The Heavy Toll of Overwork: A Look at China's Rural-to-Urban Migrants

The Overwork Epidemic

Long working hours are a global issue, exceeding the International Labour Organization's recommended maximum in many countries. China, in particular, grapples with this challenge, with average weekly hours significantly above the standard. While a safe and healthy work environment is a fundamental right, excessive work hours jeopardize not only work quality but also physical and mental well-being.

This research delves into the specific case of China's rural-to-urban migrants, a population often overlooked in overwork studies. Driven by economic aspirations, these migrants often work in demanding conditions, pushing their limits for higher income and urban integration.

The Health Impact of Extended Hours

Using data from the 2018 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS), the study reveals a concerning reality: comfortable work doesn't necessarily equate to better health, while moderate overwork demonstrably harms it. The consequences escalate with severe overwork, particularly in capital-intensive industries where mental strain adds to the burden.

Surprisingly, the study also found that migrants in labor-intensive industries show a higher tolerance for extended work hours, experiencing less health decline than their capital-intensive counterparts, at least initially. This intriguing result underscores the complex interplay of physical and mental demands in different work environments.

The Role of Work Incentives

Can incentives offset the detrimental impact of overwork? The study suggests a nuanced answer. While incentives can partially mitigate the health risks in labor-intensive sectors, they are ineffective in capital-intensive industries. This likely stems from differing priorities and values among these two groups. Labor-intensive workers, often driven by a wage-based principle, are more receptive to incentives as compensation for overwork. In contrast, those in capital-intensive roles may prioritize mental well-being and social activities, finding material incentives inadequate to offset the toll of overwork.

The Limits of Compensation

Crucially, when overwork becomes severe, the protective effect of incentives vanishes entirely. The sheer exhaustion and fatigue surpass any potential benefits offered by increased income or job security. This finding highlights the urgent need to prevent severe overwork, regardless of industry or incentive structure.

Implications and Recommendations

This research offers valuable insights for policy development and labor management. It underscores the importance of tailored regulations and health protections for rural-to-urban migrants. Specifically, it suggests focusing work incentives on labor-intensive industries experiencing overwork, leveraging technology to reduce workloads in capital-intensive sectors, and implementing decisive measures to prevent severe overwork across all industries.

Ultimately, this study contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between work hours, health, and incentives, paving the way for a healthier and more equitable labor market in China.

Study Details and Limitations

This study utilized a binary logit model to analyze the CLDS data, examining the relationship between working hours and self-reported health among rural-to-urban migrants. While the methodology was robust, limitations such as the cross-sectional nature of the data and the lack of previous wave data were acknowledged. Future research could address these limitations and explore the complex effects of comfortable work and the differentiation between material and psychological incentives.

Citation: Huo Z, Wang Y (2025) Impact of overwork on self-assessed health of rural-to-urban migrants: Limitations of work incentives moderation effect and industry heterogeneity. PLoS ONE 20(2): e0317588. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317588