Which country works the hardest?

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Living in Switzerland has taught me something crucial about work: we work hard here, but we also know when to stop. The myth is that Europeans are lazy compared to Americans. The reality is we've just figured out that grinding yourself into dust doesn't equal productivity. When my workday ends, it actually ends. No emails at 10pm, no weekend "quick calls," no guilt about leaving the office.

What fascinates me about productivity metrics is how misleading they can be. GDP per hour worked sounds impressive, but it doesn't capture quality of life. Here in Switzerland, we might work 41 hours a week on paper, but those hours have boundaries. Compare that to my American friends who officially work 37 hours but are always "on," checking Slack during dinner, answering emails on vacation. I'm self-employed so I know that switching off works otherwise I would be bankrupt by now. So I always wonder how productive someone who looks productive, really is.

CHART 1 • Which country works the hardest?

The Dutch work just 28 hours a week on average – that's two hours less than Americans clocking in at 32 hours. Yet their GDP per hour worked remains among the world's highest at $74.80, proving you don't need to grind yourself to dust to be productive. Switzerland's full-time workers put in 41 hours per week, while maintaining the world's highest wealth per capita. Meanwhile, Germany works just 25.5 hours on average when including part-timers, yet remains Europe's industrial powerhouse.

The real story isn't about laziness, it's about efficiency. Netherlands has the highest percentage of part-time workers globally at 37%, particularly among women who work 8.5 fewer hours than men weekly. This deliberate choice reflects policy design: generous parental leave, subsidised childcare, and a culture that doesn't equate long hours with success. France's famous 35-hour work week has been in place since 2000, with workers averaging just 30.7 hours. American workers put in 36.4 hours on average, yet US productivity growth has lagged European peers for two decades.

Source: Tom Calver

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