How China’s labor evolution shows multinationals the cost of systems built on exhaustion

Human Resources

The many faces of ‘juan’: How China’s labor evolution shows multinationals the cost of systems built on exhaustion

February 16, 2026 • by Zhike Lei in Human Resources • 11 min read

Some of China’s most profitable companies have thrived by piling pressure on workers – sometimes with tragic results. Zhike Lei outlines how multinationals can design work that avoids burnout and exploitation. ...

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