PHOTOS: The Chinese Tech Workers Who Have To Sleep At The Office

A grueling schedule means there's not always time to go home and rest.

China's tech sector is thriving. Competition is high, new startups are popping up everywhere and the country's consumer tech market could outstrip that of the United States in coming years.

But for those working in the industry, rapid growth too often means toiling long hours at the office, even overnight. Many companies expect employees to work overtime every day, and have begun installing more bunk beds and couches to accommodate midday naps.

Some workers even live at the office in order to get shut-eye, instead of sitting through a long commute home.

"We have to get up at 8:30 a.m. because all our co-workers come to work at 9:30 and we wash in the same bathroom everyone uses," Liu Zhanyu, an employee at a recruiting firm, told Reuters.

Check out photos of Chinese tech workers sleeping at the office:

Jason Lee/Reuters

Han Liqun (L), HR manager of RenRen Credit Management Co., and IT engineer Xiang Siyang sleep on camp beds at the office after finishing early morning work, in Beijing, China, April 27, 2016. Office workers sleeping on the job is a common sight in China, where a surplus of cheap labour can lead to downtime at work. But in China's technology sector, where business is growing faster than many start-up firms can hire new staff, workers burn the midnight oil to meet deadlines and compete with their rivals. Some companies provide sleeping areas and beds for workers to rest during late nights.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Zhang Huichao, a programmer at N-Wei (Beijing) Technology Company Limited, chats with his colleague Yan Xiaolong before he goes to sleep in the living room of an apartment, which their company rents as an office and employees' dormitory, in Beijing, China, April 22, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Cui Meng, a Co-founder of Goopal Group, takes a nap in his seat after lunch, in Beijing, China, April 21, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Han Liqun (C), a HR manager of RenRen Credit Management Co., drinks with his colleagues Kou Meng (L) and Ma Zhenguo after finishing work, after midnight, in Beijing, China, April 27, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Wu Yaxiong (2nd L), CEO of N-Wei (Beijing) Technology Company Limited, stands with his programmers in an apartment which he rents as an office and employees' dormitory, in Beijing, China, April 22, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Wu Yaxiong (R), CEO of N-Wei (Beijing) Technology Company Limited, fetches water from a kitchen at an apartment that he rents as an office and employees' dormitory, in Beijing, China, April 22, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

An employee stands outside an office of an online sales company at night at Galaxy Soho, in Beijing, China, April 18, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

After finishing work at midnight, Du Xianchang, a R&D engineer at BaishanCloud, climbs up a ladder as he goes to bed in an individual sleeping quarter in his office, in Beijing, China, April 27, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Zhang Shuangjie, an IT engineer at BaishanCloud, drops the curtain as he prepares to sleep, around midnight, in an individual sleeping quarter in the office, in Beijing, China, April 26, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Liu Zhanyu, a client manager at DouMiYouPin, washes his feet at the office's bathroom before going to sleep after finishing work at midnight, in Beijing, China, April 20, 2016.
Jason Lee/Reuters

Han Liqun, a HR manager of RenRen Credit Management Co., carries beer and food for his colleagues as he walks to the office after midnight, in Beijing, China, April 27, 2016.

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