Top 15 Countries with the Longest Working Hours Globally

Eric Nkom May 11, 2024

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Top 15 Countries with the Longest Working Hours Globally

The 15 nations with the longest hours in the world will be examined in this article. We have also discussed the problems that arise from working too much. Go directly to the list of the top five nations in the world with the longest workweeks if you choose to bypass our in-depth study.

Overworking presents several difficulties, particularly in early adulthood, the research found. Remarkably, just 25% of research participants kept regular weekday schedules; most had flexible work arrangements like shift work and night work.

By the time a person turned fifty, the difference in work schedules had led to reduced sleep, heightened susceptibility to depression, and deteriorating health. Indeed, difficulties with one’s bodily and mental health are a result of overworking oneself.

The consequences of excessive workload are especially severe for underrepresented populations. Night shifts and erratic work schedules disproportionately affect Black men, women, and workers with less education. For example, according to the aforementioned study, Black males with erratic work history reported considerably less sleep than White college-educated women with steady day jobs.

Furthermore, getting too little sleep as a result of overworking oneself poses a public health risk in addition to being a personal hardship. Inadequate sleep has been associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity; African Americans are more susceptible to this linkage because of systemic causes.

15 Countries with the Longest Working Hours in the World

Senegal

Average Hours per Week: 45.5

Recently, Senegal has taken an active role in encouraging its women to enter the labor sector. Using programs like the ILO’s Skill-UP project, 300 young women between the ages of 17 and 22 have attended training sessions on mobile application development in association with the Ministry of the Digital Economy and FESTIC.

Kenya

Average Hours per Week: 45.6

The International Labour Organization (ILO) provides technical help to the Kenya Institute of Public Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) in their green jobs evaluation, which serves as a gauge of the country’s progress toward sustainable employment. This initiative is a supplement to the Government of Japan-funded Youth Employment for Sustainable Development (YESD) project, which concentrates on generating jobs in the road building and maintenance industries.

Brunei Darussalam

Average Hours per Week: 46.0

In 2021, 72.6% of respondents to a study about work reported being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a significant impact on labor and work in Brunei. In addition, 7.8% had greater workloads, 10.9% did not obtain wage raises, and 44.5% were unemployed. 4.7% also experienced lower pay or fewer hours worked, and the same proportion lost their jobs. Without question, one of the overworked nations in Asia is Brunei Darussalam.

Macau, China

Average Hours per Week: 46.0

Macau workers are reputed to be among the unhappiest in the world. According to a survey by the Commercial Employees’ General Association of Macau and the Macao Federation of Trade Unions, 65% of workers believe there are few prospects for advancement in their field. Unbelievably, more than 90% of respondents said their pay has stagnated or declined until 2022. In passing, Macau ranks among the most urbanized nations in Asia.

China

Average Hours per Week: 46.1

Due to China’s overburdened work culture, young professionals are increasingly quitting solid professions due to fatigue and low pay. Lavish “resignation parties” are taking the place of customary farewells, which says volumes about their discontent.

Burkina Faso

Average Hours per Week: 46.3

The typical workweek in Burkina Faso lasts 40 hours. Anything done beyond this is overtime, and the Labor Code requires that overtime be paid at a minimum of 125% for the first four hours and 150% for the remaining hours.

Maldives

Average Hours per Week: 46.5

The Maldives ranks 14th in the world for having the longest working hours, with an average of 46.5 hours per week for those in employment.

India

Average Hours per Week: 46.7

According to a survey of more than 3800 managers, 68% of managers in India felt overworked, placing a heavy burden on the labor force. Remarkably, 33% and 59%, respectively, are actively seeking new jobs within six months and a year. Managers are not happy despite being thought necessary for strategy and financial goals; they point to lack of recognition (71%) and career stagnation (73%) as other reasons. Among the most renowned nations in Asia is India.

Pakistan

Average Hours per Week: 46.9

In Pakistan, however, overwork is a common culture. Legal positions are among the most overworked and underpaid in Pakistan. The monthly salary of recent law graduates ranges from Rs15,000 ($54) to Rs30,000 ($108), which is frequently less than the nation’s minimum wage.

Bangladesh

Average Hours per Week: 46.9

In 2024, Bangladesh is among the nations with the longest workweeks. Furthermore, the bulk of workers—84.9%, to be exact—work in the unorganized sector without access to fundamental rights like health insurance, fair salaries, or set hours.

Jordan

Average Hours per Week: 47.0

Although Jordan’s work hours are not very pleasant, in April 2017, Regulation No. 22 of 2017 was implemented. In essence, the rule targeted certain employee groups, such as those with three years of service, those with family obligations, college students, and those with disabilities. It provides a variety of flexible work arrangements, including remote work, flexible daily or weekly scheduling, and part-time work.

Mongolia

Average Hours per Week: 47.3

Mongolia ranks in the top 10 countries in the world with the highest working hours, averaging 47.3 hours per week. Additionally, worker productivity levels remain poor despite an average annual GDP per capita rise of 5.4% between 2000 and 2019. Because only over half of the working-age population was employed in 2021, the labor force participation rate is less than 60%.

Lebanon

Average Hours per Week: 47.6

The official unemployment rate in Lebanon rose to 29.6% as of January 2022. Furthermore, about 60% of jobs are in the informal economy, which has resulted in the prevalence of insecure employment. The increase in “underutilized labor,” which increased from 16.2% in 2018–2019 to 50.1% in January 2022, is another worrying trend.

Mauritania

Average Hours per Week: 47.6

While 40 hours is the legal workweek in Mauritania, many employees work far longer—56 hours is the average workweek. One of the nations with the longest workdays in the world is Mauritania.

Liberia

Average Hours per Week: 47.7

Liberia has one of the longest work years per year among nations, yet it also faces problems with youth unemployment. Despite initiatives from international partners including the United Nations, USAID, and the European Union, the youth unemployment rate is at 3.08%.