Chinese companies are taking new steps to tackle the notorious “996” culture prevalent at tech companies – working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. Since February 27, 2025, Shenzhen-based drone giant DJI has mandated that all employees leave the office by 9 pm sharp. At the designated time, human resource managers actively enforce the rule, ensuring that no one stays late at their desks. DJI had previously been known for its extremely long hours, with employees frequently working past midnight.
The move has sparked a trend among major corporations. Appliance manufacturers Haier and Midea have adopted similar policies: Haier now enforces a strict two-day weekend, while Midea requires employees to clock out by 6:20 pm.
The changes ignited heated discussion online. On March 9, the hashtag “DJI’s Mandatory 9 pm Clock-out Policy” topped the trending list on Sina Weibo, racking up 74.1 million views and 17,000 posts. Many netizens applauded the shift, arguing that addressing the culture of companies’ implicitly requiring employees to overwork is long overdue. However, others remained skeptical, pointing out that being forced to leave the office doesn’t necessarily mean less work. Some worried that employees might still have to finish their tasks at home, without overtime pay. Netizens called for stronger measures to ensure workers’ legal rights to rest and leisure are fully protected.
In response, on March 16, the central government released a “Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption.” The plan emphasizes the protection of workers’ rights to rest and vacation, requiring authorities to strengthen oversight of companies. Employers are now obligated to prohibit excessive overtime and strictly implement paid annual leave policies.
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