Eric Schmidt: Competing with China means sacrificing work-life balance
11 hours ago
- #Tech Industry
- #Remote Work
- #Work Culture
- Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, warns that remote work hinders U.S. tech competition with China's intense '996' work culture (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week).
- Schmidt argues remote work harms young professionals by limiting in-person learning and mentorship opportunities.
- China's '996' schedule, though outlawed in 2021, persists in tech firms and is influencing Silicon Valley, with some startups demanding 72-hour workweeks.
- Some young workers embrace the hustle culture, sacrificing work-life balance for startup success, as seen in rising weekend work trends.
- Schmidt previously criticized Google for prioritizing work-life balance over competitiveness but later retracted his comments.
- Google has reduced remote work flexibility, urging AI teams to work in-office weekdays, with 60-hour weeks deemed optimal for productivity.
- Schmidt joked that government jobs are where work-life balance truly exists.