Latest news with #workinghours
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why and where are weekly working hours dropping in Europe?
Workers in Europe have been gradually putting in fewer hours. Over the past 10 years, the average time spent working per week has declined by one hour in the EU. In nearly half of 34 European countries, the drop was even greater — more than one hour between 2014 and 2024. Weekly working hours also vary significantly across the continent. So, in which European countries do people spend the most time at the grindstone? How has actual working time changed across the region? And what could be the possible reasons behind this decline? According to Eurostat, in 2024, the actual weekly working hours for both full-time and part-time workers aged 20 to 64 in their main job ranged from 32.1 hours in the Netherlands to 39.8 hours in Greece. When including EU candidate countries, EFTA members, and the UK, the highest figure was recorded in Turkey (43.1), where average weekly working time exceeded 43 hours. People in Southern and Eastern European countries tend to work longer hours, with particularly high figures in EU candidate countries. Following Turkey, which tops the list at 43.1 hours, are Serbia (41.3) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (41.1). Montenegro hasn't reported data for 2024, although its working hours came to 42.8 in 2020. The next countries in the ranking also belong to the same region: Greece (39.8) and Bulgaria (39). North Macedonia, which only has data spanning up to 2020, also recorded a weekly working total of 39 hours. These countries generally have lower wages, higher informal employment, and less part-time work. Western and Northern European countries generally have shorter work weeks. Countries like the Netherlands (32.1), Norway (33.7), and Austria and Denmark (33.9) all report significantly fewer weekly working hours. These regions are characterized by strong labour protections, higher productivity, and widespread use of part-time and flexible work arrangements. Among Europe's largest economies, the UK and Spain (both at 36.4 hours) and Italy (36.1) report the highest average working times, all above the EU average. However, the UK data dates back to 2019, so the actual figure may be lower today, given the overall downward trend in working hours. When comparing weekly working hours in 2014 and 2024, only four out of 34 countries saw an increase. In three of these countries, the rise was minimal: Lithuania and Cyprus (both by 12 minutes), and Malta (6 minutes). Serbia was the exception, with a significant increase of 1.7 hours — 1 hour 42 minutes. Related How to boost productivity and slash turnover: Tips from three 'chief happiness officers' Four-day week: Which countries are embracing it and how is it going so far? Weekly working time remained unchanged in France, while the decrease was less than half an hour in Italy, Sweden, and Latvia. In 16 out of 34 countries, weekly working time fell by more than one hour — exceeding two hours in some cases. Iceland (3.5 hours) closely followed Turkey (3.8 hours) at the top. Belgium and Luxembourg also recorded significant declines, with a reduction of 2.5 hours each in weekly working time. In a further seven countries, weekly working hours declined by 1.5 hours or more. These include Denmark and Austria (both 1.9), Germany (1.8), Estonia (1.7), Czechia (1.6), and Portugal and Croatia (1.5). Scholars and experts have been examining the reasons behind the decline in weekly working hours, offering various explanations. A recent working paper published by the European Commission analysed work time trends in six EU countries between 1992 and 2022. Sergio Torrejón Pérez and his colleagues found that: Decline in working time is primarily linked to the growing prevalence of non-standard forms of work, mainly part-time work. Part-time jobs have grown mostly because more women are working and because more jobs are in service industries. Full-time workers are working more or less the same amount of hours as in the 1980s. Self-employed people are working fewer hours over time because more of them are working part-time. Even so, they are still working the longest hours on average. A paper published by the European Central Bank analysed working time in the euro area from 1995 to 2020. Vasco Botelho and his colleagues emphasised that the decline in hours contributed per worker is a long-term trend. One reason is that technological progress over the past 150 years has transformed the nature of work. They found that other key factors include the rising share of part-time employment, and the increase in female labour force participation, which is also closely linked to the growth of part-time work. The decline in working time is driven by both demand and supply-side factors, according to the ECB report. Most part-time workers choose this arrangement voluntarily, opting to work fewer hours than full-time employees. In the overall sample, about 10% of workers reported that they would prefer to work more hours than they currently do. Another working paper from the IMF by Diva Astinova and her colleagues also found that declines in actual working hours match declines in desired working hours in Europe. 'Increased income and wealth is likely to be the main force behind the decline in desired and actual hours worked,' they suggested. In other words, researchers proposed that people feel less of a financial pull to put in more hours.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why and where are weekly working hours dropping in Europe?
Workers in Europe have been gradually putting in fewer hours. Over the past 10 years, the average time spent working per week has declined by one hour in the EU. In nearly half of 34 European countries, the drop was even greater — more than one hour between 2014 and 2024. Weekly working hours also vary significantly across the continent. So, in which European countries do people spend the most time at the grindstone? How has actual working time changed across the region? And what could be the possible reasons behind this decline? According to Eurostat, in 2024, the actual weekly working hours for both full-time and part-time workers aged 20 to 64 in their main job ranged from 32.1 hours in the Netherlands to 39.8 hours in Greece. When including EU candidate countries, EFTA members, and the UK, the highest figure was recorded in Turkey (43.1), where average weekly working time exceeded 43 hours. People in Southern and Eastern European countries tend to work longer hours, with particularly high figures in EU candidate countries. Following Turkey, which tops the list at 43.1 hours, are Serbia (41.3) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (41.1). Montenegro hasn't reported data for 2024, although its working hours came to 42.8 in 2020. The next countries in the ranking also belong to the same region: Greece (39.8) and Bulgaria (39). North Macedonia, which only has data spanning up to 2020, also recorded a weekly working total of 39 hours. These countries generally have lower wages, higher informal employment, and less part-time work. Western and Northern European countries generally have shorter work weeks. Countries like the Netherlands (32.1), Norway (33.7), and Austria and Denmark (33.9) all report significantly fewer weekly working hours. These regions are characterized by strong labour protections, higher productivity, and widespread use of part-time and flexible work arrangements. Among Europe's largest economies, the UK and Spain (both at 36.4 hours) and Italy (36.1) report the highest average working times, all above the EU average. However, the UK data dates back to 2019, so the actual figure may be lower today, given the overall downward trend in working hours. When comparing weekly working hours in 2014 and 2024, only four out of 34 countries saw an increase. In three of these countries, the rise was minimal: Lithuania and Cyprus (both by 12 minutes), and Malta (6 minutes). Serbia was the exception, with a significant increase of 1.7 hours — 1 hour 42 minutes. Related How to boost productivity and slash turnover: Tips from three 'chief happiness officers' Four-day week: Which countries are embracing it and how is it going so far? Weekly working time remained unchanged in France, while the decrease was less than half an hour in Italy, Sweden, and Latvia. In 16 out of 34 countries, weekly working time fell by more than one hour — exceeding two hours in some cases. Iceland (3.5 hours) closely followed Turkey (3.8 hours) at the top. Belgium and Luxembourg also recorded significant declines, with a reduction of 2.5 hours each in weekly working time. In a further seven countries, weekly working hours declined by 1.5 hours or more. These include Denmark and Austria (both 1.9), Germany (1.8), Estonia (1.7), Czechia (1.6), and Portugal and Croatia (1.5). Scholars and experts have been examining the reasons behind the decline in weekly working hours, offering various explanations. A recent working paper published by the European Commission analysed work time trends in six EU countries between 1992 and 2022. Sergio Torrejón Pérez and his colleagues found that: Decline in working time is primarily linked to the growing prevalence of non-standard forms of work, mainly part-time work. Part-time jobs have grown mostly because more women are working and because more jobs are in service industries. Full-time workers are working more or less the same amount of hours as in the 1980s. Self-employed people are working fewer hours over time because more of them are working part-time. Even so, they are still working the longest hours on average. A paper published by the European Central Bank analysed working time in the euro area from 1995 to 2020. Vasco Botelho and his colleagues emphasised that the decline in hours contributed per worker is a long-term trend. One reason is that technological progress over the past 150 years has transformed the nature of work. They found that other key factors include the rising share of part-time employment, and the increase in female labour force participation, which is also closely linked to the growth of part-time work. The decline in working time is driven by both demand and supply-side factors, according to the ECB report. Most part-time workers choose this arrangement voluntarily, opting to work fewer hours than full-time employees. In the overall sample, about 10% of workers reported that they would prefer to work more hours than they currently do. Another working paper from the IMF by Diva Astinova and her colleagues also found that declines in actual working hours match declines in desired working hours in Europe. 'Increased income and wealth is likely to be the main force behind the decline in desired and actual hours worked,' they suggested. In other words, researchers proposed that people feel less of a financial pull to put in more hours. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Khaleej Times
15-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai announces flexible work hours for public sector employees during summer
The initiative will align with the official five-day working hours. Employees will be divided into two groups. The first group will work eight hours from Monday to Thursday and enjoy Friday as a full holiday. Meanwhile, the second group will work seven hours from Monday to Thursday and 4.5 hours on Friday.
Irish Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Keelings worker fired over claims regarding dead co-workers
The Keelings fruit and vegetable group sacked a warehouse worker after deciding he had brought the company into disrepute with 'false' posts on social media claiming excessive night work hours contributed to the deaths of two of his colleagues in 2013, a tribunal has heard. The worker, Rudolf Csikos, lost his job of 16 years with the north Co Dublin produce firm last December, and is pursuing a number of employment rights complaints against Keelings Logistics Solutions. The company maintains it was justified in dismissing him on the grounds of gross misconduct after an investigation which concluded he had 'acted recklessly by publishing false and misleading information' implying that Keelings was 'responsible for the deaths of two colleagues as a result of excessive working hours'. The LinkedIn posts were made amid a long-running legal row between Mr Csikos and his employer over alleged breaches of working time legislation. READ MORE A statutory complaint under the Organisation of Working Time Act originally filed in late 2019 by Mr Csikos remains live over five years later. Having been rejected as 'vexatious' by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), that ruling was quashed by the Labour Court on appeal and referred back to the WRC. In addition to a dispute over the payment of a Sunday premium, which Keelings maintains is covered by a collective agreement, Mr Csikos has alleged the company failed to comply with its legal obligations on the employment of night workers such as himself. 'The night working hours was breached by the company, and that's why it caused the people to die,' Mr Csikos said via a Hungarian-language interpreter at an initial hearing last week. When adjudicator Brian Dalton pointed out that Mr Csikos was not medically qualified and there was no medical evidence before him, Mr Csikos said his assertion was that there was a 'possibility'. The company's representative, Emily Maverley of the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (Ibec), said the Keelings workers referred to by Mr Csikos in his posts 'passed away, unfortunately, in 2013', some 11 years before the posts. Giving evidence last week, company disciplinary officer Alan Morrissey said the posts were 'damaging to the Keelings name, and our customers and other stakeholders'. 'There was no going back. I asked Rudolf did he think he made a mistake. He was quite happy in what he said and did,' he said. Asked whether he was aware of the allegations Mr Csikos had aired about his working hours, Mr Morrissey said he didn't 'get into it', but said he believed Mr Csikos had referred to the posts as a protected disclosure. Lauren O'Brien, head of people for Keelings Logistics, said at an earlier hearing in the case last week that she was 'concerned' after seeing the first post, which the tribunal heard Mr Csikos posted on LinkedIn at the end of October 2024. 'It was seriously defamatory to several ex-colleagues, accusing us of being responsible for the deaths of two colleagues,' Ms O'Brien said. At a hearing on Thursday, the company investigation officer, Damien O'Brien, noted in his report that Mr Csikos continued to allege Keelings had broken the law and maintained his comments 'were not false' when they met on an unspecified date last year. He quoted Mr Csikos as saying: 'How many more people need to die?' and said Mr Csikos was 'consistent that his beliefs are honestly held' and that it was 'not the first time he has raised these concerns'. Mr Csikos, cross-examining Mr O'Brien, asked: 'Why did he not say that Keelings is keeping according to the law and is making progress to keep the law and do things according to the regulations?' Mr O'Brien replied: 'My objective was to investigate the two posts.' Mr Dalton said: '[Mr Csikos] is claiming two workers died. That's not something [the witness] could exercise any role in.' Mr Csikos said: 'In my opinion, it was that if the working hours are breached and the health and safety regulations are breached, we can draw a conclusion.' 'We have no conclusion on that, and that doesn't follow, because [Mr Csikos] is not medically qualified. We have no evidence that there's a correlation between the [alleged] breach and what he says has happened. He may speculate, and he may have an opinion. He cannot use this forum as an opportunity to make outlandish allegations,' Mr Dalton said. Mr Dalton said the matter was at an 'impasse' without further submissions being made to him about the company's working time records. He adjourned the matter and said he would seek a further hearing date in July. In addition to the original Organisation of Working Time Act claim, Mr Csikos's further complaints are under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973, the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 against the company, arising from his dismissal.
