Which country has the lowest work hours?
Asked by: Linwood Bernier | Last update: May 21, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (60 votes)
While figures vary slightly by source and year, countries with the lowest average working hours often include Yemen, Vanuatu, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Germany, and Kiribati, with some data showing Yemen at ~25.9 hours/week and European nations like the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany averaging around 26-30 hours weekly, often due to strong social systems, automation, and cultural focus on work-life balance, contrasting with nations like Mexico or Costa Rica with significantly higher hours.
What country has the least working hours?
As of 2022, Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica ranked the highest number of hours worked per year. Greece ranked the highest In EU with 1886 average hours per year, while Germany ranked the lowest with 1340 average hours worked respectively. Japan and Canada ranked lowest amongst non-European countries.
Where do people work the least hours?
Data shows that Germany works the shortest hours with a weekly average of 26.37 hours. Netherlands and Norway work the second and third shortest hours, working just 1% less than Germany respectively. What's more, Germans can request a reduction in their hours if they work for a company with fewer than 15 employees.
What country works 4 days a week?
Many countries are exploring or implementing a 4-day work week, with notable examples including Belgium (legal right for compressed 4x10 days), Iceland (successful public sector trials), the UK, Spain, Japan, Germany, and the UAE, often through government pilots or allowing employees to condense hours with no pay cut, focusing on the 100-80-100 model (100% pay, 80% hours, 100% productivity). While some have permanent legislation (like Belgium's right to request), others, such as the UK, Spain, and Australia, have had large-scale, highly successful pilot programs.
Which country has the highest working hours?
List of the World's Hardest-Working Countries in 2025. According to data from World Population Review, Bhutan is the hardest-working country in the world. Workers in Bhutan put in about 54.5 hours per week, the highest on the list. Men work around 55 hours, and women work about 53.7 hours each week.
Top 10 countries with least working hours
Which country is most overworked?
Here are the top 10 most overworked countries in 2025:
- Canada (57.5) ...
- Malta (54.3) ...
- United States (52.5) ...
- Belgium (52.0) ...
- France (49.7) ...
- Portugal (46.8) ...
- Germany (45.2) ...
- Czechia (45.2) Czech employees average 2,019 working hours per year, placing them at the higher end of Europe's workload spectrum.
Do Americans work the most hours?
American workers log an average of 1,796 hours annually—465 more hours than Germans and 389 more than Norwegians. The U.S. is the only advanced economy with zero mandated paid vacation—and 23% of American workers get none at all.
Is America going to a four-day work week?
It's unlikely the U.S. will adopt a universal 4-day workweek soon, but momentum is growing through company pilots and legislative proposals, showing benefits like increased productivity and better work-life balance, though challenges remain for 24/7 industries like healthcare. While some European countries have enacted legislation, the U.S. is still in an experimental phase, with potential shifts depending on tech advancements, evolving work culture, and potential future laws, like Senator Sanders' proposal for a 32-hour week.
Who came up with 40 hour work week?
American businessman and founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford, is often credited with ushering in the age of the 40-hour workweek. Indeed, Ford's adoption of a five-day, 40-hour week set a precedent that many other American companies would adopt.
What country has the hardest working people?
Bhutan Leads the World in Working Hours
In 2025, Bhutan stands out as the world's hardest-working nation, with employees clocking an average of 54.5 hours per week. Many South and Southeast Asian economies also appear near the top, including the UAE (48.4 hours), Pakistan (47.5 hours), and India (45.8 hours).
Do poor people work longer hours?
The tendency to work longer hours was shown as the income level decreased, but the low-medium EHI group worked ≥ 52 hours a week at the highest proportion (31.0%).
What country has the lowest hourly wage?
The Central African Republic is among the lowest minimum wage in the world, at 218.75 CFA Francs per hour, which is equivalent to . 36 USD per hour. In Kyrgyzstan, the minimum wage was updated in 2024 and is among the lowest is the world, at 2,460 Kyrgyzstani SOM.
Which country's citizens work the most?
Recent global data reveals surprising leaders: 🇧🇹 Bhutan tops the list with an average of 54.5 hours per week. 🇸🇩 Sudan follows closely at 50.8 hours. 🇱🇸 Lesotho averages 50.2 hours. 🇲🇽 Mexico remains one of the hardest-working OECD countries with 2,207 hours per year.
What is the smallest country in the world?
Vatican City holds the title as the world's smallest country, with an area of just 0.17 square mile (0.44 square km). As a point of comparison, the largest country in the world, Russia, is almost 39 million times bigger.
Is a 10 hour shift legal in India?
Many employers overlook that making staff work 10–12 hours a day without fair pay or rest isn't just exploitative — it's illegal. Under the Factories Act, 1948, employees are entitled to a maximum of 9 hours a day, 48 hours a week, with proper breaks and double pay for overtime.
What country is the most overworked?
The average annual hours worked in Mexico is 2,207 hours, making it the most overworked country. The average workweek for full-time employees in Mexico is about 42.7 hours. About 28.7% of Mexican employees work over 50 hours per week.
How many hours a week in the USA?
Standard working hours in the USA are 8 hours per day from 9am to 5pm with a 30 minute lunch break. Although the standard work week is 40 hours long, American workers regularly exceed this weekly figure. Americans strongly identify with their jobs, as such, hard work and commitment to the employer is the norm.
How many hours do Greek people work?
But here's the kicker, Greeks already work more hours than anyone else in the EU on average over 40 hours a week. Germans work six hours less per week.
What is the 9 9 6 rule?
The 9-9-6 rule is a demanding work schedule (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, totaling 72 hours) originating in China's tech industry, known for its intense hours, leading to burnout and criticism as "modern slavery," though some tech leaders like Jack Ma and Narayana Murthy have supported it, sparking debate in both China (where it's now reportedly illegal) and the U.S., with some startups adopting similar models for survival or rapid growth.
What state is the hardest working state?
North Dakota earned the No. 1 spot as the hardest-working state in the U.S., according to a new analysis published by WalletHub. The personal finance website released its 2025 survey, “Hardest-Working States in America,” on Aug.
How long does Gen Z stay at a job?
Gen Z job tenure is short, averaging around 1.1 to 2.3 years, especially in the first five years of their careers, with many changing jobs for growth, development, flexibility, and values alignment rather than disloyalty, although recent economic shifts and fewer entry-level roles also influence this mobility. While some studies show very short stints (e.g., 1.8 years average), this rapid movement often reflects a proactive search for better opportunities and support in a rapidly changing job market.
What is the 9 80 rule?
The 9/80 rule (or 9/80 schedule) is a compressed workweek where employees work 80 hours over nine days in a two-week pay period, instead of ten, earning a day off every other week, usually a Friday, by working longer days (e.g., nine hours). This schedule boosts work-life balance with extended weekends, helps reduce commute stress, and serves as a recruitment perk, though requires careful management to avoid overtime issues, especially with state laws like California's.
Do Europeans work more than Americans?
In a survey of more than 1,200 workers in the U.S. and Europe, 40% of Americans said they work 41-50 hours per week, as compared to 26% of Europeans. Mid-level professionals in both regions were most likely to say they work overtime daily.
How many sick days are too many in a year?
The law also allows an employer to limit an employee's total accrued paid sick leave to no more than 80 hours or ten days.