Creative Writing Workshops in Industrial Workplaces to Combat Worker Depression

Overview

Rapid industrialization around the world has pushed factory workers to deal with worsened conditions. These modern working conditions often lead workers to severe mental health struggles. However, poetry is a form of expression that decreases depression. According to a 2022 Gallup Poll done in the United States, 50% of workers feel stressed, 41% are worried, 22% are sad, and 18% angry daily because of their job. The monotonous continuation of the modern working environment torments the employees, who end up feeling purposeless and expendable, leading to overall unhappiness and dissatisfaction. To make matters worse, they have no way to express their discontent and foster a culture of community, respect, and recognition, because creative expression is so rare in the workplace. To aid factory workers in their battle against unfair working conditions and mental illness, creative writing workshops in industrial workplaces could partly relieve issues of workers’ mental health struggles in industrial settings.

Poetry, specifically, is a beneficial form of expression that results in decreased depression and anxiety. Many studies have been conducted on the effects of creative expression on the mind of those in depressing situations, and the results are almost always positive. In a study involving cancer patients, music and therapy positively affected depression scores, and poetry even increased hope scores. Writing poetry also showed an improvement in stress reduction and, when shared, interpersonal empathy. 

This white paper explores the positive impact of creative writing workshops in industrial workplaces, particularly as a solution to the growing issues of worker mental health in industrial settings like Foxconn. The labor environment, especially in assembly line jobs, has increasingly been linked to severe mental health crises due to harsh conditions and a lack of opportunities for creative or personal expression. By advocating for the introduction of poetry workshops—proven to reduce stress and improve cognitive function—this paper presents an innovative approach to countering the psychological toll of repetitive and dehumanizing work.

The Problem of Industrial Depression

Industrial jobs, particularly in large-scale operations like Foxconn, often strip workers of their individuality and dignity. Foxconn, which produces iPhones, has seen a troubling rise in suicides, with 14 confirmed in 2010 alone. Workers describe their environment as prison-like, with restricted autonomy, overwork, and enforced silence, which has led to a severe mental health crisis among employees. 

In The Journal of Business Ethics, Kristen Lucas, Dongjing Kang, and Zhou Li claim dignity as a basic human right, one which the workers at Foxconn and similar industrial companies lack. One key aspect of dignity is the right to defend yourself and maintain a personal identity. The Foxconn workers are denied both. They are given a number instead of their supervisors learning their names and communication in general is banned from the workplace, let alone dissent. The poor migrant workers in these Chinese factories are dehumanized with the lack of autonomy. This suppression is a key factor in the plight of workers’ mental health challenges, which eventually lead to the suicide of 17 young lives between 2007-2011.

“Autonomy is challenged…through pressure to surrender control—or at least suppress expression—of internal thoughts, feelings, values, and attitudes.”

The Cause of it All: Urbanization and Industrialization

In recent years, countries have been racing to industrialize faster. However, in order to effectively do this, they need workers. Thus, urbanization has drastically increased in many places, especially in China. To accommodate this influx of people, the cities and their companies create slums and labor camps near factories where conditions are poor and depression is  commonplace. Even though conditions are severely substandard, change is nearly impossible because the economy has become reliant on the exploitation of migrant workers. Foxconn’s treatment of its workers reflects a broader issue within corporate industries, where foreign and migrant workers face suppression of individuality and expression. Workers are treated as replaceable cogs in a machine, deprived of basic human rights such as fair pay and respectful treatment.

Impacts: The Psychological Toll on Workers

Industrial work has far-reaching impacts, particularly among migrant workers in factories like Foxconn, where harsh conditions and a lack of agency contribute to mental health crises. The term "iSlave," coined by labor activists, encapsulates the dehumanizing experience of these workers, who often feel trapped in their roles. Efforts to address the alarming rate of suicides—such as installing nets around buildings—reflect a superficial solution to a deeper issue rooted in systemic exploitation and corporate negligence. The haunting poetry of Xu Lizhi, a factory worker who tragically took his own life, captures the despair felt by many, as he lamented, "I want to touch the sky, feel that blueness so light, but I can’t do any of this, so I’m leaving this world." His words resonate with a generation of workers, symbolized by the suicide of 19-year-old Ma Xiangqian, who epitomized the rebellion against oppressive conditions. Such tragedies highlight the need for genuine reform, as the problem is not just individual despair but a broader critique of capitalism with Chinese characteristics. Settlements offered to the families of victims raise concerns about potential copycat suicides, underscoring the urgent need to address the root causes of factory workers’ mental health struggles rather than merely responding to its symptoms.

Poetry: A Possible Remedy

Research shows that creative writing, especially poetry, can have a significant impact on mental health. Poetry helps individuals process their emotions, build empathy, and foster connections with others. Studies have found that reading and writing poetry reduces anxiety and depression, while sharing poetry builds interpersonal empathy. 

The article "A Look Back and a Path Forward: Poetry's Healing Power during the Pandemic" examines how poetry can address loneliness, a significant public health issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors, David Haosen Xiang and Alisha Moon Yi, review existing studies demonstrating that engaging with poetry—through reading, writing, and sharing—can alleviate loneliness and enhance well-being. They argue that poetry offers an accessible means of coping with isolation, providing emotional support even in solitude. The article emphasizes the timely relevance of integrating poetry into medical and public health practices to combat the mental health challenges intensified by the pandemic.

One such study was led by the University of Plymouth and Nottingham Trent University. It found that reading, writing, and sharing poetry significantly improved mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the poetryandcovid.com platform, participants reported reduced anxiety, better emotional resilience, and support in coping with grief and loneliness. Over 50% found poetry helpful for mental health challenges, and the study highlights poetry's role in fostering community and aiding recovery. More than 100,000 visitors engaged with the site.

Zheng Xiaoqiong employs poetry as a powerful tool to uplift migrant workers and illuminate their often overlooked experiences in the industrial landscape of China. Through her evocative verse, she captures the struggles, pain, and resilience of these workers, transforming their stories into a collective narrative that resonates with broader themes of dignity and humanity. In her poem “The Age of Industry,” for instance, Zheng juxtaposes personal anecdotes with larger societal issues, illustrating the harsh realities faced by migrant laborers while simultaneously instilling a sense of hope and solidarity. By giving voice to their challenges and aspirations, her poetry not only fosters empathy among readers but also empowers workers to reclaim their identities and assert their rights. In this way, Zheng's work serves as both an artistic expression and a form of activism, advocating for the recognition and respect that migrant workers deserve.

Programs like Worker Writers’ School have demonstrated how poetry can transform the workplace by encouraging workers to express their frustrations in a safe and supportive environment. A notable example of poetry’s impact in the workplace was actor Bill Murray’s public reading to construction workers at Poets House in New York. His reading united the workers, creating a sense of solidarity and cultural connection that transcended the monotony of their work. This event showcased how poetry can elevate everyday labor into something more meaningful and inspiring, providing a glimpse of what could be achieved in industrial settings.

Using these examples, one can conclude that poetry workshops in workplaces might be a viable option to combat the detrimental consequences of industrial work on one’s mental health.

Bibliography

Barboza, David. 2010. “After Suicides, Scrutiny of China’s Grim Factories”. The New York Times. The New York Times. June 7, 2010. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/business/global/07suicide.html.

Beckett, Lois. 2012. “By the Numbers: Life and Death at Foxconn”. ProPublica. January 27, 2012. https://www.propublica.org/article/by-the-numbers-life-and-death-at-foxconn.

Collins, Leah. 2022. “Job Unhappiness Is at a Staggering All-Time High, According to Gallup”. CNBC. CNBC. August 12, 2022. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/12/job-unhappiness-is-at-a-staggering-all-time-high-according-to-gallup.html.

“Domestic Workers United Writers’ Workshop”. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/featured-blogger/63802/domestic-workers-united-writers-workshop.

"industrial Workers at Foxconn," IndustryWeek, accessed October 17, 2024, https://www.industryweek.com/talent/labor-employment-policy/article/21958624/foxconn-admits-that-it-employed-14-year-olds-at-a-plant-in-china.

Kelly, Rachel. 2023. “The Therapeutic Power of Poetry: What’s the Evidence?”. Medium. Inspire the Mind. February 2, 2023. https://medium.com/inspire-the-mind/the-therapeutic-power-of-poetry-whats-the-evidence-208fa59fe09b.

Lucas, Kristen, Dongjing Kang, and Zhou Li. 2013. “Workplace Dignity in a Total Institution: Examining the Experiences of Foxconn’s Migrant Workforce”. Journal of Business Ethics 114 (1): 91-106. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23433653.

Ngai, Pun, and Jenny Chan. 2012. “Global Capital, the State, and Chinese Workers: The Foxconn Experience”. Modern China 38 (4): 383-410. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23216953.

Nottingham Trent University. "Poetry Is Good for Mental Health, Study Shows." Nottingham Trent University News, November 2023. https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news/news-articles/2023/11/poetry-is-good-for-mental-health,-study-shows.

Nowak, Mark. Social Poetics. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2020.

Tharoor, Ishaan. “The Haunting Poetry of a Chinese industrial Worker Who Committed Suicide - The Washington Post.” The Washington Post, November 12, 2014. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/11/12/the-haunting-poetry-of-a-chinese-industrial-worker-who-committed-suicide/. 

Sebestyén, Attila. 2018. “Poetry in the Workplace: Bill Murray’s Public Reading As an Applied Art Form”. AMERICANA E-Journal of American Studies in Hungary. May 1, 2018. https://www.americanaejournal.hu/index.php/americanaejournal/article/view/45042/43697.

Qiu, Jack Linchuan. “Goodbye iSlave: Making Alternative Subjects Through Digital Objects.” In Digital Objects, Digital Subjects: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Capitalism, Labour and Politics in the Age of Big Data, edited by David Chandler and Christian Fuchs, 151–64. University of Westminster Press, 2019. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvckq9qb.14.

Xiang, David Haosen, and Alisha Moon Yi. "A Look Back and a Path Forward: Poetry's Healing Power during the Pandemic." Public Health and Crisis (PMC), National Center for Biotechnology Information, August 2020. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7447694/.

“New Books”. 1926. The American Economic Review 16 (4): 670-75. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.