Who has the longest working hours?

Bhutan has the longest average weekly working hours globally, with employees working approximately 54.4 to 54.5 hours per week. Other nations with very high work hours include the United Arab Emirates, Lesotho, India, and1418837265406180554 Bangladesh, frequently exceeding 50 hours a week.

Which country has the longest work hours?

Globally, the average work week is closer to 40 hours. At one extreme, Bhutan holds the record for the longest work week globally, at 54.4 hours per week, according to the ILO. While at the other, workers in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati enjoy the shortest work week at just 27.2 hours.

What is the longest working hours in the UK?

You cannot work more than 48 hours a week on average - normally averaged over 17 weeks. This law is sometimes called the 'working time directive' or 'working time regulations'. You can choose to work more by opting out of the 48-hour week.

Who has the longest working hours in Europe?

EU Member Countries: Key Points

• Greece is the EU member country with the highest working hours, averaging 42.7 hours per week.
• Austria is close behind as the second EU member country with the highest weekly working hours, averaging 41.8 hours/week.

Which job has the longest hours?

By occupation, surgeons work the longest hours on average in the U.S. By industry, animal production and aquaculture industry workers clock the longest hours on average in the U.S.

Why does Japan work so hard? | CNBC Explains

Is it illegal to work 4 12 hour shifts in a row?

How Many 12-Hour Shifts Can You Work In A Row Without Weekly Rest Breaks? The answer to this, put simply, is 6 consecutive 12-hour shifts, limited by the working time regulations 1988. 11 hours of adequate rest must be allowed between shifts.

Is it legal to work 70 hours a week in the UK?

So a single 70-hour week isn't automatically unlawful, but consistently scheduling 70-hour weeks is very likely to breach the average unless you have a valid opt-out and you're still meeting all rest rules. Key points for employers: 48-hour average weekly limit over a reference period (usually 17 weeks).

Which country has the lowest working hours?

Countries with the lowest working hours

Vanuatu tops the list with an average workweek of only 24.7 hours as reported. It is far less than the world average, as only 4% of its workforce exceeds 49 hours per week.

What country has a 6 hour work day?

More and more companies in Sweden are introducing a 6-hour workday, because they believe the traditional 8- hour shift is outdated. The idea: people simply can't stay fully productive for eight hours straight — and shorter workdays could mean better focus, less stress, and a healthier work-life balance.

Is it illegal to work 14 hours a day in the UK?

What are the maximum hours I can be expected to work over an average working day? Workers covered by the Working Time Regulations 1998 must not be required to work more than 13 hours per day and must not be required, against their wishes, to work an average of more than 48 hours a week.

How many hours did people work in the 1500s?

As one source notes, “a typical working day in the medieval period stretched from dawn to dusk, sixteen hours in summer and eight in winter.” Other historians suggest an average of between 8.6 and 9 hours of work per day, about comparable to the modern workday.

Is it possible to work 80 hours a week?

The reality of an 80-hour work week

It's a model born often out of necessity rather than choice and driven by industries where extended work hours are not only common but also expected. For many professionals, an 80-hour workweek will sound like an occasional grind.

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.

Which country works 4 days a week?

Iceland is one of the countries most in support of the 4 day work week.

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).

Who works most hours in Europe?

On paper, the Greeks slog the most. Workers there put in an average of nearly 40 hours (39.8), the highest in the EU. Bulgaria, Poland and Romania follow next with around 39 hours a week. But beyond the EU, the workweek stretches even further, 43 hours in Turkey and 41 in Serbia.

What country does not work 5 days a week?

While Americans cling to their hybrid schedules to have some flexibility with their jobs, workers in the Netherlands have quietly abandoned the five-day workweek, working an average of 32.1 hours in 2024. And the country's staffers have women to thank for the change.

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.

Is working 12 days in a row legal?

Rather than a simple “days in a row” cap, the law requires guaranteed weekly rest. For most adult workers, this means: At least one uninterrupted 24-hour rest period each week; or. Two uninterrupted 24-hour rest periods (or one 48-hour rest) every 14 days.

How many hours of work is too much?

The study “The Productivity of Working Hours” by Stanford professor John Pencavel found that when a person works more than 50 hours a week, their productivity per hour drops dramatically. After 55 hours, productivity plummets to the point where working extra hours is futile.

Can I work 100 hours a week in the UK?

What is the maximum hours you can work​? Under UK Labour Law, the maximum average working week is 48 hours, averaged over a 17 week period. However, certain sectors – such as emergency services and the armed forces – are exempt from this rule due to their operational needs.

What's the easiest job to make 100k a year?

9 jobs that pay $100K per year without a degree

1. Information systems manager. ...
2. Fire chief. ...
3. Product manager. ...
4. Senior engagement manager. ...
5. Radiation therapist. ...
6. Computer network architect. ...
7. Senior real estate manager. ...
8. Technical program manager.