Key Takeaways
1. Xiaomi employees are reportedly required to work a minimum of 11.5 hours daily, with penalties for logging fewer hours.
2. Work expectations vary significantly across departments, with some teams demanding up to 15 hours a day.
3. Taking leave can lead to scrutiny and pressure to compensate by working longer hours.
4. These long working hours have been a practice for nearly two years, with serious consequences for not meeting expectations.
5. Outsourced workers face stricter rules, risking immediate dismissal for failing to meet daily hour requirements.
Xiaomi is under scrutiny after reports emerged from China indicating that the company is allegedly pushing its staff to work long hours. A post on Maimai, a platform similar to LinkedIn that is popular in China, suggests that employees are expected to work a minimum of 11.5 hours each day. Those who log fewer than eight hours are reportedly asked to provide written justifications. Additionally, employees who frequently have low total working hours may face internal interviews and, in some cases, may feel pressured to resign.
Varying Work Conditions Across Departments
The situation seems to differ across various departments, as several Xiaomi workers shared their experiences with Jiupai News, a Chinese news agency. One employee from the mobile phone division noted that each team operates with its own set of expectations. For instance, certain groups demand a minimum of 10.5 hours, while others require up to 14 or 15 hours a day. Their own team reportedly has a standard of 12.5 hours. Jiupai News mentions that these work expectations are not documented formally, as managers prefer to communicate them verbally to avoid leaving evidence.
Penalties for Taking Leave
An employee situated in Shanghai revealed to Jiupai News that their department maintains an average of 11.5 hours per day, leading to a typical work schedule from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Another worker from Jiangsu stated that their team follows a 12-hour working schedule. They shared that, “the leader called me out because of my low ranking” compared to other team members.
It appears that taking time off can also result in penalties. Several employees reported that even a single day off in a month might drop the average working hours below eight, which then invites further scrutiny. Consequently, workers are expected to compensate for this by working longer hours on other days.
Long-Standing Practices and Consequences
Worryingly, this practice has reportedly been in place for nearly two years, according to one employee who spoke to Jiupai News. The only new factor seems to be the recent public focus on the issue. The repercussions for failing to meet these expectations are significant. One employee mentioned that they had to submit a written reflection if they logged fewer than 10.5 hours. In Beijing, another reported that employees with consistently low hour ratings face warnings from management, and if there’s no improvement, their performance evaluations might be affected.
Outsourced workers seem to experience even stricter enforcement of these rules. A contract worker indicated that their department requires exactly 11 hours of work each day, without averaging. If they fall short of this requirement, they are called in the following morning, and if it occurs repeatedly, they risk immediate dismissal.
Xiaomi has not yet issued a formal statement regarding these allegations.
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply