Are There Any Differences in the Work Experiences of Local and Rural-to-Urban Migrant Female Factory Workers? An Exploratory Study in Guangzhou, China

Abstract

This study compared the perceived job rewards, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment of local and rural-to-urban migrant female factory workers in Guangzhou, China. This research used a cross-sectional quantitative survey and systematic random sampling for data collection at two toy factories in Guangzhou. Research participants voluntarily and anonymously completed a structured questionnaire. Based on the final sample of 1,307 female workers, the results indicated significant differences in the perceived job rewards between locals and migrants after ruling out the effect of age. Specifically, migrant female workers felt more content with all types of job rewards when compared to local female workers. The results suggest that the work experiences of Chinese female factory workers are influenced by the rural-urban stratification. Overall, these findings may assist policy makers and companies in improving the work and lives of female factory workers.