Long work hours and health in China

Abstract

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Effect of Long Working Hours on Depression and Mental Well-Being among Employees in Shanghai: The Role of Having Leisure Hobbies

“…In this study, the prevalence of long working hours among participants was 69.3%, which was slightly higher than that (62.0%) of one previous study using Chinese national data from 1991 and 2009 [2], indicating that employees in Shanghai are more prone to working overtime due to the fast-pace life of this megacity. We also found that nearly one-fifth of respondents had depression, and approximately one-fourth showed PMWB.…”

“…Participants answered the question "How many hours do you currently work on average per week?" Long working hours (defined as overtime per week beyond normal or regular working hours) was operationally defined as more than 40 h/week in this study, which was in line with the definition adopted by many countries, according to a recent International Labor Office survey and previous studies [2,12,19,25]. Then weekly working hours (WWH) were split into four groups (≤40 h, 40 h < WWH ≤ 50 h, 50 h < WWH ≤ 60 h, and >60 h), with ≤40 h used as the reference category.…”

“…As Chinese are educated to complete tasks with absolute dedication based on Confucian belief since their childhood, domestic workers are prone to overburdening or burning themselves out during career life. One earlier study using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1991-2009 found that the average weekly working hours of Chinese employees were around 47 h, with approximately 62% of respondents working more than the national standard of 40 h per week [2].…”

Linkage between commuting time and sickness absence in the context of China: transmission channels and heterogeneous effects

“…The premium for overtime is an important part of the salary, and the employees have to work overtime for additional premiums as well as the basic compensation [26]. For another, Chinese employers are more likely to overburden their employees [27], and working overtime has to be a necessary routine to meet the employer's claims or expectation. Thus, the longer commuters in China are less likely to show shrinking behaviors not only due to the financial reasons, but also owing to the requirement by employers.…”

Linkage between commuting time and sickness absence in the context of China: transmission channels and heterogeneous effects

“…The premium for overtime is an important part of the salary, and the employees have to work overtime for additional premiums as well as the basic compensation [26]. For another, Chinese employers are more likely to overburden their employees [27], and working overtime has to be a necessary routine to meet the employer's claims or expectation. Thus, the longer commuters in China are less likely to show shrinking behaviors not only due to the nancial reasons, but also owing to the requirement by employers.…”