Germans Work Fewest Hours in Europe, Poles & Greeks Work Most

OECD data reveals Germans work the fewest hours in Europe, while Poles and Greeks work the most.

Swiss newspaper Neuer Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) analyzed this data and suggests a declining willingness to work across Europe, particularly in Germany.

In 2022, Germans worked an average of 1,301 hours, 76 fewer than in 2000. Austria and Switzerland also saw significant declines of 151 and 131 hours respectively. Though Greek working hours decreased by 80 during the same period, they still worked almost 400 hours more annually than Germans. Adding to this, Germans take an average of 25 sick days per year, significantly higher than the EU average of 14 and dwarfing Swiss (9) and British (6) figures. NZZ notes a puzzling increase in German sick leave after the pandemic, despite an average of 20 days taken during the pandemic itself. Furthermore, German workers enjoy 31 vacation days annually, compared to 26 in Switzerland. NZZ attributes Germany's perceived economic weakness to these factors.

The newspaper argues a cultural shift towards personal leisure and non-work pursuits is underway in Europe. While acknowledging that reduced working hours in countries like Switzerland reflect prosperity, NZZ also points to inefficiencies in the labor market. High taxation, particularly for families, often negates the benefits of additional work. Sweden successfully addressed this by lowering tax rates for families, resulting in increased full-time employment. By contrast, Germany, Switzerland, and France maintain higher rates at 41%, 26%, and 33% respectively. Low-wage earners in Germany face particularly high tax burdens; those earning two-thirds of the average income lose 45% to taxes, compared to 22% in Switzerland, 33% in France, and 29% in Sweden.