World Average Workweek Hours

2025

Written by Charlie Fitzgibbon
By Charlie Fitzgibbon, Construction Professional

June 3rd 2025

Some countries, on average, have longer working hours than others. This is shaped by culture, labor laws, and economics.

The idea of a 40-hour workweek feels universal, especially if you’re from a Western country such as the US, UK, or Australia. However, that number is not necessarily the global norm.

According to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the average workweek hours vary wildly. From under 30 hours to over 50, national work patterns reflect vastly different priorities around the world.

World Map

Image by Geralt on Pixabay

This Article Covers:

Average Workweek by Country

Country AVG Workweek Hours AVG Workweek Hours (Men) AVG Workweek Hours (Women)
Afghanistan 35.6 36.8 17.3
Albania 41.4 43.3 39.1
Algeria 42.9 44.3 35
Angola 40.7 42.5 38.8
Argentina 34.7 38.5 29.7
Armenia 38 42.7 33.4
Australia 31.8 34.4 28.8
Austria 28.4 32.1 24.3
Azerbaijan 34.4 35.5 33.3
Bahamas 36.9 38.1 35.7
Bahrain 39.5 40.8 34.4
Bangladesh 45.8 52.1 35
Barbados 36.1 38.1 34.2
Belarus 36 38.2 33.8
Belgium 31.8 35.2 28
Belize 40.4 42.6 36.7
Benin 42.5 43.8 41.2
Bhutan 54.5 55 53.7
Bolivia 37.8 41 34.2
Bosnia and Herzegovina 40.8 41.3 40.1
Botswana 43.4 45.4 41
Brazil 37.3 39.2 34.8
Brunei 44.8 45.6 43.5
Bulgaria 38.2 38.9 37.5
Burkina Faso 45.3 48.1 41.8
Burundi 41 41.7 40.3
Cambodia 45.9 46.2 45.6
Cameroon 41.9 44 39.2
Canada 32.3 34.9 29.3
Cape Verde 45.3 46.6 43.5
Central African Republic 38.1 40.7 35.3
Chad 30.5 33.4 26.2
Chile 36.9 39.2 33.8
China 44.8 45.1 44.3
Colombia 42.1 44.5 38.6
Comoros 37.4 39 35.2
Costa Rica 41.8 44 38.3
Croatia 34.3 35.5 33
Cuba 40.8 43.1 37
Cyprus 34.1 35.8 32.2
Czech Republic 34.7 36.8 32
Denmark 28.8 31.2 26
Djibouti 30.2 31.4 26.9
Dominican Republic 38.7 40.8 35.5
DR Congo 35.4 35.8 35
Ecuador 37.9 41.9 31.9
Egypt 45.5 46.4 40.8
El Salvador 43 44.3 41.1
Equatorial Guinea 43.9 46.4 40
Eritrea 38.4 40.9 35.7
Estonia 31.1 33.3 28.9
Eswatini 41.1 43.4 38.7
Ethiopia 30.8 33 27.6
Fiji 35.7 37.4 32.4
Finland 28.8 31.1 26.4
France 30.8 33.3 28.2
French Polynesia 35 37.3 32
Gabon 41.8 43.6 38.6
Gambia 37.8 44.1 31.1
Georgia 37.1 40.5 33.6
Germany 29.6 33.4 25.4
Ghana 31.8 34.1 29.5
Greece 37.8 40.2 34.7
Guam 36.9 39.5 33.8
Guatemala 41.4 44.5 35.1
Guinea 39.1 41.4 35.7
Guinea-Bissau 42.3 45.3 38.9
Guyana 42.6 45.2 38.9
Haiti 41.4 41.5 41.3
Honduras 42.8 43.8 40.9
Hong Kong 43.1 43.6 42.6
Hungary 35.1 37 32.8
Iceland 32.6 36.3 28.4
India 45.8 49.8 35.9
Indonesia 37.6 39.6 34.7
Iran 43.2 45 33.4
Iraq 30.4 32 17.3
Ireland 30.7 34.7 26.2
Israel 35 38.5 31.3
Italy 33.9 36.9 29.7
Ivory Coast 40.4 43 37
Jamaica 43.5 44.6 42.1
Japan 31 33.5 27.9
Jordan 47.8 48.5 43.6
Kazakhstan 38 39.4 36.5
Kenya 39.1 43 34.6
Kuwait 44.6 45.9 40.1
Kyrgyzstan 35.2 38.7 30.2
Laos 41.3 41.6 40.9
Latvia 35 36.7 33.2
Lebanon 46.4 49.7 38.8
Lesotho 50.2 51.5 48.4
Liberia 47.5 49 45.9
Libya 43.1 45 38.8
Lithuania 34.9 36.5 33.3
Luxembourg 32.4 35.2 29.2
Macau 45.6 45.4 46
Madagascar 34.6 36.7 32.4
Malawi 30.7 33.9 27.3
Malaysia 44.6 45.3 43.4
Maldives 45.9 48.9 35.9
Mali 43.1 47 37.7
Malta 32.9 34.5 30.7
Mauritania 38.8 40 36.3
Mauritius 38.3 39.5 36.2
Mexico 42.1 45.2 37.5
Moldova 37 39.6 34.8
Mongolia 45.7 48.4 42.4
Montenegro 44.2 45.1 43.2
Morocco 44 46.7 34.5
Mozambique 29 33.1 25.2
Myanmar 41.5 42.5 39.9
Namibia 42 43.5 40.4
Nepal 40.7 43.5 35.7
Netherlands 26.8 30.4 22.6
New Caledonia 35.6 37.4 33.6
New Zealand 33.7 36.3 30.7
Nicaragua 36.1 40.2 29.9
Niger 39.8 43.6 34.2
Nigeria 39.6 42.8 36.2
North Korea 40.8 43.9 37.3
North Macedonia 37.5 38.3 36.4
Norway 27.1 29.4 24.5
Oman 43.6 44.3 39.2
Pakistan 47.5 51.1 35
Palestine 39.5 41.1 31.8
Panama 36.1 37.6 34
Papua New Guinea 40.4 43 37.6
Paraguay 40.7 42.8 37.7
Peru 43.2 46 39.7
Philippines 40.3 40.3 40.2
Poland 36.7 38.5 34.5
Portugal 32.5 34.3 30.6
Puerto Rico 38 39.9 35.4
Qatar 46.8 46.6 47.6
Republic of the Congo 48.7 49.2 48.3
Romania 38.6 39.3 37.8
Russia 38.2 39.2 37.2
Rwanda 30.5 32.6 27.9
Saint Lucia 39.6 39.9 39.3
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 39.8 43 35.5
Samoa 44.5 45 43.4
Sao Tome and Principe 48.2 47.5 48.9
Saudi Arabia 40.9 41.7 37.1
Senegal 44.9 48.7 38.3
Serbia 38.4 40.1 36.3
Sierra Leone 42.7 44.8 40.4
Singapore 44.6 46.4 42.3
Slovakia 33.9 36.5 30.8
Slovenia 33.7 35.4 31.5
Solomon Islands 35.3 35.7 34.9
Somalia 30.1 31 27.9
South Africa 42.2 44.3 39.6
South Korea 36.8 39.3 33.5
South Sudan 38.2 42.3 34
Spain 31.6 33.8 29
Sri Lanka 39.5 40.8 36.6
Sudan 50.8 51.9 45.7
Suriname 39.7 43 34.8
Sweden 29.3 31.2 27.1
Switzerland 34.9 39.2 30.1
Syria 31.1 32.8 21.9
Taiwan 39.1 41.6 35.9
Tajikistan 41 44.7 35.6
Tanzania 40.9 44.4 37.2
Thailand 41.6 41.7 41.4
Timor-Leste 34.2 35.1 33.1
Togo 37.4 40.8 33.7
Tonga 30.7 30.7 30.8
Trinidad and Tobago 39.4 41.3 36.8
Tunisia 44 44.8 42
Turkey 43.8 45.4 40.5
Turkmenistan 41.9 44.7 39.5
Uganda 40.9 42 39.7
Ukraine 39.3 42.3 36
United Arab Emirates 48.4 48.3 48.5
United Kingdom 30.9 34.3 27.3
United States 36.1 38 33.7
United States Virgin Islands 35.9 38.7 33
Uruguay 34.7 37.8 31
Uzbekistan 40.4 43.1 35.2
Vanuatu 29 29.2 28.7
Venezuela 38.3 39.3 36.5
Vietnam 41.5 42.4 40.7
Western Sahara 42.4 44.4 35.2
Yemen 25.9 26.4 18
Zambia 42.3 44.9 39.2
Zimbabwe 45 47.9 42
Total 38.7 40.7 35.4

Countries with the Longest Average Workweek Hours

Here are the countries with the highest average workweek hours:

Rank Country Average Weekly Hours
1 Bhutan 54.5
2 Sudan 50.8
3 Lesotho 50.2
4 Republic of the Congo 48.7
5 United Arab Emirates 48.4
6 São Tomé and Príncipe 48.2
7 Jordan 47.8
8 Liberia 47.5
9 Pakistan 47.5
10 Qatar 46.8

Countries with the Shortest Average Workweek Hours

Here are the countries with the shortest average workweek hours:

Rank Country Average Weekly Hours
1 Yemen 25.9
2 Netherlands 26.8
3 Norway 27.1
4 Austria 28.4
5 Denmark 28.8
6 Finland 28.8
7 Vanuatu 29
8 Mozambique 29
9 Sweden 29.3
10 Germany 29.6

Global Comparisons

There’s no single reason why some countries work longer hours than others, but some patterns do emerge. Longer average workweek hours often correlate with lower GDP per capita. In many developing countries, workers must work longer hours simply to cover basic living costs.

In contrast, shorter workweek averages tend to show up in countries with higher labor protections, stronger economies, and a cultural emphasis on work-life balance. It’s not about being lazy or efficient, it’s about priorities and systems.

America

The United States lands in the mid-range globally with average workweek hours of 38.7. That’s more than most of Europe but less than several Asian and African nations. However, the overall workforce across the Americas is highly segmented. While some benefit from flexibility and tech-enabled autonomy, others work 50–60 hours to maintain basic living standards.

Asia

Many Asian nations post higher average workweek hours, often driven by societal expectations and intense economic competition. Bangladesh logs around 48 hours on average, Pakistan 47.5, and India 47.7.

Middle East and Africa

From the UAE’s 48.4 hours to Nigeria’s 46.9, many Middle Eastern and African nations report longer-than-average workweeks. These high numbers are often linked to labor-intensive sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing, often supported by migrant labor with fewer protections.

Europe

Europe remains a leader in limiting average workweek hours. France has legally capped its workweek hours. Denmark averages 34.8, Germany 34.5, and the Netherlands is even lower in some sectors.

Do Fewer Hours Mean Less Productivity?

Not necessarily. Many countries with lower average workweek hours demonstrate higher productivity per hour. Germany’s output, for instance, outpaces many longer-working nations due to automation, process refinement, and worker training.

Quality over quantity is the standard approach, and is the strategy for many European countries to stay competitive whilst maintaining working conditions across the workforce.

Is the Global Workweek Changing?

Remote work, digital nomadism, and evolving employee expectations are transforming average workweek hours across the globe. Companies from New Zealand to the UK are testing four-day workweeks, with most reporting equal or better results.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, forcing organizations to focus more on outcomes and less on clock-watching.

What’s the Future of Average Workweek Hours? Here’s what’s trending:

  • Flexibility is the new currency. Workers want to decide when and where they work.
  • Efficiency over hours is the productivity model of tomorrow.
  • Mental health and well-being are non-negotiables in attracting and retaining talent.

Final Thoughts

The global picture of average workweek hours reveals a deep divide, one not just of time, but of values. In lower-income economies, long hours often reflect necessity rather than choice. In contrast, wealthier nations, particularly in Europe, show that shorter workweeks can coincide with high productivity and healthier lifestyles.

The data makes one thing clear: more hours don’t always mean more output. Some of the most productive countries are also the ones working the least. It’s not about working harder; it’s about working smarter.

As remote work expands and workers demand more flexibility, expect a continued shift toward outcome-focused models, not hours logged.

The modern workplace is being redefined. Countries and companies that prioritize balance, well-being, and efficiency are likely to lead. The clock is ticking, but not in the way it used to.

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