Greece's parliament has approved a bill that allows 13-hour workdays in the private sector in certain cases. Although the bill contemplates that a worker can refuse and not be dismissed, opposition parties and many workers aren't so optimistic, prompting nationwide strikes.
In 2024, Greece had already approved a six-day working week for certain industries, mirroring the "996" culture. For many American start-ups, that’s the new expectation. Borrowing a system first pushed by tech giants in China, companies are adopting 996, shorthand for 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. That’s 72 hours on the job, a routine so controversial in China that it sparked nationwide protests and accusations of “modern slavery,” with critics linking the schedule to worker exhaustion and even deaths.
Some US firms, especially in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence, are embracing the model, betting that longer hours will help them keep pace with rivals at home and abroad. And as American start-ups flirt with China’s most controversial work culture, the question remains: is 996 the future of innovation, or a dangerous step backward?
Click through to see how this demanding schedule is reshaping work on both sides of the Pacific.