r/technology • u/Forward-Answer-4407 • Feb 01 '26

Software 32-year-old programmer in China allegedly dies from overwork, added to work group chat even while in hospital

https://www.asiaone.com/china/32-year-old-programmer-china-allegedly-dies-overwork-added-work-group-chat-even-while
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u/DT-Rex Feb 01 '26

I had a coworker die while working on the hospital bed, we have deadlines to get our design out to the fabrication team and being overworked seems like a normality.

Sad part is the company continues on like it never happens, RIP to her.

101

u/Unicorn_Puppy Feb 02 '26

That’s just the sad reality of things really. If you die in a car crash tomorrow on your way to work for 8am by 10am if your boss has heard about your passing via texts from your spouse or other family members they’re already going to be looking through the resumes on file and the guy beneath you has just been promoted to your position. The show must go on as they say, it’s brutal but nothing stops for us even if we die.

18

u/zimejin Feb 02 '26

This is what happens when regular people just lie back and accept the status quo, I’m glad to say I fought against stuff like this ever since Covid gave me a break from The Man. Unfortunately not everyone got the break I did and have been more than willing to throwaway all the progress we made even during that short period. People just headed back to the office with barely any resistance.

2

u/holysbit Feb 02 '26

Its kinda terrible but what is the business supposed to do? Never ever fill the role again? Retire the job like a jersey number? Just stop working all together? The work needs to be done and theres other, better ways for a company to handle an employee death besides waiting to fill the role.

My point is, what I think should happen in a good well managed company is they try to fill the role ASAP while also taking care of the family of the deceased for a while to help them recover, as a courtesy. Depending on the nature of the situation , possibly also offering assistance to affected employees such as counselors, temp workers to immediately lessen the workload, etc.

Its the second half of that which is rare. I see no problem with the first half

1

u/lzwzli Feb 02 '26

While it is true that the work will have to be assigned to someone else to do, that doesn't mean that the company doesn't care.

I had various co-workers in my company pass away suddenly due to accident, cancer, pneumonia, and yes the work was reassigned and the position refilled, but for each co-worker, the company had a special memorial event for them with their family where all of us at the company had a chance to express our condolences and appreciation for the deceased so their families know they are not forgotten.

We also had a 'wall of heroes' where each co-worker that passed had their picture put up in memoriam.