Working time variation, work autonomy, and self-reported Health during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

Journal article

With the rise of flexible work arrangements and digital technologies, working time variation has become increasingly prevalent in the labor market. However, its health implications remain debated: some suggest that working time variation enhances flexibility and promotes well-being, while others argue it leads to increased precarity and adverse health outcomes. Utilizing data from a nationally representative survey in China during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines how work autonomy moderates the relationship between working time variation and health, and whether these effects differ by gender. The findings indicate that the relationship between working time variation and self-reported health is moderated by work autonomy. Specifically, working time variation is positively associated with self-reported health when work autonomy is high, but negatively associated with self-reported health when work autonomy is low. This pattern is particularly pronounced among women compared to men. These results contribute to the literature on working time variation by highlighting the conditional health impacts of working time variation through the lens of work autonomy, thus advancing the debate on its health consequences.

Authors: Jing, FF; Zhu, M; Wang, Q; Cui, S; Tan, H

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer Nature [academic journals on nature.com]
• Journal: Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 486
• Publication date: 2026-03-16
• Acceptance date: 2026-02-04
• DOI: 10.1057/s41599-026-06696-0
• EISSN: 2662-9992
• ISSN: 2662-9992
• Language: English
• Keywords: Pandemic; Work (physics); China; Working time; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Public health