Hiroko Matsukata is the twenty-eight-year-old protagonist at the center of the story, working as an editor for the weekly magazine Weekly Jidai. Her colleagues have given her the nickname Hataraki Man, which translates to working man, in recognition of her extraordinary and almost single-minded dedication to her job. Talented and hard-working, she is known as a strong, straightforward professional who can, seemingly at will, activate a hyper-focused state that allows her to work at an intensity and speed far beyond her normal capacity. This transformation, referred to as entering Hataraki Man mode, enables her to block out all distractions, including the need for food, sleep, and even basic self-care, to meet impossibly tight deadlines and produce work to a self-imposed, very high standard of perfection.

Despite her professional successes, Hiroko's life is not without its struggles and moments of self-doubt. She constantly grapples with the challenge of balancing her all-consuming career with her personal life, particularly her romantic relationship. Her boyfriend, Shinji Yamashiro, is also a dedicated professional who works long hours and frequently travels on business, making it difficult for the two to spend time together. In a point of frustration, Shinji is also portrayed as being an even bigger workaholic than Hiroko, which further complicates their relationship. While she is a hard worker who will stay late to finish a story, she would also leave early for a date, highlighting the internal conflict between her professional drive and her desire for personal fulfillment. She frequently questions her own choices, pondering why she so often prioritizes work over her boyfriend and what exactly she is working for.

Within the office of Weekly Jidai, Hiroko is surrounded by a colorful and realistic cast of characters who both support and challenge her. Her direct boss, Kimio Narita, serves as a mentor figure, acting as a friend and encouraging colleague one moment and a demanding taskmaster the next to ensure the best work gets done. She has a close friendship with her coworker Mayu Nagisa, a younger and somewhat flighty editor whose main goal is to write a work of fiction. Conversely, she often clashes with rookie editor Kunio Tanaka, who holds the opposite philosophy that one should not waste one's life entirely on work, creating a fundamental conflict in their work ethics. She also interacts with other strong female colleagues like Maiko Kaji, an elegant and revered editor who navigates the "man's world" with a different approach, offering alternative perspectives on being a successful woman in the industry. Her ultimate professional ambition is not just to succeed at her current job but to one day own and publish her own magazine.

Throughout the story, Hiroko experiences meaningful development not as a series of grand epiphanies, but through the organic accumulation of workplace triumphs and personal setbacks. The narrative follows her as she pursues significant stories, from uncovering corruption scandals to competing with arrogant newcomers. The consequences of her work are shown to carry over from episode to episode, giving a mature and realistic flavor to her life. Her notable abilities extend beyond just her speed and focus; she possesses a deep ambition and a willingness to sacrifice everything in her life to achieve her professional goals. At her core, Hiroko is a fully realized character who loves her career and finds deep satisfaction in her accomplishments, even as she continues to search for an answer to the central question her life poses: how to reconcile the drive of a Hataraki Man with the needs of a woman seeking a full and balanced life.