Exchanging 'Life' for Money? Overtime work culture and professional women's fertility intentions in China

Abstract: In the context of China’s concerning decline in fertility rates and the widespread normalization of the ‘996’ overtime culture, the connection between overtime work and fertility assumes considerable importance. This research is firmly grounded in the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), which investigates the complex relationship between overtime work and fertility intentions among working women of reproductive age in urban China. Employing a quantitative approach, this study adopts a between-group vignette experimental design involving three hundred participants from five bustling Chinese cities. The study manipulates three distinct levels of overtime intensity (toxic vs. moderate vs. no overtime) within the vignettes, followed by participants completing a questionnaire measuring fertility intentions and associated variables. Through the application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study yields robust results that highlight a significant negative effect of overtime on fertility intentions. The analysis also reveals that this relationship is partially mediated by three psychological factors – namely, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control – as suggested by the TPB theory. These findings enhance the understanding of how modern work practices intersect with family planning decisions, and further contribute to the broader discourse surrounding the influence of work-related stressors on the choices individuals make about reproduction.