Wondering what the top ten hardest working countries in the world are? Various factors play into the general work ethic of country. Included on that list are its traditions and customs, the development of its economy, its social structure, how it is affected by global politics or sanctions, and its population.
The amount of hours worked per person defines moreover how they live. In some countries, it might be a reflection of the change in the job industry, and the advancement in technology, which has turned traditional 9-to-5 jobs into nearly 24-hour responsibilities, with social media monitoring and increased connectivity limiting the shut-down time away from work that people once enjoyed. Yet in some countries, the amount of hours worked by a person doesn’t reflect precisely the job position or responsibilities involved, nor is it a sign of a high salaried position.
In some countries, long working days, with no weekends or vacations, reflects a country’s struggling economy. These sorts of jobs, which exploit workers, have serious effects on stress and overall life quality. When evaluating the quality of life in a certain place, the Human Development Index takes into account elements such as education, income and life expectancy. Therefore, long working hours and stressful routines decrease the quality of life. Taking a look at our list on the Top 20 Countries With The Best Quality of Life, we can see which countries made it into that list, and it makes for an interesting comparison with the present list of the hardest working countries in the world.
The latest data released by the OECD revealed that European countries and America are, contrary to what you might think, not the hardest working places in the world. A country’s working dynamic and tradition shows a national work-ethic, in which their economic growth is based. Yet, long working hours do not necessarily equate with economic success: it usually indicates a poor work-life balance, and low quality of job. Indeed, the very essence of a high quality of life through economic development is that the society should not have to work as hard in general, and should have more freedom to spend time how its people wish.
Considering this report, we have compiled a list with the ten hardest working countries in the world. Do you think your country is on the list? Check it out to see.
