Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe

Europe: Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job was 38.44 Hours per week per person in 2022. β–Ό Falling

Latest (2022)
38.44 Hours per week per person
Change on year
down 0.0%
Rank
2nd
of 6 regions
All-time high
41.11 Hours per week per person
in 1983
All-time low
37.23 Hours per week per person
in 2020
Years of data
40
1983–2022

Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe, 1983–2022

0102030401983200220221983: 41.1 Hours per week per person1984: 41.1 Hours per week per person1985: 41 Hours per week per person1986: 40.9 Hours per week per person1987: 40.7 Hours per week per person1988: 40.7 Hours per week per person1989: 40.6 Hours per week per person1990: 40.4 Hours per week per person1991: 40.3 Hours per week per person1992: 40.2 Hours per week per person1993: 40.1 Hours per week per person1994: 40 Hours per week per person1995: 40 Hours per week per person1996: 40 Hours per week per person1997: 40.1 Hours per week per person1998: 39.9 Hours per week per person1999: 39.7 Hours per week per person2000: 39.8 Hours per week per person2001: 39.6 Hours per week per person2002: 39.3 Hours per week per person2003: 39.3 Hours per week per person2004: 40.3 Hours per week per person2005: 40.3 Hours per week per person2006: 39.1 Hours per week per person2007: 38.9 Hours per week per person2008: 38.8 Hours per week per person2009: 38.6 Hours per week per person2010: 38.5 Hours per week per person2011: 38.5 Hours per week per person2012: 38.4 Hours per week per person2013: 38.2 Hours per week per person2014: 38.2 Hours per week per person2015: 38.2 Hours per week per person2016: 38.1 Hours per week per person2017: 38 Hours per week per person2018: 38 Hours per week per person2019: 37.8 Hours per week per person2020: 37.2 Hours per week per person2021: 38.5 Hours per week per person2022: 38.4 Hours per week per person

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Hours per week per person.

Analysis

In 2022, average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe stood at 38.44 Hours per week per person.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe peaked at 41.11 Hours per week per person in 1983 and was at its lowest, 37.23 Hours per week per person, in 2020.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 40.88 Hours per week per person 40.62 Hours per week per person 41.11 Hours per week per person 7
1990s 40.08 Hours per week per person 39.72 Hours per week per person 40.42 Hours per week per person 10
2000s 39.39 Hours per week per person 38.56 Hours per week per person 40.33 Hours per week per person 10
2010s 38.19 Hours per week per person 37.85 Hours per week per person 38.54 Hours per week per person 10
2020s 38.04 Hours per week per person 37.23 Hours per week per person 38.46 Hours per week per person 3

Countries ranked near Europe

  1. 1 Colombia 43.6 Hours per week per person compare
  2. 2 Costa Rica 43.23 Hours per week per person compare
  3. 3 Mexico 42.6 Hours per week per person compare
  4. 4 South Africa 42.3 Hours per week per person compare
  5. 5 Greece 40.96 Hours per week per person compare

See the full ranking of 54 places β†’

More work & labour data for Europe

All data for Europe β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe?
Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe was 38.44 Hours per week per person in 2022, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest average usual weekly hours worked on the main job recorded in Europe?
The highest recorded value was 41.11 Hours per week per person in 1983.
What is the lowest average usual weekly hours worked on the main job recorded in Europe?
The lowest recorded value was 37.23 Hours per week per person in 2020.
How does Europe rank for average usual weekly hours worked on the main job?
Europe ranks 2nd out of 6 regions with data for 2022.
Is average usual weekly hours worked on the main job rising or falling in Europe?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Europe data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in Europe. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/average-usual-weekly-hours-worked-on-the-main-job/europe/

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About this data

Indicator
Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job
Unit
Hours per week per person
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
54 places, 1,589 data points, 1983–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset contains data on average usual weekly hours worked in the main job broken down by total employment, full-time employment and part-time employment. Actual hours of work, instead of usual hours of work, are only available in some countries (Mexico and Korea). Data are further broken down by professional status - employees, total employment - by sex and standardised age groups (15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 65+ and total) . Detailed notes and sources can be found in LFS_NOTES_SOURCES. In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation. Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at: OECD Ratification Dates.