How Many Hours Does the Average Person Work in a Year? 💼

What We’re Showing

This graphic shows the average annual working hours per person, as of 2023, across OECD nations.

Key Takeaways

• Among OECD member countries, people in Mexico and Costa Rica work the most in a year
• On the other hand, people in Germany work the least (40% less than the average Mexican)

Vacation a Major Factor

One reason for the lower number of hours worked in European countries is the EU's mandate that grants all employees a minimum of 4 weeks paid holiday.

This is a stark contrast to the U.S., which is the only advanced economy that doesn't have a law mandating paid holiday for workers.