not necessarily through hours alone. At CH Robinson, our employees recognise that building customer trust is a necessary part of their professional passion. Our customers know they can rely on our people to help with their business needs and offer valuable solutions to improve their supply chains.

CH Robinson has local experts in offices around the globe that work hard to help manage customers' freight and ensure any potential problems are solved in real time. Additionally, our automated system, Navisphere, provides real-time visibility and insights to help their supply chains flourish. This isn't a process that can be solved by hours, but by listening and building a culture where our customers are our passion - they know we have their backs and they trust us with their business.

Tan Mui Huat President and CEO, Asia International SOS

LONG work hours are not unique to China, and especially in the highly competitive tech sector. The '996 or 9 to 5' debate places too much focus on the wrong numbers, and loses sight of the motivations spurring people to come to work every day. The nature of our work at International SOS requires our employees to prepare for and address any medical and security risks that our clients around the world may face at any given time.

This means that we identify individuals, whose "professional passion" is to serve with compassion and a positive attitude and where the number of people we save and reunite with families back home, is the number that means so much more.

Andrew Chan Founder & CEO ACI HR Solutions

WHEN I read what Jack Ma said about 996, I did think it was somewhat controversial given his past statements on work-life balance, which made his 996 remarks highly hypocritical. I do want to note that longer hours do not necessarily translate to productivity. Although yes, if an individual truly worked non-stop 996, then his output could potentially be higher than someone who didn't. However, my opinion would still be based around a clear, objective KPI of an individual, and one's role in the company being measured and assessed based on set parameters.

Lee Siang Chief Executive Officer Dyslexia Association of Singapore

WORKING longer hours does not necessarily equate to more output or better productivity. Rather than focus on the number of hours at the office, one should pay attention to what it takes to deliver an outstanding product or professional service at a time when their clients are available.

With today's sophisticated mobile communications, a clear separation between work and private hours is increasingly difficult to manage. All workers must therefore come to terms with how they can best achieve "worklife integration" in order to keep up with expanding global competition.

David Leong Managing Director PeopleWorldwide Consulting Pte Ltd.

THE "996" focus is not a professional demand on all workers across the board. This should be the first premise in distinguishing this demand from what is the legally allowable work commitment.

Those who have the professional passion are the business founders, startup teams, highly ambitious individuals and those with the alpha-type dominant personality who strive to win in work contexts. Not all workers are like this and hence not all will win it big with unimaginable wealth.

Most employees are worker bees who will stick to regular working hours and will want worklife sanity and balance. This "work-life balance" is anathema to many hard-thriving business founders and entrepreneurs who lead teams to beat paths to unknown markets and are disrupters and innovators. They are driven by great passion to succeed and some would say such staff - who would commit to the punishing 996 hours - are a "huge blessing" (to the employers!) They sacrifice or simply disregard time for the chance to succeed, often-times exceeding even the 996 commitment.

Not all are winners and only those who are willing to sacrifice time and trade their hours to be in the top teams will have the tickets to the entrepreneurial windfall. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I know because I am one of them who value those who would commit time with me to win in businesses.

Hari V Krishnan CEO PropertyGuru Group

AT PropertyGuru Group, we are a purpose-driven business. The passion of our Gurus is critical to our ability to successfully deliver against our company vision and mission. We focus more on outcome-related metrics to gauge performance, than emphasising input metrics like hours spent. At the same time, we endeavour to build our culture through investing in learning and development of our teams - we believe it is the only way to grow and sustain large businesses and stable teams. We are delighted that this approach has delivered hyper growth revenue and allowed us to also be profitable, while our employees consistently rate us highly for work-life balance.

Leonard Cheong Managing Director AdNovum Singapore Pte Ltd

CHINA'S 996 culture is gruelling and will have both social and economic repercussions to the country in the long run. Employees will be overworked and this will impact their health, their productivity, and worklife balance. Social issues like family cohesion and the country's fertility rate may be at risk as well.

Today, there are avenues for companies to increase work productivity with emerging technologies like automation and AI in place, rather than leveraging on a 996 culture. Resources can then be channelled to do higher-value and knowledge-based tasks and bring the workforce and the company to the next business level.

If an employee's career goal is in alignment with the company's goals and purpose, and the work culture is conducive for one to thrive, passion will be fuelled naturally given the right empowerment and support.

Annie Yap CEO AYP HR Group

CHINA'S 996 work culture in fact also exists among us but it was never publicly discussed. And when a prominent CEO stood up in support of the work culture, criticisms arise; people see it as modern slavery.

However, looking at the context differently, to become a successful entrepreneur, one has to work long and hard. As for an employee, working overtime is about the returns, to see if one's effort can be rewarded.

Other than using long working hours as a determining factor, the employer should consider the quality of work, project time delivery and employee attitudes as a whole in gauging the staff's "professional passion".

Zaheer K Merchant Regional Director (Singapore & Europe) QI Group of Companies

COMPANIES in China such as 58.com, Youzan and a host of big names implement, or at least encourage, 996 culture openly. So while it's easy to criticise it without understanding China's work ethic, the specific industries that deploy 996 overall culture and other factors influencing it, I would reflect upon it. Is the 996 culture purely to gauge "professional passion"; does it enhance productivity; is it driven by cheap abundant human capital; are the staff themselves motivated to achieve and hence propagate the culture - these are all material factors. One thing is clear empirically - working longer working hours does not increase productivity, aside from other effects. Stanford's The Economics of Crunch Mode and Harvard Business Review both analysed the issue extensively and came to opposite conclusions in their studies.

My broader issue is, however, whether "professional passion" is the real motivation or gauge, or if it's an excuse and really the only way for an employee to be "seen, felt and heard" to climb the corporate ladder. The alternative options are clearly to set in place more structured KPIs and other employee evaluation processes to eradicate such practices.

Elaine Teh Executive Chairman Octopus Group Holdings Pte Ltd

IT is not the number of hours that determines results. It is the efficiency of one"s professionalism. It also depends on one's position in the company. There is no right or wrong. For the more senior positions, we do not look at number of working hours; we consider the results or KPI. Our company measures the KPI. We set the KPI to measure their performance; it's not by the hours worked.