In this study, we sought to make an initial exploration to extract the factors that can influence the workload of Chinese high-speed railway (HSR) dispatchers. We also evaluated whether it is applicable to use the Integrated Workload Scale (IWS) scale in this context. By conducting in-depth interviews with five experienced dispatchers, we found that the main factors affecting the workload of high-speed railway dispatchers are the section complexity, the traffic flow, the abnormal situations, and usability of human-computer interfaces. We also found the original IWS scale may not be suitable to assess the workload of Chinese high-speed railway dispatchers due to the differences in work arrangement, equipment, organizational culture, and language. We discussed several ways to reduce the workload of HSR dispatchers and the possible ways to revise this workload measurement in this new context.