The relationship between working hours and physical exercise is an important issue for the employment population to balance their work and health. Based on the data from the 3rd survey of Chinese women's social status, the study analyzes the physical exercise behavior and its infl uencing factors of the employed population. The study fi nds that the employed population in China has not yet developed a healthful lifestyle of regular physical exercise, and only a small number of people take physical exercises in fee-charging places; it is also found that working-hour characteristics, unit and job characteristics have a signifi cant effect on the frequency and place of physical exercise. The study posits that, on the basis of the continuous improvement of the working skill level and labor productivity of the employed population, moderately reducing their working hours and increasing their leisure time could promote their regular participation in physical exercise and the development of their healthful living habits, contributing to the implementation of the Healthy China Strategy and the Innovation Driven Development Strategy