[Juniper]

I got an alert for this article recently - it's a report detailing how many people in each nation's workforce put in more than 48 hours a week. Of interest for anyone moving to NZ so they can spend less time working.



I'm sure it matters which industry you are in, but the numbers aren't as favorable as I would have expected...



"Among the developed nations covered in the report, ILO found that the countries with the highest percentage of workers putting in a longer than 48-hour workweek are:

Japan: 39.3%
United Kingdom: 25.7%
Israel: 25.5%
New Zealand: 23.6%
Australia: 20.4%
Switzerland: 19.2%
United States: 18.1%Among developing nations surveyed in the report, the highest percentage of workers putting in more than 48 hours are in:

Indonesia: 51.2%
Peru: 50.9%
Republic of Korea: 49.5%
Thailand: 46.7%
Pakistan: 44.4%
Ethiopia: 40%
Macao: 39.1% "Full article:
http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/07/news/ilo_study/index.htm?section=money_email_alerts

I wonder how the numbers would come out if you actually counted the hours worked....80 hrs a week is a ton more than 50, but in this study that wouldn't show up.

[CjChris]

I think all the people they surveyed in the US must have LIED!!! :yes

[katandbob]

well my OH works 10hrs a day - and sometimes sat mornings - so that puts him on at least 50hrs if he does a sat - he's got a new job which he starts next week, which he will not have to do weekends YAY! so hopefully he won't be so tired either! oh and he starts at 8am instead of 7am - hr extra in bed for me!!

[barryp]

I'm not sure how relevant those comparisons of work hours are. It's very difficult to compare across countries in aggregate when worker profiles are so different across countries. For example, 'small businesses' in North America are generally considered to be those with 50 or fewer employees; in NZ, a 50-person firm is downright large. 2- to 5-person firms, very common in NZ, typically entail longer work hours for everyone and much more flexible job duties - by necessity. In NZ one also finds a larger proportion of solo business owners and agricultural workers... not generally nine-to-fivers.

Work hour surveys also discount time spent commuting, which is typically pretty low in NZ in comparison to North America. (Londoners, please don't laugh.)

I agree that people coming here expecting work to be 5 hours per day with beer and fatties to follow every day will be disappointed. But a little research into one's chosen city and career should clarify how much time one will spend working. The CGI folks over at Weta work the same 90-hour bursts that they would in LA (or, for that matter, Vietnam). But people in my line of tech work work far less than they would in the Silly Valley, without the need to drive from Tracy or some other godforsaken place on top of actual work time.

[thepiesleys]

Article in last months Listener about NZ's continual rise in longer working hours. Tried to read it in the Physio waiting room today but she was early - will try again on Thursday. ;)

[checkout]

wow , wasnt aware of these stats

[Juniper]

Another quote from the article,

"The ILO study also found that men in nearly every country studied logged more paid hours on average than women, largely because women worked a greater number of unpaid hours caring for family members and the household."

Gosh what a surprise :laugh here's to the housewife :clap