Look at the working hours in other countries. Mexicans work more hours than anyone else… while Germans work much less.
Do you feel like you are working too hard? Are you curious about how much time people spend working in various countries? We now present an overview of work hours around the world, broken down by country.
Average Working Hours by Country
In this graph, Marcus Lu from Visual Capitalist ranked the OECD countries based on their average working hours.
The results reveal a significant disparity, with a difference of 864 hours per year between the countries with the longest and shortest working hours, which amounts to 36 days!
The figures presented are based on the average number of employed individuals in each country, incorporating both full-time and part-time workers.
Key Working Hours Data
All data is sourced from the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), an international entity that promotes policies aimed at enhancing economic and social welfare. The organization consists of 38 member countries, although data was not available for all of them in this instance.
For context, the hourly statistics have been converted into eight-hour workdays.
Leading the ranking are three countries from the Americas: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile.
Several factors may contribute to this situation, including:
- Economic structure: Labor-intensive sectors such as agriculture significantly impact their economies.
- Social policy: These nations may have less comprehensive social safety nets, prompting workers to log more hours to offset limited public assistance.
- Lower wages: Reduced average incomes in these countries could compel individuals to work longer hours to elevate their standard of living.
Hungary ranks as the 14th most hard-working country on the OECD list.
Conversely, many European nations, particularly those with advanced economies, appear at the lower end of the ranking.
It is important to highlight that all workers in the European Union (EU) are entitled to a minimum of four weeks of paid annual leave, contrasting sharply with the United States, which is the sole advanced nation without a legal requirement for paid time off.
One notable outlier in these statistics is Greece, which ranks fourth with an average of 1,897 working hours annually. The country continues to face challenges in stimulating economic growth, with over 500,000 residents having emigrated since the 2009 debt crisis.
Recent announcements indicate that Greece will permit certain employers to implement a six-day workweek.
Look at how much people work in other countries. Mexicans work more hours than anyone else… Germans not so much
Do you feel like you are working too much? Curious about how long people work in other countries? Now we show how much people work worldwide broken down by country.
Average number of working hours per country
In this graph, Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu ranked OECD countries based on average working hours.
The list shows a huge gap between the countries with the longest and shortest working hours: This is 864 hours per year, which is 36 days!
These figures are based on the average number of people employed in each country, which means that it includes both full-time and part-time workers.
Key Working Hours Data
All data comes from the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), an international organization that supports policies aimed at improving economic and social well-being. It has 38 member states, although in this case data was not available for all of them.
For context, the hourly figures have also been converted to eight-hour workdays.
At the top of the ranking are three American countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile.
There can be several reasons for this, including:
- Economic structure: Labor-intensive industries such as agriculture play a large role in their economies.
- Social policy: These countries may have a less extensive social safety net, which means that workers work more to compensate for the lack of public support.
- Lower wages: Lower average wages in these countries may lead people to work longer hours to improve their standard of living.
Hungary is one of the 14th most working countries in the OECD list.
At the lower end of the ranking are many European countries, especially developed economies.
It should be noted that all workers in the European Union (EU) are entitled to at least four weeks of paid holiday per year. This is in stark contrast to the United States, which is the only advanced economy in the world that does not guarantee paid time off to workers.
One of the main outliers in this data set is Greece, which ranked fourth with 1,897 average annual working hours. The country is struggling to boost economic growth, and more than 500,000 people have left the country since the 2009 debt crisis.
It was recently announced that Greece will allow certain employers to introduce a six-day work week.
Working Hours Comparison Table
| Country | Average Annual Working Hours | Daily Work Hours (8-hour days) |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 2,148 | 268 |
| Costa Rica | 1,995 | 249 |
| Chile | 1,979 | 248 |
| Greece | 1,897 | 237 |
| Hungary | 1,786 | 223 |
| Germany | 1,371 | 171 |
Impacts of Working Hours on Health
Long working hours can lead to a range of health issues, including:
- Burnout: Prolonged stress and overwork can result in mental and physical exhaustion.
- Chronic Health Problems: Extended hours can contribute to chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
- Poor Work-Life Balance: Longer working hours might strain personal relationships and reduce time for leisure activities.
Benefits of Moderate Working Hours
Research indicates that a balanced work schedule can lead to numerous benefits including:
- Increased Productivity: Employees often perform better and with greater efficiency when they are not overworked.
- Enhanced Job Satisfaction: A balanced workload contributes to higher levels of happiness and job satisfaction among workers.
- Improved Mental Health: Adequate time for rest and personal interests helps maintain mental health and reduces the risk of burnout.
Practical Tips for Managing Working Hours
Here are some tips to manage working hours effectively:
- Set Boundaries: Define clear working hours to prevent work from spilling over into personal time.
- Use Technology Wisely: Utilize tools and apps to help optimize your workflow and avoid unnecessary distractions.
- Prioritize Tasks: Focus on high-impact tasks that contribute most to your goals to maximize efficiency during work hours.
