Long hours and zombie-like employees at Gameloft Auckland
nzherald.co.nz
nzherald.co.nz
Edit:
Here are two articles from when the workweek in France was shortened but I haven't found the article I'm looking for yet. My point isn't really to denigrate France's laws but it would seem that these jobs were shipped out of the country so that more work could be expected from each employee.
http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_18/b3627192.htm http://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/06/25/european_working_pra...
Unreasonable hours create a downward spiral. Walking away is an option but fighting back takes courage. Either way the company ends up the biggest loser over time as the best leave for greener pastures.
In my experience, employees are not doing more work, they are at the office trying to look busy until the boss goes home. Sometimes the boss is sleeping at his desk, and people are sitting around looking at blank documents on the screen.
I think you can put an asterix on this one. People don't complain about long hours in Japanese megacorps for the same reason they don't complain about them in game development studios: if you care enough to complain, you're at nearly zero risk of ending up with that job. Nobody becomes seishain at a Japanese megacorp and then suddenly gets surprised about the working conditions. I went into it with eyes wide open, too. (Although I really underestimated how much that would impact my happiness.)
The folks who would most dislike 17 hour days or 70 hour weeks communicate their displeasure by opting out of the system entirely. (Or, if they're young ladies, by going the pink collar route and quitting at 25 when they get married or 27 when their first child is born.) There is an oft-reported thing for Japanese young men of my generation to take to, basically, grifting (odd jobs, part time employment, mooching off parents, etc) as opposed to doing the salaryman thing, because the salaryman thing sucks so badly. It is probably exaggerated because it sells newspapers, but I'll bet there is a kernel or two of truth in it (c.f. "metrosexuals", "sexting", etc)
Similarly, if you look around my social circle of Japanese techy friends, you'll see a bunch of societal rejects. Not because they're geeky anime nerds, although a few are. They just saw the handwriting on the wall and said "Meh, not for me." So we've got freelancers, folks ensconced in various academic posts, weird government sinecures for techno-artists, a raft of quirky startups, permanent students, etc etc. (I'm not exactly Grade A Salaryman Role Model Material myself anymore, either, even for a white guy.)
That said: any viable alternative to this system, whether for Japan or the video game industry or Silicon Valley or anywhere else its evil takes root, is a victory for all that is good and just in the world.
The problem with the salary man system is it's so demographically bankrupt. Work to death on low pay while you're young, kick back and let the young work for you as you get older and better paid (co-opted by your more capable co-workers if you suck at what you do). Doesn't work with a shrinking population and dismal economy.
There are so many brilliant, young Japanese people out there and IT is a real magnet for them. But they're not the aggressive type either. The American equivalent wouldn't afraid to start a company or pick up women if they find someone attractive, though they may be more shy than the general population. The Japanese mirror national tendencies. I hope this crisis provokes long-lasting change. It's already given me some hope to see how the younger generation are taking more charge after seeing the power of technology to make real differences in the world.
why is that kind of language allowed at all in contracts?
The only people in the company that should be working unpaid overtime are the founders, because its their company. If you're an employee, you should do your work that you're hired for and then go home.
I tend to accept it if it's rare (like - release work with some pressure, for a limited time). But - it was a learning curve for me.
When I started my first 'real' job I was constantly working overtime (10-12 hours, daily), no compensation (and a low salary). I sold myself far too low - but at that time it didn't occur to me. Evil team dynamics can make this even harder: IF someone from our team decided that 22:00 is late enough and packed up, we'd half-jokingly complain about him being on half-time. In retrospect, this idiotic behavior just helped our employer to milk more time (not really work, I'd argue.. Productivity goes down fast after a while) out of us.
My last contract again included this clause, but I grew up and learned to say no, leave if I'm tired and turn off my mobile. If you're no jerk about it I'd expect it to work flawlessly. Of course your employer would love to see you work more for less/the same. And he certainly is free to ask me to 'do this one thing'.
And I can always decline, and do so most of the time now.
Surely overtime is necessary once in a while to match a deadline. However, having a modest premium on it is an easy way of ensuring the amount of the overtime will remain reasonable.
It could be my personal limited experience, but I've seen several really badly run game companies, and none that seemed to be run well at all.
Really? Is this common/normal? A problem only in that (IT) sector? What about other professions (I assume medical personal, public transportation drivers etc. at least have rules for that)?
This is one of these eye-opening moments where something I took for granted (my bad, I guess) is realigned with reality.
Of interest, the Break entitlements doesn't cover anything relevant. However, the Health & Safety section seems relevant (IANAL) and then there's this beauty: http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/starting/relationships/goodfaith.a...
1. Keep working, and stop crying about it. 2. Quit
Yeah it sucks, but as someone who worked these kind of hours in the military, without the ability to quit, I don't feel any sympathy.
You empower your employer to treat you like this, and there are many industries where this is near the norm.
There's nothing wrong with outing a company that treats their employees like expendables. The gaming industry's had a bad reputation for horrid working conditions for some time. Maybe it's time to wake up.
Edit: I'd like to see a response behind these downvotes. As a business owner and employee, I'm confused.
Your remark is so odd to me, I feel like I either completely misunderstood it or you live in a very sad place.
edit: What you are saying to me sounds like "It's odd that you called the police because someone shot you; I really don't see how this could be resolved except for forming a vigilante group"
This is very different than being shot, which is a violation of someones rights.
Secondly, sleep is a basic human right. It's possible that you just take it for granted.
Are you going to argue next that having a job, with perfect hours and perfect pay, is also a right?
In Austria it is illegal[1] not to offer compensation for working overtime, and I'll bet it is the same in NZ as well.
Again, I'll go to my original point, which is that if you don't like the hours your employer has asked you to work in exchange for the salary that they are paying, then find a new job. I see no need for regulation here, especially in our industry, where there are more jobs than people.
If you do prefer a society where employers are not regulated at all, there probably are places in the world you can "choose" to live.
It's just protectionism - some people can't compete and use the government to hobble the competition.
And then what? There aren't that many games jobs in NZ.
And another clause most likely allows them to quit with a two weeks notice. Why don't you just quit?
So sometimes there really isn't an option but to finish the year(s) or take a big financial hit.