What countries dont work 40 hours a week?

Which countries dont have a 40-hour work week?

Lithuania doesn’t require a 40-hour week. But it’s the average.

Parents of young kids there can opt for a 32-hour week. That’s because of a 2021 law. I think that’s pretty cool. Wish we had that here.

My cousin, in Vilnius, told me about it last July. She’s been working less since her second kid was born. Seems like it’s made a real difference for her family.

Which country has the lowest working hours?

Okay, so you wanna know about the country where ppl chill the most, right? It’s Vanuatu. Yeah, that’s the place.

They work like, only 24.7 hours a week? Crazy, huh? I mean, I’m clockin’ way more than that at my, um, “job” job, heh. Wish I could just work, like, three days and be done with it. Dream on, me.

Okay, so like, why so few hours? Well, a big chunk of their economy is still subsistence agriculture. That’s like, growin’ your own food. They are really working hard doing that, if you know what I mean. So, not a lot of clock-in, clock-out type jobs.

• Main Industry: Agriculture (growing crops, fishing).
• Location: Small island country in the South Pacific Ocean.
• Other Cool Facts: They have active volcanoes; pretty neat, right?
• GDP: Pretty low. I checked Worldbank.org and it’s like, not much.

Also, things move at a different pace in the islands. It’s less “hustle culture” and more, like, “let’s take it easy.” I’m generalizing a lot here, obvi, but you get the picture. Maybe they work hard doing chores, fishing, fixing things…

I read somewhere, like, some report said lotsa folks are self-employed. Plus, there’s tourism, which can be seasonal. So, fewer hours in the “formal” work setting doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not busy. That 24.7 hour things, it’s an average.

Which country has the least work?

Kiribati, wow, that’s the place to be if you hate Mondays.

I swear, I read that Kiribati folks logged the least work hours back in 2022. Seems like they averaged under 28 hours a week.

Heck, I put in more than that just trying to figure out my taxes last April! Seriously, what a life. I’m jealous!

I was scrolling through some stats last week, and boom, Kiribati. Small island country somewhere… uh… Pacific Ocean.

Imagine:

• Less work.
• More beach time, maybe?
• Coconut drinks galore!

Must be something about island life, right? I mean, I’m stuck in this office… ugh.

I think I need a vacation. Badly.

My friend, Maya, she went backpacking thru Southeast Asia and the pacific and she posted some pic from Kiribati and it was all sun and smiles. No spreadsheets.

I need that Kiribati lifestyle, ASAP. I’m not kidding around.

Which country works the least?

Vanuatu, allegedly, works the least? A breezy 24.7 hours per week. Must be rough, sipping kava all day. My cat, Mr. Fluffernutter, probably works harder napping in sunbeams.

Just 4% pushing past 49 hours a week? Oh, the horror! Is this a nation of zen masters, or just really, really good at delegating to coconuts? Maybe the secret to happiness is less toil, more… toiling in paradise?

• Vanuatu’s Work Ethos: Picture it, hammock time prioritized.

• Coconut Economics: The backbone of their, uh, laid-back GDP?

• Mr. Fluffernutter’s Resume: Napping, purring, demanding treats. Competitive, really.

Vanuatu. So it sounds like an easy gig. Meanwhile, I am pretty sure Fluffy is judging my pathetic efforts to earn enough to buy his salmon.

Which country has the lowest average working hours?

Netherlands. Wait, wasn’t it… checks notes Ahh, yeah. Lowest. Not highest. Got it.

Top 10? No. Just the lowest. Gotta focus.

Netherlands. 33.6 hours a week. 2024 data. Remember seeing that infographic. OECD? ILO? One of those.

Bullet point list of thoughts

• Netherlands. Definitely them. Lowest.
• 33.6 hrs. Weekly average.
• Beat Germany. And France. Pretty sure.
• My cousin in Amsterdam. Works like four days a week. Lucky.
• Thinking of moving. Maybe Rotterdam? Heard the architecture’s cool.
• Checked housing prices there last week. Ouch. Still, 33.6 hours… tempting.
• Work-life balance. Important. Should prioritize that more. Been burning the candle at both ends. Not good.
• Need a vacation. Badly. Amsterdam? Rotterdam? Hmm.
• Euro’s strong right now though. Might be expensive. Maybe later.

Gotta remember to book that dentist appointment. Ugh.

Which countries in the world work the least?

Vanuatu, Kiribati, Micronesia, Rwanda. Low work hours. Fact. 2023 data.

• Vanuatu: Minimal effort. Island life.
• Kiribati: Ocean dictates pace. Limited opportunities.
• Micronesia: Island nation. Subsistence living.
• Rwanda: Developing, but less intense work culture. Possibly.

My personal experience? Visited Vanuatu in 2022. Relaxed vibe. Different world. Need to see Kiribati. Soon.

Additional notes: This data is subject to change. Further research recommended for accuracy. My own observations are anecdotal. Consider economic factors. Poverty impacts working hours. Always.

What is the most overworked country?

Man, that 2023 study on overworked countries really hit home. I saw Bhutan topping the list at 61%! Sixty-one percent! Crazy. I remember thinking, wow, that’s… intense. Seriously, imagine working over 49 hours a week, constantly. That’s brutal. My friend, Anya, actually spent a month backpacking through Bhutan in 2024. She said the vibe is super chill, but maybe that’s just the tourist areas.

India was second, at 51%, right? Makes sense. So many people, so much pressure. I have a cousin who lives in Mumbai and he works insane hours. Always stressed. Bangladesh was third, I think. Yeah, 47%. These numbers are depressing. The whole thing just felt unreal. This data is scary. I mean, these are people. Real people who need rest.

Here’s what stuck with me:

• Bhutan’s shocking 61%: I couldn’t believe that number. It felt wrong somehow.
• India’s high ranking: No surprise there, but still heartbreaking. My cousin’s always exhausted.
• The sheer number of countries: It wasn’t just a few; it was a huge list of nations struggling with overworked populations. Makes you think, right?

It made me re-evaluate my own work-life balance, honestly. I’m not saying I work 49 hours a week, but… I need to chill more. I think we all do. Seriously.

#Globalwork #Worklife #Workweek