Average Working Hours: Statistical Data & Trends in 2025

How many average working hours did you or your team log last week? Odds are, it was fewer than your ancestors put in a few hundred years ago.

While the standard 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday schedule is the typical norm in the U.S. today, it hasn't always been that way. Weekly working hours have fluctuated over time.

Around the late 19th century, average working hours reached an all-time high during the Industrial Revolution. American factory workers labored under grueling schedules (averaging 60 hours per week in 1880 alone) before working hours gradually declined toward today's norms. 

But how did we end up with this Monday-to-Friday schedule? And what does the workweek look like for the rest of the world? 

Let's dive into the average hours worked by country and how we got here. We'll investigate:

• History and evolution of work

• The history of the standard workweek

• The typical work schedule

• What times each country is clocking in and out

• How companies measure working time around the world

Let’s get started with a little history lesson. 

The typical workweek of eight hours a day, five days a week, is a relatively modern phenomenon. Setting that standard was a hard-won battle. It took decades of labor demonstrations and, finally, government intervention.

Here’s the evolution of work at a glance: 

Prehistoric Era (~2.5 million – 3000 BCE)

• Humans worked to survive: hunting, gathering, and migrating for food.

• No wages or structured time — immediate needs dictated work.

Source: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Agrarian Societies (c. 3000 BCE – 500 CE)

• The agricultural revolution introduced farming and permanent settlements.

• Labor became seasonal and land-based, with surplus production enabling trade.

• Early barter systems allowed the exchange of crops, tools, and goods.

• The seven-day week (based on lunar cycles) originated with the Babylonians and spread through Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

Source: Agrarian society

Ancient Civilizations (c. 2000 BCE – 500 CE)

• Currency was introduced: Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece started trading with money.

• Some professions became more specialized: blacksmiths, merchants, builders, and soldiers.

• Structured labor was utilized for large-scale projects like pyramids, temples, and roads.

Source: Ancient Egypt

Medieval Period (500 – 14th Century)

• Feudal system: Peasants and serfs worked for land owners and nobles in exchange for protection.

• Guilds: Skilled trades like blacksmithing, weaving, and masonry were organized into guilds, creating standards for training (apprenticeships).

• Religious calendar shaped work: Frequent feast days and church holidays meant fewer total annual workdays than in later industrial times.

Source: Britannica | Guild

Working conditions in the late 14th century

Our ancestors worked much less than we do today. In the late fourteenth century, workers worked only about 1,440 hours a year, compared to the roughly 1,700 hours a year most of the Western world works today. 

While our medieval ancestors worked long days, most of those hours were during the planting and harvest seasons, which lasted about six months per year.

How the Industrial Revolution changed the average hours worked per day

Four hundred years later, during the Industrial Revolution, working time skyrocketed. Many workers worked 10 hours per day, six days a week. When the U.S. government started tracking work hours in 1890, they found that the average workweek for manufacturing employees was an incredible 100 hours a week. 

• Industrial era: 100 hours/week × 52 weeks = 5,200 hours/year

• Medieval era (approx.): 135 days × 7 hours = 945 hours/year

That is around 5.5 times more hours per year than hours worked during medieval and Renaissance times (5,200 ÷ 945 ≈ 5.5).

Understandably, workers started to rebel against these extended hours. In 1886, thousands of workers across the country went on strike as part of the Eight-Hour Day Movement, which brought attention to the plight of the American worker.

Several industries began to reform work hours to prevent labor strikes. The mining industry introduced a shorter workweek in 1898, and the printing industry followed in 1905.

From the Gilded Age to the 70s

By the 1920s, the average worker could expect to work an eight-hour day, six days a week. However, it wasn't until the United States Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 that there was a nationwide standard for working hours. 

This act required employers to pay for overtime work over 44 hours per week. Two years later, they amended the act and standardized the 40-hour workweek in the United States. 

Most of the world would follow suit over the next few decades. France did so in 1948, and Australia did the same in the 1960s. By the 1970s, most European countries implemented a standard 40-hour workweek.

"Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what you will."

Most people today consider their workweek to start on Monday and end on Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays off for leisure time.

Saturday and Sunday did not become expected days off by accident. Thanks to various religious traditions, they have become the standard "weekend" for the Western world. Christians observe the Sabbath on Sunday, while Jewish people observe it on Saturday.

That's also why countries with predominantly non-Christian populations historically observed other days for the weekend. For instance, in countries with a majority Muslim population, weekends used to be observed on Thursdays and Fridays. 

However, to facilitate global trading, most countries now adhere to the Saturday and Sunday weekend, with actual working hours mostly Monday through Friday. A few countries still have a one-day weekend, such as Fridays only in Iran or Saturdays only in Nepal.

Many other countries, such as Italy and China, work later into the day but take longer lunch breaks and rest in the middle of the workday.

Japan has one of the worst relationships with work-life balance in the world as workers typically start at 8:30 AM and work through 7 PM. They often work overtime and stay for drinks with co-workers after their shift. 

Work is so ingrained in Japanese culture that they even have a special word for death by overwork: karoshi. 

The rise of the four-day workweek

One trend in working hours that's gaining popularity is the four-day workweek. Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, is one of the leading voices for this work style. She believes that a four-day workweek would give New Zealanders a better work/life balance and benefit the economy.

New Zealand's economy is largely dependent on tourism, which came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic. By switching the country's workforce to a four-day workweek, Ardern hopes that more people will use that extra day off for leisure activities. That would, in turn, pump more money back into the country's economy.

"...If you're an employer and in a position to do so, think about whether or not a four-day workweek is something that would work for your workplace because it certainly would help tourism all around the country." - Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand

Iceland tried a four-day workweek in two large trials between 2015-2019. They found that the four-day workweek improved worker well-being and productivity at the end of four years. These positive outcomes were true across various industries, including hospitals, offices, and schools.

A few big companies are also trying the four-day workweek. Microsoft Japan tried it with employees in 2019 and reported an incredible 40% jump in productivity. Kickstarter tried the same and announced they would permanently move into a four-day work model in 2022. 

A study of 2,896 employees across 141 companies in six countries found that 90% adopted a permanent four-day workweek after the trial.

With multiple success stories and international support, we could see more companies adopting the four-day workweek policy in the future.

Freelance, part-time, contract, and gig work

Modern work culture embraces freedom over a paycheck. Especially in the post-pandemic era, people consider remote work with flexibility. Today, freelancers, contractors, gig workers, and part-time professionals make up a growing share of the global talent pool, shaping a more flexible, outcome-driven, and distributed work economy.

According to data, over 36% of U.S. workers are part of the freelance economy, with projections suggesting this will rise to over 50% by 2027. Agencies managing contractors and freelancers often rely on time tracking tools like Hubstaff to account for this massive shift. 

With tools like this, companies can collaborate with talent across time zones, skill sets, and work models while ensuring accountability and efficiency. Time tracking software like Hubstaff helps manage this evolution—offering:

• Task and project time tracking

• Accurate payroll processing

• Productivity monitoring

• App and URL usage insights

• Focus time measurement

• Identification of unproductive sessions
  

The flexibility of time tracking tools leads to streamlined remote and hybrid operations, reduced overhead costs, and the ability to scale faster by tapping into global, on-demand talent.

Whether it's a startup building a remote dev team, a creative agency hiring part-time specialists, or enterprise firms using contractors for seasonal demand, the shift toward non-traditional work is accelerating. 

In many Western countries, particularly the U.S., the traditional full-time workweek usually follows the 9-to-5 schedule (Monday-Friday). However, modern work habits no longer play by this rule and have shifted significantly due to:

• Technology

• Remote work

• Evolving cultural aspects  

While 40 hours per week remains the standard benchmark for full-time employment, actual working hours often fluctuate depending on factors like:

• Age

• Gender

• Job type

• Economic conditions

These figures vary widely by country and industry, as labor regulations, cultural expectations, and economic structures all influence how much people work — something we'll explore in the following global comparison.

Even with decades of exponential technological growth, average annual working hours by country haven't changed much since the Eight-Hour Day movement. That said, there are some notable exceptions like: 

• Germany. German workers continue to see one of the most dramatic shifts in annual hours. They've worked fewer hours each decade, from roughly 2,500 in 1950 to 1,343 in 2024.

• China. China is one of the few developed countries that has seen an increase in average hours. In 1970, Chinese workers averaged 1,976 annual hours. Today, that number is up to almost 2,400 hours annually.

Here is a sampling of average annual working hours around the world sourced from OECD and Zippia:

Top 5 countries with the most extended working hours

These countries top the list globally, averaging over 1,850 working hours per year:

• Mexico – 2,207 hrs

• Costa Rica – 2,171 hrs

• Chile – 1,953 hrs

• Greece – 1,897 hrs

• Israel – 1,880 hrs

Breakdown by Region

• North America

• Mexico – 2,207 hrs

• U.S. – 1,799 hrs

• Canada – 1,865 hrs

Note: The U.S. ranks 9th overall — higher than many European countries, but significantly below Mexico and Canada.

Latin America

• Costa Rica – 2,171 hrs

• Chile – 1,953 hrs

• Mexico – 2,207 hrs (also listed under North America)

Europe

• Greece – 1,897 hrs

• Poland – 1,803 hrs

• Czechia – 1,766 hrs

• Estonia – 1,742 hrs

• Italy – 1,734 hrs

• Hungary – 1,679 hrs

• Lithuania – 1,641 hrs

• Ireland – 1,633 hrs

• Spain – 1,632 hrs

• Portugal – 1,631 hrs

• Slovakia – 1,631 hrs

Asia-Pacific

• Korea – 1,872 hrs

• New Zealand – 1,751 hrs

• Australia – 1,651 hrs

• Israel – 1,880 hrs (geographically in Western Asia)

With 1,799 hours annually, the U.S. workforce works:

• More than most European countries

• Slightly less than Canada and Korea

• Significantly less than the top-tier countries like Mexico and Costa Rica

Now that we know average annual working hours across countries, we have a global perspective on how much time people spend on the job — but geography is only part of the story. 

Next, we’ll examine working hours across industries.

Different industries can also significantly impact the number of hours worked. This data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows the industries with the highest average weekly work hours:

In 1910, President Taft proposed that all Americans should have three months off every year. As any U.S.-based worker can attest, his attempt failed. Further attempts to require paid time off (PTO) as part of U.S. labor regulations would continue to fail.

Today, the United States ranks at the bottom of the list for PTO globally. While there are nine national paid holidays, no laws require that businesses close on those days. If businesses do close, there’s also no law requiring companies to pay employees for those missed hours.

Vacation time isn't regulated by U.S. federal labor laws, either, so it's up to individual businesses to decide how much PTO to give their employees.

The U.S. is one of the few countries without a legal PTO requirement for those working full-time hours, along with India, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea. It's a different story in other parts of the world, where PTO policies can range from generous to meager:

• In the United Kingdom, the law mandates that full-time employees get 28 days of annual leave. Part-time workers get the same annual leave, pro rata, with hours worked. There are also eight public holidays.

• Brazil ties with France for the most generous PTO policies. Workers in both countries get a full 30 days of vacation time. Workers in Brazil also get up to 12 days off for public and religious holidays, while the French enjoy 11 paid public holidays.

• Mexico has the fewest mandatory vacation days globally, with just six days of paid leave and seven public holidays.

The United States is also one of the few developed countries with no government-mandated paid family leave policy. So, drawing the right line between PTO vs. vacation time may seem challenging to many. 

Pew Research found that of 41 countries, the United States was the only one with no required paid family leave. Policies in other countries ranged from five weeks to seven weeks.

Now that we have discussed paid time off and vacation regulations in the U.S., the next big topic is how overtime work contributes to an employee's workweek, the legalities surrounding overtime work, and how to navigate the rules. 

Overtime is hours worked beyond the contracted or legally mandated number of hours in a workweek. In the United States, the Department of Labor considers anything over 40 hours to be overtime (unless that employee is specifically exempted). That said, each state and country has its own state-specific overtime laws as well. 

Employees who work overtime may be due additional compensation for those extra hours. If an employer fails to pay the time-and-a-half rate for overtime hours, they could face legal action. That said, there are no limits to how much overtime a worker in the United States can perform. 

Other countries attempt to limit the amount of overtime to prevent worker abuse and burnout. A few overtime policies around the world include:

• In China, the government caps overtime at 36 hours a month. Employers must pay employees 1.5 times their typical rate for any time over the standard 40-hour workweek.

• The United Kingdom limits working hours to 48 per week. Employees can voluntarily opt for more if they wish, but employers must then grant additional time off to compensate for the overtime.

• France considers any work done over 35 hours a week overtime, and employers must pay a premium for those additional hours.

Limiting overtime is about more than just protecting a company's budget.

According to the World Health Organization, working too many hours can be detrimental to an employee's health:

• Long work hours led to 745,000 deaths in a single year. 

• Most of these deaths occurred in men, 60 to 79 years old, who worked 55 hours or more a week. 

• They found that these long hours contributed to a 35% increase in the risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of heart disease.

Working too many hours can also increase your risk of diabetes, anxiety, and depression. Tracking overtime hours can help lower health care costs, prevent employee burnout, and reduce turnover rates.

Tracking the number of hours worked a week is essential for both the employer and the employee. Knowing the number of hours worked ensures team members are paid correctly. It also tracks their eligibility for other benefits such as paid time off, health insurance, and paid breaks.

How companies track those hours is up to them, but accuracy is key. This is why the use of automated solutions like time tracking software are on the rise — especially as more people work from home.

Failing to track hours accurately could lead to disputes, lost wages, or lawsuits. First, employers need to be clear about what qualifies as time worked. Generally, working hours are:

1. Hours in which the employee is required to be at their place of employment, or

2. Hours in which the employer expects the employee to fulfill their professional duties

The workweek ordinarily includes the actual hours an employee is required to be on the employer's premises, on duty, or at a prescribed workplace.

Whether you use pen and paper methods or a sophisticated time tracking app, accuracy is critical to effectively tracking how many work hours your employees have clocked. 

However, it's becoming increasingly complex for employers to track working hours. Several factors drive this trend, including:

A dispersed workforce

The ability to track time worked as time spent at a desk is essentially over, with 71% of team members doing their jobs from home some or all of the time. 

Employers now have to rely on other methods to track time spent on the job. Many have grown cautious of what some have deemed "quiet quitting," where employees will do the bare minimum at their job to stay employed. 

Tight budgets

Employers need to allocate time worked to various projects. This helps them track ROI and manage costs. They need to be able to do this remotely for employees working off-site. With tighter margins, there's little room for wasted hours or billing errors. Also, inaccurate  time tracking can lead to:

• Over or underpaying employees

• Misquoting clients

• Poor resource planning

All of these directly impact a business’ bottom line — and even lead to employee and client retention issues. 

Mobile workforces

If you manage teams that work off-site, how do you track their work time? 

Teams have historically relied on manual punch cards and other traditional time tracking systems, but they leave businesses vulnerable to time theft and buddy punching.

As the workforce becomes more dispersed, mobile, and complicated, time tracking tools have become more sophisticated. Companies are turning to software solutions like Hubstaff for accurate time reporting.

Hubstaff offers tools to accurately report work hours, no matter where your team works. It also provides powerful reporting tools that help you track productivity and project budgets as you go. You can even create policies to prevent overtime and keep teams on track for success by assigning specific to-dos to them.

That said, where Hubstaff really shines is with its GPS location and geofencing features. Hubstaff automatically starts and stops workers’ timers whenever they enter or leave a Job site. You can create your own geofenced Job sites and add manual time corrections for increased time tracking accuracy. 

You can also set up notifications for late, missed, or abandoned shifts, and you can customize these features for each user. 

Is tracking working hours becoming an issue in your company? Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Hubstaff and see how our all-in-one time tracker can work for your business. Hubstaff makes tracking easy so you can focus on business growth.