Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD
European Union (19 countries) in OECD: Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job was 36.23 Hours per week per person in 2025. ▼ Falling
Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD, 1983–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Hours per week per person.
Analysis
In 2025, average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD stood at 36.23 Hours per week per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD peaked at 40.26 Hours per week per person in 1983 and was at its lowest, 36.12 Hours per week per person, in 2020.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD, year by year
| Year | Hours per week per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 40.26 Hours per week per person | — |
| 1984 | 40.24 Hours per week per person | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 40.13 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 39.99 Hours per week per person | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 39.75 Hours per week per person | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 39.66 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 39.55 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 39.26 Hours per week per person | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 39.23 Hours per week per person | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 39.1 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 38.96 Hours per week per person | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 38.87 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 38.66 Hours per week per person | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 38.69 Hours per week per person | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 38.52 Hours per week per person | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 38.38 Hours per week per person | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 38.2 Hours per week per person | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 38.11 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 37.89 Hours per week per person | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 37.67 Hours per week per person | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 37.74 Hours per week per person | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 37.68 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 37.61 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 37.55 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 37.47 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 37.41 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 37.29 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 37.19 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 37.05 Hours per week per person | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 36.88 Hours per week per person | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 36.69 Hours per week per person | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 36.63 Hours per week per person | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 36.59 Hours per week per person | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 36.6 Hours per week per person | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 36.56 Hours per week per person | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 36.59 Hours per week per person | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 36.55 Hours per week per person | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 36.12 Hours per week per person | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 36.42 Hours per week per person | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 36.46 Hours per week per person | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 36.34 Hours per week per person | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 36.25 Hours per week per person | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 36.23 Hours per week per person | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 39.94 Hours per week per person | 39.55 Hours per week per person | 40.26 Hours per week per person | 7 |
| 1990s | 38.79 Hours per week per person | 38.2 Hours per week per person | 39.26 Hours per week per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.64 Hours per week per person | 37.29 Hours per week per person | 38.11 Hours per week per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.73 Hours per week per person | 36.55 Hours per week per person | 37.19 Hours per week per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.3 Hours per week per person | 36.12 Hours per week per person | 36.46 Hours per week per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union (19 countries) in OECD
- 6 North Macedonia 40.69 Hours per week per person compare
- 7 Israel 40.16 Hours per week per person compare
- 8 Portugal 39.96 Hours per week per person compare
- 9 Romania 39.95 Hours per week per person compare
- 10 Bulgaria 39.86 Hours per week per person compare
- 11 Chile 39.84 Hours per week per person compare
- 12 Cyprus 39.59 Hours per week per person compare
More work & labour data for European Union (19 countries) in OECD
- Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels 160,623 Persons (2025)
- Incidence of unemployment by duration 19.77 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Gender share of part-time employment 73 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Incidence of full-time and part-time employment based on national 78.03 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Full-time and part-time employment based on national definition 124,694 Persons (2025)
- Full-time and part-time employment 124,694 Persons (2025)
- Incidence of full-time and part-time employment based on 82.89 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Full-time and part-time employment based on OECD-harmonized definition 131,765 Persons (2025)
- Long usual weekly working hours — Employment 10,657 Persons (2025)
- Incidence of employment by long usual weekly hours worked — Share of 6.76 Percentage of workers in the same age, sex and employment status (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD?
- Average usual weekly hours worked on the main job in European Union (19 countries) in OECD was 36.23 Hours per week per person in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest average usual weekly hours worked on the main job recorded in European Union (19 countries) in OECD?
- The highest recorded value was 40.26 Hours per week per person in 1983.
- What is the lowest average usual weekly hours worked on the main job recorded in European Union (19 countries) in OECD?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.12 Hours per week per person in 2020.
- How does European Union (19 countries) in OECD rank for average usual weekly hours worked on the main job?
- European Union (19 countries) in OECD ranks 9th out of 11 regions with data for 2025.
- Is average usual weekly hours worked on the main job rising or falling in European Union (19 countries) in OECD?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union (19 countries) in OECD 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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About this data
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.