Which countries are getting the most done while putting in the least hours? We've used current gross domestic product (GDP) data from the World Bank – the country's GDP which shows how healthy a country's economy is at that time – combined with OECD statistics on the number of hours worked in each country in order to find the most productive nations. Here's our countdown of the top 30 countries that are 'working smart'.
The Slovakian economy has enjoyed strong and consistent growth in recent years: nearly 4% a year for the last two decades according to OECD. The country's GDP is $106.5 billion (£82.7bn). This is despite a relatively short work week, with people working 1,698 hours a year on average; this means that the country ranks 18th out of all OECD countries for working hours. The OECD also notes that only 5% of the population are working very long hours, in comparison to the OECD average of 13%.
New Zealand's GDP stood at $205 billion (£158.5bn) in 2018, with Kiwis each working 1,756 hours a year. The government is encouraging flexible working arrangements, and a number of companies have been trialling shorter work weeks. Estate management firm The Perpetual Guardian noted the same level of productivity after trialling a four-day working week, along with increased work satisfaction and reduced stress.
Chilean residents worked an average of 1,941 hours a year in 2018, while the country's GDP reached $298.2 billion (£230.6bn). The OECD revealed that only 10% of employees worked more than 50 hours a week, which was less than those in the U.S. The Chilean government's commitment to providing greater subsidised or free childcare places has helped to drive a better work-life balance for families and enabled more women to re-enter the workforce.
The Czech Republic has the lowest unemployment rate of all OECD countries, at just 1.9%. While the working week is generally around 39 hours a week, under 18s are not allowed to work more than six hours a day, or over 30 hours a week. In 2018 the Czech Republic reached GDP of $245.2 billion (£189.5bn), with those in employment working an average of 1,792 hours per year.
Israelis are some of the hardest workers, putting in as much as at 1,910 hours every year. However, its impressive GDP of $369.6 billion (£285.6bn) drives it further up the rankings. The country's working week is actually Sunday to Thursday, although Friday mornings are often included. In April 2018 the decision was made to drop an hour from the legal work week, from 43 to 42 hours.
The Irish economy has seen impressive growth in recent years, with real GDP growth of 6.8% to reach $382.4 billion (£295.5bn) in 2018, according to the IMF World Economic Outlook Database. While the traditional working week is 39 hours, the OECD figure of 1,782 hours worked every year suggests that workers are averaging around 34 hours a week. That's a drastic improvement from the 44 hours they worked in 1983.
Mexico sits at the bottom of the OECD table for hours worked in a year, with 2,148 hours per person. However, it's large economy, reaching GDP of $1.223 trillion (£945bn) in 2018, raises its overall score. However, it's not all good news. Despite working the longest hours, Mexico has the lowest average salary of all OECD countries at $16,298 (£12,597). Workers also have the third-longest daily commute (after Japan and Korea), and are legally permitted just six days annual leave after one year working for an employer.
Korea's workers put in an average of 1,993 hours a year, helping to reach GDP of $1.619 trillion (£1.2tn) in 2018. While OECD data revealed that more than 13% of employees are working over 50 hours a week, the government is introducing policies to encourage a better work-life balance. A new law dictates a five-day working week, and 92% of Korean kids aged between three and five years old are cared for using government-funded childcare.
Russia ranks in 11th place for GDP, which reached $1.657 trillion (£1.2tn) in 2018. However, its ranking of 35th for average working hours of 1,972 a year moves it further down our list. That said Russia's legal working week has a maximum of 40 hours, and the OECD found that just 0.1% of the country's employees are working very long hours, much less than the average of 11%.
Danish employees have an enviable work week of just 26.7 hours on average, according to OECD data. However, this low figure is likely in large part down to the country's Flexjobs system, where employees can work shorter hours and are paid based on the work done. As a result, the country has a high part-time employment rate of 20%, and only 2% of employees work long hours, compared to the OECD average of 11%. What's more annual leave in Denmark is 36 days on average. The economy is fairly healthy with GDP at $352 billion (£273.3bn) in 2018.
Belgium ranked in 12th place for hours worked, with each employee putting in around 1,545 hours a year. The working week has a limit of 40 hours per week, and eight hours a day. In May 2018 more than 50,000 people took to the streets in protest of the planned changes to retirement age, which will rise from 65 to 67 in 2030. Belgium's GDP was $531.8 billion (£412.9bn) in 2018.
Spain's GDP hit $1.426 trillion (£1.1tn) in 2018, while average working hours for the country's employees of 1,701 hours per annum. However, the country's high unemployment rates is likely to factor into this. According to the OECD, 14% of Spain's working age population are currently without jobs. The tradition of taking a two-hour siesta during the working day is becoming obsolete in many urban parts of the country, with calls in 2016 to abandon it completely.
Norway's GDP reached $434.7 billion (£335bn) in 2018, despite an average working week of just 27.2 hours including part-time workers. The country has the third shortest working week out of all OECD countries, at 1,416 hours per worker yearly. However, change might be on the horizon following Prime Minister Erna Solberg's statement that if labour shortages continue a 43-hour work week might be required. Given that recent estimates put the labour market short of 60,000 workers, it's not looking good.
Canada currently has the world's 10th largest economy, with 2018 GDP reaching $1.712 trillion (£1.3tn). This is reflected in the country's strong employment levels: 73% of working age people are in paid work, higher than the OECD average of 67%. Norway's healthy labour market means that flexible working arrangements, such as flexible hours and job-sharing, are becoming popular. As a result, the average Canadian works a total of 1,708 hours a year.
Italy heads up the top 10 thanks to its large economy – its GDP is $2.07 trillion (£1.6tn) – and relatively low number of working hours. While a typical work day runs from 9am to 6pm, with an hour and a half for lunch, those working in the public sector have much shorter days, often finishing at 2pm. OECD data therefore puts annual hours worked at 1,722 per person, around 33 a week.
While the standard work week is 40 hours in Sweden, work-life balance is championed here. Thanks to flexible working options the OECD average is currently 1,474 hours a year, or a rather low 28 hours a week. There have been numerous trials reducing the working hours in recent years. However, the Left Party is the only political party to support shortening the working week, and as it gained just 6% of the vote in Sweden's last general election, it seems unlikely to come into effect anytime soon. Sweden's GDP of $551 billion (£427.9bn) is considerably higher than its neighbour Denmark.
The US might have the largest economy in the world – $20.4 trillion (£15tn) in 2018 – but it came in 28th place for number of working hours. The OECD data found that employees here are working 1,786 hours a year. One potential factor for this is the fact that the country has no legal minimum when it comes to paid vacation time, and full-time employees are given an average of ten days leave after a year of service, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Now discover which states have the longest and shortest working weeks
Switzerland may have one of the smallest economies in our top ten, with GDP of $705.5 billion (£545.9bn), but its rank in 5th position for hours worked helps it move closer to the top. The Swiss work an average of 1,458 hours a year, or 28 hours a week. However, this is a reflection of the high number of part-time employees in the country: 26.7% of the workforce, the second highest of all OECD countries. The average salary of $64,109 (£49,600) makes it more financially viable to work less hours.
The Netherlands came in fourth for hours worked a year, with an annual average of 1,433 per person. While a working week of just 27 hours might sound ideal, in reality this includes the country's high number of part-time workers. At 37.3%, the Netherlands has the highest level of part-time employment of all OECD countries. Still, despite working less hours the Dutch managed to raise GDP to $913.6 billion (£707bn) in 2018.
Japan has the world's third largest economy, with a GDP of $4.97 trillion (£3.84tn) in 2018. Average working hours are 1,680 per person per year, or 32 a week. However, this low figure doesn't factor in unpaid overtime, which is reported to be commonplace in many industries, or the fact that around 4.5 million million of Japan's full-time workers have second jobs. It's not so surprising then that more than 13% of the country's workforce works "very long hours".
France's GDP hit $2.77 trillion (£2.15tn) in 2018, with the country's workforce putting in 1,520 hours on average every year, the equivalent of 29 hours a week. The country famously adopted a reduced working week in 2000, with a limit of 35 hours imposed on employees. The French government took another step forward in promoting greater work-life balance in 2017 by officially allowing employees to ignore work-related emails during non-working hours.
Proving that the stereotype of German efficiency may not be without grounds, Germany takes first place. The country has a GDP of $3.99 trillion (£3tn), despite average working hours of just 1,362 a year, or 26 a week. This includes the country's part-time workers, though, accounting for 22% of its workforce. Still, the short working week isn't so surprising given the country's low unemployment (3%), and a 2018 deal in which 900,000 industrial workers could opt for a 28-hour work week.
Now read about the number of hours people worked in the past